…A proposed agreement between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Episcopal Church to recognize each other’s sacraments and allow case-by-case acceptance of each other’s clergy stirred debate.
Several people were concerned or confused about how it would apply locally, where there are two bodies called the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. The larger of the two is aligned with an Anglican province in South America rather than with the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal agreement passed 140-135.
Two fathers of gay men spoke on opposite sides of the chastity and fidelity amendment.
“The current ordination standard cuts like a knife into the heart of what many presbytery members believe about their friends and family members who are gay,” said Mike Fazzini, an elder at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church. “It sends my son the message that he is not worthy … because the love of his life happens to be of the same sex.”
Thomas Fox, an elder from Lebanon Presbyterian Church in West Mifflin, said one of his sons was gay and had died of AIDS.
“My son Don was a very loving son and I miss him greatly,” he said. “However, he chose to live a life of sin … I would not have recommended him for a position of leadership in the church.”
[blockquote] The Rev. Jean Henderson, a retired pastor and past moderator of the presbytery, said she regretted remaining silent for 50 years about her support for gay ordination, especially after the death of the Rev. Brent Dugan, a beloved pastor of the Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon, who committed suicide after his picture was shown in KDKA-TV news promos promising to reveal illicit sexual behavior.[/blockquote]
From a newstory of the [url=http://exchristian.net/2/2006/12/pastors-anguished-suicide.html ]tragedy of Rev Dugan[/url]:
[blockquote] He said he did so until four years ago, when he became close friends with a man who claimed to love him, and with whom he had occasional sexual encounters. That man cajoled him into leaving specific kinds of sexual fantasies on his answering machine, and then betrayed him by setting up a meeting at an adult bookstore, where KDKA-TV recorded him, Mr. Dugan wrote.[/blockquote]
Talk about learning the absolute wrong lesson from this tragedy. If only we would follow St. Paul:
[blockquote] Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. [/blockquote]
I know most people will focus on the homosexuality part of this article, but I find this quote
“…A proposed agreement between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Episcopal Church to recognize each other’s sacraments and allow case-by-case acceptance of each other’s clergy stirred debate.”
Even more disturbing.
At least the lutherans are giving lip service to having apostolic succession into the future.
#2 Thank you. I agree wholeheartedly.
#2, I echo your concern.