Posted on 03/05/2011 1:55:57 PM PST by americanophile
MINNEAPOLIS -- An ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church USA was acquitted Monday by a church panel of charges that he violated the church constitution when he legally married his gay partner in California in 2008. The case of the Rev. Erwin Barron, who was associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis in the 1990s, is likely to be appealed. It is the first time the divided church, which sidestepped the issue of gay marriage at its national convention last summer in Minneapolis, has dealt with the possible discipline of a gay pastor who legally married a same-sex partner.
Barron, a college professor in San Francisco whose church credentials remain with the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, faced a 21âÑ2-hour trial before a presbytery panel of six at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Minn. After almost three hours of closed deliberations, the panel split 3-3. A two-thirds vote was required for conviction, which lawyers said could have led to defrockment.
"I'm relieved," Barron said. "I wish it was more definitive. ... The decision is not clear for the church."
The Rev. Neil Craigan, a White Bear Lake, Minn., pastor who was on the prosecuting committee, said his group will consider an appeal. The case could rise to the synod level and possibly to the national church for final disposition.
"I think there is a high probability that we will appeal to get more clarity on the issues that we face as a denomination," Craigan said. "We've never had a trial of this kind before."
The unusual hearing, held in a church community room, featured defense and prosecution lawyers who were Presbyterians who volunteered their services. About 25 people attended, most of them Barron supporters from Westminster. The six-person judicial commission was made up of three pastors and...
(Excerpt) Read more at standard.net ...
Seems relatively unambiguous.
This is the Presbyterian PC-USA, not the Presbyterian PCA of which I am a member. We wouldn’t have of not knowing how to deal with such a person. He would lose his position and if spreading sin by promoting it in any way... Well a little talk with the Elders would be in order.
Of course. But it is the plan of the Pastor to rewrite the Bible with his own words (which are those of Satan really) and lead his flock into hell. Can’t have the Truth in Satan’s world. Evil becomes “good”.
The flames of hell are rising around the PCUSA and the leaders can not even feel the heat
The flames of hell are rising around the PCUSA and the leaders can not even feel the heat
Gays have infiltrated most traditional churches and are destroying them from within.
If the church does not appeal this, the PCUSA is finished.
You have to wonder whether the society becoming relativistic has led these churches and their members into error or whether the churches falling into the error of relativism led their members and then society into the wilderness of relativism.
That the issue of a Presbyterian minister engaging in blatant, unrepentant homosexual behavior is even worthy of debate in the church, as if he committed some insignificant error in judgment, is outrageous and clearly demonstrates the apostasy of the Presbyterian church and why such formally ‘mainline’ churches are slowly but surely losing their congregations, failing to attract new members or fulfilling the spiritual needs of those who remain. Sad but predictable when you treat the Word of God as little more than an impediment to be cast aside when inconvenient for those in the church - the ministry, no less - who chose base sexual perversity over the pursuit of righteousness and the grace of God.
There are still faithful Christians in the PCUSA who are working to hold the line against gay ordination.
The problem is the homosexuals keep coming; keep litigating; keep agitating until people become exhausted from the fight.
They count on wearing people down. God willing, the churches will again refuse to ratify gay ordination. If not, the denomination is finished.
This is in the context of a church governing discussion. You can't make this stuff up!
It is finished now.. they are bleeding numbers ..
The one near me has a woman pastor and a universalist position.. Their parking lot is full on Sundays.. So many lost in one place deserve to hear the gospel
PCUSA - Sinking faster than the Titanic.
Itching ears.
I’ve never seen a denomination stay strong which allows female pastors and elders. Once women take positions of authority in churches, they seem to prefer watered-down harmony to doctrinal truth.
I’m sure there must be a few solid female pastors out there somewhere, but I’ve never seen one. And I prefer my family be shepherded by a male pastor. Society has already become too feminized.
Church is no place for compromise.
That is why, I believe the Apostle Paul requested prayers for himself and all those in leadership.
Repentance is required of all mankind and repeatedly. My prayers are that the PC-USA would hear "Thou Shalt not commit Adultery" and repent.
Of course, he’s not really married. Not in the eyes of the only One whose opinion matters.
In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
That's very true, and there are also people fighting the abortion policies. IMO, they will get nowhere.
Eventually I believe the PCUSA will allow gay pastors and continue with abortion coverage for pastors and their families.
You can't reason with liberals, which is why I left the denomination.
Women hate feeling guilty. And Christianity forces one to face that guilt and repent. I’m always reminded of the beginning of the movie Bull Durham where Susan Sarandon’s character explains why she adopted baseball as a religion.
lol. Maybe that's because women tend to feel guilty about everything so, as you said, we try to make it all better by working to keep everyone happy.
And in matters of religion as in baseball, that's impossible. There's always a winner and a loser. As Charlie Sheen said, "The scoreboard doesn't lie." 8~)
I'll have to watch "Bull Durham" again to hear what Sarandon has to say. Good movie.
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