Scruples and Departures

Recently there have been a couple of developments in our denomination that are of interest to those of us who are working and praying for a denomination that is inclusive and just. On January 15 the Presbytery of San Francisco approved Lisa Larges as "ready for examination with departure". Read more about this on TAMFS web site. See also More Light's statement and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians statement about this historic decision.

Lisa has been a candidate for ordination for 22 years. Although this is not the end of her journey toward ordination, it is a very significant step towards it, and towards that day when the Presbyterian Church truly welcomes all of God's children to serve the church and the world with the gifts God has given. 

The Presbyterian News Service reports that Presbytery of the Twin Cities restored the ordination of Paul Capetz as minister of word and sacrament. Capetz had laid aside his ordination in 2000.  According to the Presbyterian News Service, in asking for his ordination to be restored Capetz declared a "scruple" indicating that he could not affirm G-6.0106b  because it would require homosexuals to take a vow of celibacy if they wished to seek ordained office.  He indicated such vow is inappropriate because a person's sexuality is "inescapable"  and that a vow of celibacy would create a "false kind of works righteousness" according to the Presbyterian News Service.     The Presbytery of Twin Cities declared that his scruple did not constitute a failure to adhere to the essentials of reformed faith and they restored him to the exercise of ordained office.