SANTA ROSA, Calif. — A church court in California has cleared a lesbian Presbyterian minister who was charged with improperly officiating at the weddings of two female couples. Janie Spahr was cleared March 3 by a 6–1 vote of a church court in Santa Rosa, Calif., which ruled that same-sex weddings are not “outside of, or contrary to, the essentials” of Christian faith. Spahr, 63, is a self-proclaimed “lesbian evangelist” whose organization, That All May Freely Serve, advocates for acceptance of gays and lesbians in church life.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) allows churches to conduct same-sex union ceremonies as long as they are not equated with traditional marriage. The court said, “We affirm that the fundamental message of the Scriptures and (doctrinal) Confessions is the proclamation of the Good News of God’s love for all people. It is a message of inclusiveness, reconciliation and the breaking down of barriers that separate humans from each other.” (TAB)
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