Will church supporters of same-sex marriage tolerate dissent?
A pastor’s recent dismissal underscores the problems evangelical ministers face in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a denomination that embraced same-sex marriage this spring. The Presbytery of Carlisle, an association of PC(USA) churches in Pennsylvania, voted recently to dissolve the pastoral relationship between Wayne Lowe—a vocal supporter of biblical marriage—and his congregation, Faith Presbyterian Church of Harrisburg.
Mark Englund-Krieger, the executive presbyter of Carlisle, rejected the idea the presbytery acted against Lowe because of his position on marriage. He said, “Evangelical pastors are not being ‘forced out the door,’” for the Presbytery of Carlisle acted in response to “the observed dysfunctional exercise of pastoral authority and leadership.”
The presbytery committee’s report chastised Lowe for “being openly vocal about his own theological beliefs” concerning marriage and...
Paul Fountain | 1/30/2009
