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(Birmingham, Alabama) The Presbyterian Church is considering whether to ease its rules on gay clergy.
The move comes as the Episcopal Church considers
the same issue at its annual meeting this week. (story)
For both denominations whatever is decided could widen rifts between
conservatives and liberals.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began its
General Assembly today in Birmingham, Alabama.
Since 2001, Presbyterians have been awaiting
recommendations from a special task force on "Peace, Unity and
Purity," charged with seeking a way to overcome severe disagreements on gay
relationships and other issues. The task force's report will be submitted this
week with its recommendations.
Currently Church regulations call for clergy to
practice fidelity in marriage or chastity if single. The chastity
provision is aimed at excluding gays from being ordained.
An advance copy of the task force report calls
for a new "authoritative interpretation" that would give ordaining
bodies, namely presbyteries, some leeway in determining whether any candidate's
"departure [from the regulations] constitutes a failure to adhere to the
essentials of Reformed faith and polity..."
The Rev.
Douglas Oldenburg, a former moderator of the General Assembly, who backs the
task force recommendation said the proposal is
drawing fire from both liberals and conservatives.
The right, he said is upset because some churches and presbyteries could ordain gays if they
don't consider that issue essential to the ordination process. The left is
concerned because the proposal doesn't change the church constitution.
The Church has 2.5 million members across the
country.
The Episcopal Church which also begins its annual
convention this week is also taking up the issue of gay clergy.
The denomination - the American branch of the
worldwide Anglican faith - has been at the center of a storm since it approved
the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003.
Anger over Robinson's elevation has echoed
throughout the 77 million-member communion with some branches, particularly in
Africa and Asia calling for a schism unless the American church apologizes.
New York Bishop Mark Sisk, co-chairman of an
Episcopal panel guiding the convention debate, believes that many bishops and
parishioners have no regrets about Robinson's consecration, ``but are not
anxious to exacerbate a crisis.''
The ``hope is that something will get passed that
will signal to our communion that we actually are trying to listen carefully''
to overseas concerns, Sisk said.
©365Gay.com 2006
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