N. Calif. Presbytery backs Rev. Janie Spahr, rejects church court
Rev. Janie Spahr
Timothy Kincaid posted on Box Turtle Bulletin, May 16:
The Northern California branch of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has basically told the church’s court that it can go pound sand. And in mostly united voice. (LA Times)
The Presbytery of the Redwoods, which governs churches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, voted 74 to 18 Tuesday to reject the church’s official denunciation and instead support the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, who had been found guilty by an ecclesiastical court of violating the Presbyterian Constitution and her ordination vows for marrying 16 same-sex couples.
Church officials said they believe that never before in the history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a presbytery defied the wishes of its highest court in this fashion.
Get that? That’s 80 percent of delegates who said no.
They didn’t just “defy the wishes”, they defied the church and in language that is impossible to ignore. It wasn’t just that times have changed or that we must be inclusive or some mushy-gushy love everyone response. Rather, they said that to rebuke Spahr would be “inconsistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” In other words, equality isn’t despite the gospel message, it IS the gospel message.
It will be fascinating – truly fascinating – to see the consequence. This is the first time that I can recall that a region has said, in essence, “Schism? What schism? We’re proud Presbyterians standing for justice and just what are you going to do about it? Ya gunna kick us out?” Come July, they will get their answer.
I think it likely that the General Presbytery will vote for equality. But it certainly is going to be pins and needles. And Presbyterian theologian Robert Gagnon is going to be pissed!
- Rev. Janie Spahr
Malawi leader vows to end gay oppression
President Banda
Malawi’s new President Joyce Banda says she will take steps to alleviate oppression of gays and lesbians in that country, vowing to repeal a ban on homosexual acts, the AP reports:
President Joyce Banda’s announcement during her first state of the nation address Friday is one of several steps she has taken that break with the administration of her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in April.
Malawi had faced international condemnation for the conviction and 14-year prison sentences given to two men in 2010, who had been arrested after celebrating their engagement and were charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency.
In 2010, Mutharika officially pardoned Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, the gay couple who had been sentenced to 14 years of hard labor under sodomy and indecency laws. They were originally arrested after holding a public wedding ceremony in December 2009.
Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/#ixzz1vE5aH4Kn
Obama remarks shift black voters’ opinions
Public Policy Polling has published a fascinating result out of North Carolina, where support for gay marriage has surged among black voters after the president’s announcement.
There’s been a noticeable shift in the attitudes of African Americans in North Carolina toward rights for gay couples in the wake of President Obama’s announcement last week that he supports gay marriage. Our final poll before the primary last week found only 20% of black voters in the state favoring gay marriage, with 63% opposed. Now 27% express support for gay marriage with 59% opposed, for an overall 11 point shift on the margin.
There’s been a similar movement when it comes to the overall idea of providing gay couples legal rights in the form of either marriage or civil unions. Before the primary 44% of African Americans favored one of those with 51% opposed to any sort of legal recognition for same sex couples. Now 55% of blacks support either gay marriage or civil unions with only 39% against any sort of recognition. Obama’s words look to be having an impact.
African American pastor speaks out
Following President Barack Obama’s public announcement of his “evolution” on marriage equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples, Dr. Brad Braxton — senior pastor of The Open Church, a new progressive congregation in Baltimore — entered into the public conversation through an opinion piece in The Washington Post.
While many of the African American pastors who have weighed in publicly on the issue have been critical of President Obama’s stance, Dr. Braxton — the incoming Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at Southern Methodist University — is choosing to publicly engage on the side of equality and inclusion for LGBT Americans.
Last week, President Obama publicly endorsed marriage equality for LGBT Americans in an interview with Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America.” In that interview, the President declared: “At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that– for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that– I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”
The response from faith communities and faith leaders has been varied, and particularly strong opposition has come from some African American clergy. In response to the “spiritual violence” that these pastors have issued through their statements the founding pastor of The Open Church in Baltimore, Dr. Brad Braxton, felt the need to weigh in on this national conversation through a published opinion piece.
Wednesday’s article by Dr. Braxton in the “On Faith” section of The Washington Post, titled “Same-sex marriage support a sign of love, acceptance and devotion to God,” can be found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/same-sex-marriage-support-a-sign-of-love-acceptance-and-devotion-to-god/2012/05/16/gIQAlkFkTU_story.html.
