A Presbyterian court is set to hear the case of the Reverend Jane Spahr, who married same-sex couples when gay marriage was legal in California, before Proposition 8 was passed.
"The Rev. Jane Spahr, 67, has been charged with 'publicly, intentionally and repeatedly' violating Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) doctrine by presiding at the weddings of 16 couples between June 2008 and November 2008, before California voters outlawed same-sex marriages. 'To turn my back on the love and lifelong commitments of these wonderful couples would have gone against my faith, the ministry where I was called, and most of all, against God's amazing hospitality and welcome where love and justice meet together,' Spahr said in a written statement. She has pleaded not guilty, explaining there are other parts of church doctrine that are just as important such as being welcoming and valuing diversity."
"The case of the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr has gained national attention because 'what is being tested is the definition of marriage' in the Presbyterian faith, said the Rev. Carmen Fowler, president of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, a conservative organization that opposes same-sex marriage…Although the Presbyterian constitution does not explicitly prohibit same-sex marriage, it defines marriage as 'a civil contract between a woman and a man.' But same-sex marriage is legal in five states and the District of Columbia and is working its way through the courts in California."
The potential punishment?
"If found guilty, Spahr faces censure that could include being defrocked. But the San Francisco resident, who lives with her son and granddaughter, does not think such punishment is likely. She sees the trial as 'a tremendous opportunity to invite the church to become open, to listen to the stories of these amazing couples,' she said. 'I hope that more hearts and minds are opened.'"
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