Leaders of the Reformed Church in America suspended a New Jersey minister Friday night, ruling that he violated the Bible and the denomination's teachings when he officiated at his gay daughter's wedding.
The Rev. Norman Kansfield, 65, had been dismissed in January from his presidency of one of the church's two seminaries, New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Kansfield performed his daughter's wedding ceremony last June in Massachusetts, shortly after it became the first state to allow same-sex marriage.
About two-thirds of the 240 delegates at the church's annual gathering also found Kansfield guilty of breaking his ordination vows and failing to seek the church's counsel before performing the wedding, said the minister's attorney, William Rupp of Hackensack, N.J.
A majority of delegates voted to suspend Kansfield from ministry until he changes his views to fall in line with church doctrine. They also stripped him of his standing as a professor of theology in the RCA.
More on the story can be found here.
While an early critic of Kansfield's actions, I take no particular joy in this decision. It was necessary, but nonetheless painful for all involved. May God be glorified even in this!
No comments:
Post a Comment