An Open Letter to the Presbyterian Church (USA)

From A. Stephen Van Kuiken
pastor, Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church
Cincinnati, Ohio

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

On March 14, 2002 Paul Rolf Jensen filed well-publicized accusations against me, and I feel compelled to respond. Let me say at the outset that some of these accusations are absolutely correct:

I did endorse our Session’s "Statement of Inclusive Marriage" (2/28/01) and "Statement of Dissent and Non-Compliance to G-6.0106b" (2/27/02); I have participated in the ordination of elders and deacons who are self-affirming, "unrepentant practicing homosexuals" (4/14/02); and I have officiated (most recently, 10/13/01) and condoned (12/30/01) worship celebrations of same-sex unions that are, in every important respect, Christian marriages.

I do not believe, however, that I have renounced the jurisdiction of the church or violated my ordination vows. Quite the contrary, my actions are in obedience to God. I am a prisoner of conscience on this matter. As an additional matter of conscience I must also be as open, honest and clear as possible about my actions.

Mt. Auburn’s inclusive policies were among the very reasons why I accepted this congregation’s call. Since then, my life has been deeply enriched. This congregation is filled with beautiful, gentle souls—black, brown and white, young and old, rich and poor, couples and singles, gay and straight. It is a lively group full of imagination, love and intelligent, honest searching for God. We have many precious children who have two mommies, two daddies or, like my family, one of each. We are bound together in love and ministry, and as their Pastor, I cannot and will not forsake them.

I hold no ill will toward Mr. Jensen for filing the accusations, and I forgive him for publicizing them to the press. It has been over four months since the accusations were filed, and I hope my Investigating Committee will move in a timely manner, since I cannot bear this process to go on indefinitely.

The problem lies not with Mr. Jensen but with our Book of Order, which makes such judicial actions inevitable. The continued existence of G-6.0106b constitutes an injustice. Its very presence is an oppressive and intolerable weight upon many. The persistent threat of judicial action intimidates many progressives, gay and straight alike, into varying degrees of silence and secrecy.

We waited in vain for some measure of relief and a message of grace from the General Assembly, which decided to deal with this conflict by ignoring it.

Likewise, the GAPJC decision in Benton v. Hudson River (5/22/00), which concludes that same-sex unions cannot be considered equivalent to marriage, is an open wound in our church. It is simply cruel to offer celebration of a loving, caring and committed same-sex relationship but to prohibit sexual intimacy in that relationship. If this is what W-4.9001 means, then its double standard inflicts an unacceptable suffering upon gay and lesbian persons and their families.

Why do I stay in this church? Because I love it. Historically, there has always been a progressive or liberal voice in the Presbyterian Church. From the earlier New Side and New School struggles through the fundamentalist controversy in the 1920’s, this wonderful tradition has maintained that "people of good characters and principles may differ." Back when some conservatives tried to impose a narrow method of biblical interpretation upon the entire church, they were turned back by many faithful Presbyterians such as Henry Sloane Coffin and Charles Erdman.

Today, this traditionally moderate denomination uses broader methods of biblical interpretation on issues such as evolution, women’s roles and divorce, but it is locked into a narrow and literalistic interpretation regarding sexual orientation. The pervasive fear, which results from this view that forbears no others, is tearing down the body of Christ.

So following our precious legacy of religious liberty, with care and concern for gay and lesbian members and their families, and out of devotion to God that I experience in Jesus, I must simply echo the words of Martin Luther: "Here I stand, I can do no other."

In Christ’s Love,