Presbyterian pastor who performed gay wedding cleared of charges

[ccharles000]

http://www.365gay.com/news/presbyterian-pastor-who-performed-gay-wedding-cleared-of-charges/

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) A Presbyterian minister who performed a marriage ceremony for two women in 2005 has been found not guilty of violating the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Had she been found guilty, the Rev. Janet Edwards, a pastor at Community of Reconciliation Church, could have been reprimanded or defrocked.

It was the second church trial Edwards faced over the marriage. In 2006, the charges were dropped on a technicality. They were then refiled, resulting in this week’s trial in Pittsburgh.

“Scripture has taught me that the heart of marriage is the love and commitment between the partners,” Edwards told the ecclesiastic court. “The testimony today for me confirmed that, and experience as a pastor and as a person has shown me that two men or two women can show all the qualities of marriage.”

[VAliberal]

1. As a PCUSA minister

I must say I'm quite pleased with the outcome. Slowly but surely, the Presbyterian Church is moving toward the full recognition and inclusion of glbt folks in the life of the denomination.

Some good commentary on this and other issues can be found at another PCUSA minister's blog, the Rev. John Shuck - a good progressive and the bane of conservative PCUSA'ers:

www.shuckandjive.blogspot.com