Pastor defies church order, 'marries' another gay couple By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, May 19, 2003 On April 21, a Presbyterian Church (USA) court convicted A. Stephen Van Kuiken of Cincinnati of "marrying" same-gender couples, rebuked him for doing so and ordered him not to do it again. After appealing the slap on the wrist, Van Kuiken, the pastor of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, defied the court's order by conducting, on May 17, yet another service of "marriage" for a same-gender couple. In the eyes of the beholders, the newlyweds are Meghan Kaskoun and Melinda Tarter. But neither Ohio law nor the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) permit same-sex marriages. Conviction-warning-defiance has been the pattern of the leaders of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church for more than 12 years. They issued their first public statement in defiance of church law in 1991. In 1995, the denomination's highest court ordered them to cease and desist – but they never did. In the April 21 order, Van Kuiken was rebuked publicly by the stated clerk of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Cincinnati and told: "You are directed to perform marriage ceremonies only for a man and a woman. If you perform services of holy union, you are directed to take special care to avoid any confusion of such services with Christian marriage. You shall not appropriate specific liturgical forms from services of Christian marriage … You shall instruct same-sex couples that the service to be conducted does not constitute a marriage ceremony and should not be held out as such." In the service for Kaskoun and Tarter, Van Kuiken violated that order – just as he said he would do shortly after he was rebuked. The bulletin for the ceremony on May 17 was titled "A Service of Christian Marriage." The couple exchanged vows and rings. At the conclusion of the service, Van Kuiken made "an announcement of marriage." "Ministers should not appropriate specific liturgical forms from services of Christian marriage or services recognizing civil marriage in the conduct of such ceremonies," according to a 2001 ruling by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission, the highest court in the denomination. "They should also instruct same-sex couples that the service to be conducted does not constitute a marriage ceremony and should not be held out as such." That order also said a service blessing same-sex couples must not constitute an endorsement of homosexual practice. Despite disciplinary actions against him, Van Kuiken has been undeterred in his resolve to defy church law. In the case before the presbytery court, he was also accused – but found not guilty – of participating in the ordination and installation of practicing homosexuals. He has repeatedly asserted that he does not agree with church laws that forbid ordaining homosexuals and marrying same-gender couples. The advocates of gay causes, although relatively few in number, in the PCUSA view Van Kuiken as a heroic figure. Two of those groups, More Light Presbyterians and That All May Freely Service, expressed their gratitude that his punishment was merely a reprimand. They welcomed "tremendous strides towards justice and fairness, which have occurred as a direct result of the Rev. Van Kuiken's willingness to face a church judicial trial rather than compromise his commitment to equality." But evangelicals in the Presbytery of Cincinnati view Van Kuiken as one of a number of church officers who should either conform to church law or leave the denomination. They point out that there are still other avenues for taking stronger action that could lead to an official declaration that Van Kuiken has renounced the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church (USA) – and his removal from the pulpit at Mount Auburn: 1. Because he appealed the censure rather than agree to conform to its requirements, Van Kuiken could face an even stronger penalty in the synod or General Assembly courts, depending on how far the case proceeds. 2. The Presbytery of Cincinnati has already named an administrative commission that is considering an overture from Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church that calls on Van Kuiken and Mount Auburn elders to recant their statements in defiance of church laws. That commission delayed its work until after the presbytery agreed to try Van Kuiken. 3. Before he conducted the May 17 "marriage" service, evangelicals said such an action would compel them to accuse him of renouncing the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and call for an up-or-down presbytery vote on that issue. Meanwhile, more than 2,500 individuals and congregations, responding to continued defiance and disregard for the authority of Scripture, are calling on commissioners to the 215th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to defend the constitution and Scriptural authority. .

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