2011-05-11

Presbyterian Church in USA Votes for Gay Clergy

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US Presbyterian Church Votes for Gay Clergy
VOA - Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

The U.S. Presbyterian Church has voted to change its constitution to allow gay people to be ordained as ministers, elders and deacons, joining a growing group of protestant churches that have voted to allow gay clergy.

A regional bloc in Minnesota, the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, cast the deciding ballot Tuesday. A majority of 173 regional groups — who represent some 2 million Presbyterian members across the United States — now has voted in favor of the amendment. The proposal eliminates a requirement in the church constitution that clergy be celibate or married to a member of the opposite sex.
Whether to allow gay clergy has been debated within the Presbyterian church for decades. Just two years ago, a similar proposal failed to pass. This time around, at least 19 regions changed their vote to favor the change.

Presbyterian equality advocates welcomed Tuesday's decision, saying it will enable anyone to serve the church, without secrecy or discrimination.

But the move remains controversial in some regions. At least 100 congregations out of the 11,000 across the United States already have left the church in disagreement with the shifting policy.

US Presbyterian Church Votes for Gay Clergy
Article from VOA

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