February 18, 2009
Ohio Presbyterians OK Same-Sex Coupled Clergy
Steve Weinstein READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Presbyterian church leaders from central and southern Ohio have approved the idea of clergy members who are in same-sex relationships.
Pastors and elders from the Presbytery of Scioto Valley voted Tuesday to amend the Presbyterian church constitution, which now states clergy must be in a faithful marriage between a man and a woman or be celibate.
An elder from the First Presbyterian Church of Waverly spoke of his gay son and said it was time to end discrimination. But a pastor from Lewis Center opposing the amendment said the church must stand up for the Bible's teachings about marriage and sexuality.
The Ohio church body is one of at least 10 that have voted for the change. At least 25 have rejected it. Dozens more have yet to vote.
Steve Weinstein has been a regular correspondent for the International Herald Tribune, the Advocate, the Village Voice and Out. He has been covering the AIDS crisis since the early '80s, when he began his career. He is the author of "The Q Guide to Fire Island" (Alyson, 2007).
