For Downtown United Presbyterian Church, the situation was fairly straightforward. The Rochester, New York congregation was looking for a co-pastor, and members felt Rev. Jane Adams Spahr was the most qualified candidate.
The case has become anything but simple. Conservatives in Downtown Church's presbytery filed a complaint against the validity of Spahr's call to the pulpit, claiming that her sexuality—she openly acknowledges that she is in a committed relationship with another woman—prevents her from serving as a pastor.
Even on the narrow grounds of Presbyterian church law, Spahr's case is far from open and shut. Last summer the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) failed to accept a report on human sexuality that called for, among other things, the ordination of gays and lesbians. And a 1978 church policy expressly prohibits ordaining homosexuals. But when the policy was passed, a clause was added to explicitly forbid the use of the regulation "to affect negatively the ordination rights" of those ordained before 1978. Spahr became a minister in 1974.
Regardless of the result of Spahr's May 19 hearing, her case—and the issue of the role of homosexuals in the church—will likely reverberate through the denomination for some time to come; the expected appeal process could take as long as a year. In addition, this summer's general assembly will consider a proposal to discipline "More Light" congregations that have come out in support of gay and lesbian people, an overture to altogether ban homosexuals from the church, and a report from the denomination's theology and worship committee on how the Presbyterian church should proceed on the issue of sexuality.
In Rochester, as Downtown Presbyterian prepares for the hearing on whether its choice of minister will stand, the congregation is flourishing as a result of the widespread publicity the case has received. But it is unlikely that life in the church will soon settle back to normal.
MEANWHILE, a Southern Baptist congregation has voted to conduct a worship service blessing the union of two men. Rev. Mahan Siler, pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, said the blessing of the commitment is "a way the church can address a major concern many of us have about the weakening of moral standards in sexual behavior. We're taking a stand toward a responsible expression of sexuality. It's a stand of support toward persons who want to commit to a long-term, monogamous relationship."
While some Baptist leaders in North Carolina have upheld the right of Pullen Memorial to make its own decisions, based on the autonomy of local congregations, many have expressed objections to the action. R.G. Puckett, editor of the North Carolina Baptist newspaper, wrote that "Local Baptist churches have the right to be wrong. In this case, Pullen...[is] wrong, dead wrong."
The national Southern Baptist Executive Committee, prompted by a report of Pullen Memorial's action, has recommended that the Convention exclude from membership congregations affirming homosexual practice.
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