edwards trial: commentary

Resumen: Hoy y ayer, la pastora presbiteriana Janet Edwards fue sometida a juicio eclesiástico sobre una boda entre dos mujeres, que ella ofició en 2005. La comisión concluyó que no es culpable. La decisión fue basada en el punto más estrecho posible: que el testigo de cargo falló de probar lo que sucedió, y cual "mandatory provision" (estipulación mandatoria) desobedeció. Aunque gozan en la decisión los amigos de Janet y muchos que apoyan los presbiterianos LGBT, es triste oír que la boda de la pareja "no fue una boda."

Today the Rev. Janet Edwards, a friend and mentor to many including myself, was found not guilty by Pittsburgh Presbytery's Permanent Judicial Commission.

Janet was charged with violating Scripture and the Constitution and acting "in defiance" of same, when she officiated at the wedding of Nancy McConn and Brenda Cole in 2005.

Coverage of the trial is online at More Light Presbyterians and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The 0-9 vote margin is really striking. This means that there were no dissenters, thus no minority report will be produced.

After the strong case presented by Janet and her legal team, and the astonishingly weak case presented by the prosecution, one could only expect a verdict of "not guilty."

The PJC based its decision on the narrowest possible grounds: that the prosecution failed to prove that Janet actually performed a wedding, and that she believed this wedding to be (really) a wedding.

The room full of supporters greeted the decision with relief and joy. Hugs abounded.

However, a bittersweet element tinges the decision: as in the Spahr decision, we have been told that same-sex marriages are not marriages. The couple, Nancy McConn and Brenda Cole, sat in the room and listened to the PJC tell them that they are not married.

Many believe that a window of opportunity exists in the PCUSA, given the Scriptures, the language of W-4.9001, and given the historical treatment of the Directory for Worship as guidance to be followed "as near as circumstances shall allow, and Christian Prudence direct" [1] and not law. If it is true that Rev. Edwards' actions fall within this window, the existence of same-sex marriages should at least be acknowledged, even if it is not the norm.

Nevertheless, MLP friends and supporters rejoice with Janet, celebrating her courage--and celebrating, too, the marriage of Nancy and Brenda. We pray for the day when same-sex couples can say beyond a doubt that they are married not only in the eyes of God and family, but in the eyes of the church as well.

[1] Minutes of the Presbyterian Church in America 1706-1788, Sept 22 1729, p. 105.