Presbyterian Voices for Justice 

A union of The Witherspoon Society and Voices of Sophia

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Synod PJC decision:
a letter from Lynne Reade, attorney for the Presbytery


In response to an inquiry from your WebWeaver, Lynne Reade, who served as attorney for Redwoods Presbytery in the case involving complaints about the ordination of the Rev. Katie Morrison, sent us this letter.   [5-22-02]

__________________________________

Lynne Reade, Attorney at Law

3610 Dunbar Court
Fremont, CA 94536

__________________________________


May 22, 2002


Doug King, Newsletter Editor
Network News
The Witherspoon Society of the Presbyterian Church
7833 Somerset Circle
Woodbury, MN 55125-2334

Re: Edgar Hart, et al.; Presbytery of San Joaquin; Session of 
Rockville Presbyterian Fellowship
v, Presbytery of the Redwoods 
(Remedial Cases 01-03, 01-04; 01-15; 01-16)

Dear Doug,

In answer to your inquiry about the Redwoods Presbytery case and my involvement in it, I was pleased to be asked to serve as Counsel to the Presbytery's Committee of Counsel. The Committee was made up of Rev. Beverly White, Chair; Rev. Herman Waetjen and Elder Jody Berger - all very helpful and supportive.

The two attorneys for the parties who filed formal Complaints against the Presbytery are also fine people, as are the parties themselves.

All Counsel in this case worked without fee but, even so, the case cost the parties thousands of dollars that the church could have better used for mission purposes. This is ominous when we consider that those opposed to ordination of homosexual Presbyterians have reportedly declared this to be the "judicial season" in the church.

Since gays and lesbians and their allies are being targeted in this "judicial season", I am particularly pleased that the decision in the Redwoods Presbytery case should result in the closing of most of the investigations already underway against those who participated in Katie Morrison's ordination. It is a sad day when members of a duly-appointed Presbytery Commission have to worry about facing disciplinary accusations - especially when the accusations can come from a single individual a continent away who has never even met the many people he is accusing.

There is a rough road ahead until our denomination eventually changes its position on this issue as it did with slavery and women.

I think the next big battle will be about the term "chastity" as used in G-6.0106b since there are different interpretations of the word. (In doing my research for my Pretrial Brief, I found that twelve different Overtures to the 1996 General Assembly had wanted the term "celibacy" used in what became G-6.0106b. One of them wanted "chaste celibacy" and I am still wondering about that! Instead, the word "chastity" was used and it has yet to be finally defined. We never got to that point in the Redwoods trial because my Motion to Dismiss was granted, properly, at the beginning of the trial.)

In my Pretrial Brief, I quoted the Heidelberg Catechism that instructs that we should all "live chaste and disciplined lives, whether in holy wedlock or in single life." (4.108) I said there, "This certainly does not mean that married couples should be celibate. This is a clear illustration that the Confessions do not tell us that chastity and celibacy are the same thing."

For those who think differently, maybe they will have to include this as a warning to every man and woman in the process of having a Presbyterian marriage - that even after the marriage ceremony, the newly-wed husband and wife will have to remain celibate or risk facing disciplinary charges because they are doing something the Confessions call sin!

Best wishes,

Lynne Reade

Lynne Reade
Attorney at Law

 

Some blogs worth visiting

 

PVJ's Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, PVJ's Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!

You can post your own news and views, or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you.

 

Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

After fifteen years of scholarship and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy, students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and thoughtful community.

 

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

Theological and philosophical reflections on everything between summit to shore, including kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology, politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian Church in Flushing, NY.

 

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

A Presbyterian minister, currently serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and lightening up.

 

Got more blogs to recommend?

Please send a note, and we'll see what we can do!

 

Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch Seminar!

GHOST RANCH SEMINAR

July 26-August 1, 2010

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE

 

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