Against a backdrop of the first week of legal gay marriages in California, the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination opened its biennial meeting in San Jose on Saturday amid deep divisions over whether gays and lesbians should be ordained and same-sex marriages recognized.
The constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which has 2.3 million members, defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman. The liberal-leaning denomination has been moving toward accepting same-sex marriages with various church court rulings. But supporters want the marriages fully recognized.
In 2000, the church's court ruled that ministers can officiate at same-sex unions as long as the ceremonies are not called marriages. Some churches have also ordained gay and lesbian leaders without facing sanctions.
The Rev. Jane Spahr of San Rafael was acquitted in April by a church court for blessing same-sex ceremonies before California made gay marriage legal. The church court ruled that those ceremonies were not marriages because the state didn't recognize them.
Now that those marriages are legal in California, Spahr on Friday married a Marin County lesbian couple at the county's Civic Center, in an open challenge to church leaders, who are meeting for a week here.
Presbyterians in San Jose tackle tough issues
San Jose Mercury News, USA
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