An American minister has been cleared by a church court of ‘marrying’ two women in a church service in 2005.Janet Edwards, a Presbyterian minister who works as a parish associate at a multi-denominational church in Pittsburgh, said the service she was offering was the marriage of two women.
The Presbyterian Church says that its clergy can offer services of blessing to same-sex couples, but insists that they must not be mistaken for ‘marriage’, which can only be between a man and a woman.
Following the service, a complaint was made and a church court has this week ruled unanimously that Ms Edwards did not violate either scripture or church rules, because it was impossible for her to do so.
This is because both church and state specify that marriage is between a man and a woman, therefore she could not have done what she had been accused of.
"It can't be an offence to the constitution to attempt to do the impossible," said the decision, read by the Rev Stewart Pollock, chairman of the Permanent Judicial Commission of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
The presbytery has 45 days to file an appeal.
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(Source: RI)