Van Kuiken defiance trial scheduled Tuesday Soulforce plans demonstration of support The Layman Online Friday, April 4, 2003 The presbytery trial of the Rev. A. Stephen Van Kuiken, who has been accused of two violations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Constitution by the investigating committee of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, is scheduled to begin April 8. Van Kuiken, the pastor of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, is accused of "participating in the ordination and installation of deacons and elders who refuse to repent of self-acknowledged practice(s) which the confessions call sin." On the eve of his disciplinary trial, Mount Auburn – whose leaders have declared their defiance of the constitution for the past 12 years – again issued a statement of defiance against the ordination standards of the denomination. While saying that it will continue to defy G-6.0106b in the Book of Order, the "fidelity/chastity" clause, Mount Auburn said it will welcome gays and lesbians and "promote their full participation in all aspects of church life, including ordination as Elders and Deacons." The statement also admits that Mount Auburn "has ordained gay, lesbian and bisexual persons" and will continue to "ordain self-acknowledged gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, sexually active or not, following the same criteria used to call heterosexual persons to our church leadership." In its rationale for such action, Mount Auburn states that "homosexual practice in and of itself is not a sin and is not inconsistent with the standards for ordination." The fidelity/chastity ordination standard, the session declares, "came out of a different understanding" of the gospel and Mount Auburn "will not comply with G-6.0106b," adding that it "has not complied with and will not comply" with the constitutional standard. In addition, the Mount Auburn session previously declared, again in defiance of the denomination's constitution, that the church authorizes and conducts services for the "marriage" of same-sex couples and that it opens its communion table to non-Christians. The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission forbid pastors from "marrying" same-gender couples. The charges against Van Kuiken were filed Feb. 10 and are in response to allegations made by Paul Rolf Jensen, a Presbyterian lawyer in Reston, Va., who has filed more than 20 cases nationwide in an effort to halt defiance of the PCUSA constitution. This will not be the first time a leader of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati has gone to trial for defying the constitution. Actions against the church's leaders date back to 1991, including a complaint that rose to the highest court in the denomination, the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly. But Mount Auburn's leaders thus far have eluded any disciplinary action. In the current case, the first charge against Van Kuiken is that he "has participated in the ordination and installation of deacons and elders who refuse to repent of self-acknowledged practice(s) which the Confessions call sin, in willful and deliberate violation of section G-60106(b) of the Book of Order of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)." As evidence of the charge, the presbytery's investigating committee lists published statements by the defendant, session minutes and bulletins from his church. The second charge says Van Kuiken "performed and/or condoned and facilitated the performance by others of same-sex marriage ceremonies at the Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church which were in violation of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) W-4.9001." In filing the charge, the presbytery's investigating committee lists the defendant's published "Statement of Dissent and Non-Compliance," his "Statement on Inclusive Marriage," published Feb. 28, 2001, and a copy of a wedding bulletin as evidence. "Van Kuiken has commented that the Investigating Committee for his case offered him an 'alternative resolution,' but only if he would admit that what he has done is wrong, and would promise not to do those things again," says an article posted on the Witherspoon Society Web site. "He could not accept those terms, because he believes both of those actions are right, and he must continue to do them." The Witherspoon Society is an independent organization that promotes the ordination of practicing homosexuals in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other liberal causes. Soulforce plans demonstration Soulforce, a gay advocacy group that describes itself as "an interfaith movement committed to ending spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people," released a statement announcing its plans to support Van Kuiken and the members of his congregation. According to the statement posted on the Witherspoon Society's Web site, "We are calling all Soulforce veterans to join us in Cincinnati April 8 and 9 to give support to Rev. Van Kuiken and members of his congregations. … Soulforce will hold a nonviolence training on the evening of Monday, April 7 for those who will be joining us for the first time. Soulforce veterans are welcome to take part in the training, or meet on Tuesday, April 8, the day of the trial, at 1 p.m. for squad assignments, socializing and spiritual renewal. … No civil disobedience or arrests are being planned at this time." Soulforce claims that "charges were filed by the investigating committee against him for not discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation in ordination or gender in marriage." It does not refer to Jensen by name, but says an "anti gay member of the PCUSA has filed over twenty complaints against Presbyterians for these reasons all over the country." Soulforce also is advocating a letter-writing campaign supporting Van Kuiken, saying "policies permitting marriage of same sex couples, ordination regardless of sexuality, and open communion, etc, have helped you live out a Christian faith." Van Kuiken plans to introduce some written statements as part of his defense. On March 3, 2002, the Rev. Dr. Mel White who with his partner, Gary Nixon, co-founded Soulforce, preached at Mount Auburn, saying "When you've taken a stand to accept us without question, you've said the church is wrong." He said the Bible has been misused to discriminate against gays and lesbians and that it is going to get worse before it gets better. "Fundamentalism is at work in the Presbyterian Church and other mainline congregations. Fundamentalism is orthodoxy gone cultic," White said. Shortly afterward, on March 23, Soulforce issued a statement of support for Mount Auburn, which reads in part, "Soulforce, Inc. commends and affirms the action taken by the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church (USA), Cincinnati, Ohio, and applauds the courage of conviction by the Session (governing body) of the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church as evidenced by the Statement of Dissent and Non-Compliance, passed on February 27, 2002. The Session reaffirmed for the tenth year that 'gays and lesbians are part of God's good creation and that they, no less than heterosexuals, are meant to enjoy God's gifts of love, joy and intimacy.' The Session also issued a Statement on Inclusive Marriage last year on February 28, 2001. … The spirit of justice and hope that the actions of the Session of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian display creates a ripple effect that will be felt beyond the walls of the church. The spiritual violence that is committed by the PC(USA) when it denies the sanctity of the call of gays and lesbians and the holiness of relationships is being loudly challenged by Mt. Auburn. Gays and lesbians will be healed and affirmed by this courageous and just act …"

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