From the LA Times-Also mentions the Colorado Springs decision-
March was a busy month for courts weighing issues affecting churches and clergy in California and across the nation.
Three rulings -- one from a church body, two from secular courts -- involved a California lesbian who hopes to become a priest, a dispute over church property in Colorado and whether children in Texas should observe a minute of silence before starting their school day.
In California, a Presbyterian Church commission issued a ruling Wednesday that essentially halted a lesbian deacon's candidacy for ordination as a priest.
Lisa Larges, 45, has been trying to become a Presbyterian priest for more than 20 years. She heads the group That All May Freely Serve, which advocates for gay equality in the church.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) does not allow gays or lesbians to become priests, but last week's ruling sidestepped Larges' sexual orientation. In a highly technical ruling, the commission rejected the process used by the Presbytery of San Francisco to approve Larges' candidacy for ordination.
Still, Larges said the ruling has "deeply personal and painful repercussions" for her and other gay, bisexual and transgender people who want to serve the church. Larges likened the commission's action to the ruling of an appellate court. She said it was unclear whether there would be an appeal to a higher church court.
The rest is here-
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs30-2009mar30,0,5959119.story
2 comments:
The Presbyterian Church holds that there is a "priesthood of all believers," but does not ordain anyone to an office called priest. The three ordained offices are Deacon (the "worker bees" of the church); Elder (lay governing body members with other varied responsibilities); and Minister of the Word and Sacrament (what you are calling "priest"). In theory, Presbyterians hold that ordination to these offices differs only in function.
Take it up with the LA Times :-)
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