 Milwaukee votes to accept lesbian as a candidate for ministry By Craig M. Kibler The Layman Online Tuesday, September 30, 2003 The Presbytery of Milwaukee has voted to accept a self-described lesbian as a candidate for ministry. Elisabeth "Eily" Marlow has been enrolled as an inquirer in the presbytery since November 1999. She received a Masters of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in 2002.
The Committee on the Preparation of Ministry, in documents provided for the presbytery meeting, said Marlow met with the committee on April 29 and, "having reviewed the evidence of Eily's inquiry phase, CPM concurred with the Southminster Session endorsement and recommends Presbytery of Milwaukee to receive Eily Marlow as a Candidate in her preparation for ministry." A member of Southminster Presbyterian Church in Waukesha, she is employed at Macalester College in St. Paul as an associate chaplain and program assistant for the Lilly Project. The college's Web site describes Marlow as being "intensely involved in the national movement for the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons within religious communities." In material provided by the presbytery, Marlow is described as having worked as "an instructor, a student hospital chaplain, as program staff for synod projects, PC(USA) staff at the U.N. office [and as a] program assistant with PC(USA) Louisville staff." She also has worked as an intern in the Chicago office of That All May Freely Serve, which describes itself as "working for ordination of qualified gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender candidates in the Presbyterian Church (USA) as Elders, Deacons, and Ministers." In a September 4, 2002 story posted on the TAMFS Web site, Marlow said that "empowerment came when she realized, 'It's not about anyone taking away your call, but about them recognizing your call. At TAMFS I met people who recognized my call and saw my ministry.'" "I'm not called to knock on the door of the heterosexual church, but to invite people into this (more inclusive) church," Marlow said. "Our movement is a gift. I am so eager to be an evangelist and bring people to the church and to faith, in the context of TAMFS and other welcoming group movement." The story stated that Marlow "was exposed to feminist theory, awakened to the realities of hierarchical social structures, and made more deeply aware of issues ranging from eating disorders, to rape, to sexuality. Eily rejected the institutional church as 'irrelevant' and 'hierarchical' … 'GLBT people brought me back to the church' … 'I needed an embodiment of God that says, 'Christ is GLBT.' I came to Christ through coming out as a lesbian." In her statement of faith to the presbytery, Marlow wrote that she believes in "the triune God: the Creator, whom Jesus called Father, Christ whom God called Son, and the Holy Spirit. In this perfect trinity we find God's plan for humanity. We are uniquely created in the image of God, yet made whole in relationship. As we actualize the truth of being dependant [sic] and accountable to each other we too are finally made complete. Through loving and just relationships we come to reflect God's fullness." "Jesus redefined power," she wrote, "displaying it not in violence or coercion, but through love, liberation, friendship and healing. Jesus walked this earth exposing its disunity with God and calling for radical transformation." The Presbytery of Milwaukee long has been active in defying the constitutional standards of the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1998, the Synod of Lakes and Prairies declared "null and void" the presbytery's "Covenant of Dissent," in which the presbytery had vowed to defy the constitution. On May 27, 1997, Milwaukee Presbytery adopted a Covenant of Dissent that declared in part that "we cannot agree to abide by the recently passed amendment to G-6.0106 ("Amendment B") without violating our informed conscience, faith, and interpretation of our obligations." The presbytery further declared that it would ordain anyone "with suitable gifts … without additional requirements." The synod conducted a special administrative review of this action. That committee concluded that: "It is our determined opinion that it is appropriate for the Presbytery of Milwaukee to forcefully voice its opposition to the provision of the Book of Order found in G-6.0106b. However, in its statement that the Presbytery will 'elect, ordain and install ... without additional requirement or restrictions,' the Presbytery has taken an action that a governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) may not take and thus has committed an irregularity. It has also failed to correct this irregularity. This is a violation of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). "Under our Constitution governing bodies are not free to violate mandatory constitutional provisions. However, it is the obligation of ministers of Word and Sacrament and elders who disagree with any such provision to seek to change that provision through constitutional means. It is also their obligation to honor their ordination vow to 'be governed by our church's polity' and to 'abide by its discipline' [G-14.0405b(5)]. It is imperative that everyone understand the potential consequences of a failure to do so. The consequences could be the initiation of either administrative or judicial action. Either course could result in the transfer of presbytery responsibilities to another governing body, while disciplinary action could result in the censure of individuals. Such censure could be as severe as removal from ordained office." The committee noted that "the action of Presbytery of Milwaukee is not in accord with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and is therefore an irregularity." The synod instructed its stated clerk "to remind the Presbytery of Milwaukee and its particular churches of their responsibility to ensure that their nominating and election processes for ministers of the Word and Sacrament, elders, and deacons be conducted in accordance with all provisions of the Book of Order, and that only individuals have the right of freedom of conscience." In three votes among the presbyteries on the denomination's "fidelity/chastity" ordination standard, the Presbytery of Milwaukee consistently has voted to delete the standard. The standard originally was approved in 1996-97 by 56.7 percent of the presbyteries (Milwaukee voted 27 - 82 against the standard). In 1997-98, the standard was affirmed by 66.7 percent of the presbyteries (Milwaukee voted "yes" to reject the standard). The standard again was approved in 2001-2002 by 73.1 percent of the presbyteries (Milwaukee voted 68 - 35 against the standard). |
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