News
May 6, 2009

San Francisco remedial case is appealed to GA-PJC
Press release from the complainants

A notice of appeal has been filed by the complainants in the Naegeli et al v. San Francisco Presbytery case that was heard by the Synod of the Pacific Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC) in March. The appeal asks the General Assembly PJC to clarify the Synod's ruling regarding church-wide ordination standards.

The original case involved an action of the San Francisco Presbytery in January 2008 to allow candidate Lisa Larges to proceed to examination for ordination despite her unwillingness to abide by constitutional sexuality standards. The Synod PJC overturned the Presbytery's action on procedural grounds, without ruling on the constitutionality of the decision to advance the candidate. The appeal to the GA-PJC is a request for clarity on the substance of the complaint.

Among the standards for church office in the PCUSA is the requirement to "live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." Ms. Larges has declared this requirement a "mar upon the church" and has refused to abide by it.

The complainants, the Rev. Mary Holder Naegeli, the Rev. Margaret Gelini, and the Rev. Mark Stryker, are all members of the presbytery's Committee on Preparation for Ministry (CPM). Their remedial case raised questions regarding the CPM process and the discretion allowed the committee, acting on behalf of the presbytery, to waive constitutional requirements. They hope that the GA-PJC will not only rule definitively – as it has in the past-that presbyteries cannot waive the sexual standard for officers, but also review the CPM process spanning 10 years that led to the presbytery's vote.

"The church constitution requires sexual fidelity and chastity of all its church officers. The question is whether application of this requirement is optional or a church-wide mandatory standard," said Naegeli. "Clarity on this issue is necessary for the church to move forward as an effective witness of the gospel in today's world."