News

PCUSA court clears cleric in gay marriage case

The top court of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has found a Boston
minister not guilty of violating church rules against performing gay
marriages. The narrow ruling keeps the churchwide ban in place.

The
PCUSA's Permanent Judicial Commission on February 2 cleared Jean
Southard of charges that she violated church rules and her ordination
vows by marrying two women in 2008 in Massa­chusetts, where gay marriage
is legal.

The wedding took place before the PCUSA had determined,
later in 2008, that the ban on same-sex marriage is "mandatory" for
ministers, the 16-member court ruled. The court said that the rule
should not be applied retroactively to Southard's case.