At its Jan. 29 meeting, National Capital Presbytery rebuked Tara Spuhler McCabe, a minister who in April 2012 signed the marriage license at a same-gender wedding in Washington, D.C.
McCabe’s involvement with the wedding of the two women became a public controversy when she stood as a candidate for vice moderator of the 2012 General Assembly. The assembly elected Neal D. Presa, a minister from New Jersey, as its moderator and McCabe as its vice moderator, after Presa said their friendship could serve as a model of how Presbyterians who disagree on divisive matters can still work together.
McCabe resigned as vice moderator three days after her election, however, citing a wave of criticism and saying she didn’t want to become a distraction from the assembly’s work.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) currently does not allow its ministers to perform same-gender marriages, because the denomination’s constitution defines Christian marriage as being between “a man and a woman.” Some Presbyterians are pushing the denomination for change, arguing that pastors in jurisdictions where same-gender marriage is legal (as it is in the District of Columbia) should be allowed to perform such weddings. The 2012 assembly, however, declined to support such a change.
According to a statement McCabe posted on her Facebook page, the censure came after an investigating committee worked with her over about five months. At her request, the censure was read aloud at the presbytery meeting.
The wording of the censure is as follows:
Whereas you, Tara Spuhler McCabe, admit the offense of officiating at a same-sex marriage ceremony on or about April 28, 2012, and admit that by such offense you have acted contrary to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA); now, therefore, the Presbytery of National Capital, in the name and authority of the Presbyterian Church (USA), rebukes you. You are enjoined to be more watchful and avoid such offense in the future. We urge you to use diligently God’s grace and to be more obedient to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Furthermore, we encourage you to continue to provide pastoral care to all couples, including the blessing of same-sex couples who have previously been married by civil authorities.
In an interview last year, McCabe acknowledged that she was present at the wedding and signed the marriage license for two women who were not part of the congregation she then served, but with whom she had formed a pastoral care relationship. The wedding was not held in a church, and McCabe said the pastor of the congregation where she was working at the time (and which she had already made plans to leave) had no knowledge of it.
McCabe wrote on Facebook that, while an investigating committee was formed, “no one in National Capital Presbytery ever filed an accusation against me.” She also wrote that “I am at peace with this.”
February 1 UPDATE
According to Sara M. Coe, stated clerk of National Capital Presbytery, the following is the statement read on the floor of the presbytery meeting Jan. 29 regarding the censure of Tara Spuhler McCabe. (Coe points out one error in the presentation. While the statement read refers to Investigating Committee #3, the statement should have referred to Investigating Committee #1.) Coe also said the investigating committee report was not being made public. According to Coe, here is what was read to the presbytery:
On July 12, 2012, an accusation was made by 17 people under the jurisdiction of various sessions and presbyteries around the country that the Rev. Tara Spuhler McCabe, on or about April 28, 2012, officiated as a Presbyterian Church USA pastor at a same sex marriage in violation of the Church’s Constitution and the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission decision in Spahr v. Presbyterian Church.
On August 1, 2012, IC#3, composed of Doris Mabry, Henry Brinton, Mary Beth Lawrence and Mills Williams, was formed. After their investigation, the IC concluded that the accused officiated as a PCUSA pastor at a same-sex marriage ceremony in violation of the Church’s constitution and that charges would be filed. The IC also initiated an alternate form of resolution process with Rev. McCabe. Negotiations with Rev. McCabe were successful and resulted in a proposed censure to be read at a stated meeting of National Capital Presbytery followed by prayer. The Permanent Judicial Commission met on January 10 to determine whether to approve the settlement. The PJC voted unanimously to accept the settlement agreement.
The censure is as follows:
CENSURE
Whereas you, Tara Spuhler McCabe, admit the offense of officiating at a same-sex marriage ceremony on or about April 28, 2012, and admit that by such offense you have acted contrary to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA); now, therefore, the Presbytery of National Capital, in the name and authority of the Presbyterian Church (USA), rebukes you. You are enjoined to be more watchful and avoid such offense in the future. We urge you to use diligently God’s grace and to be more obedient to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Furthermore, we encourage you to continue to provide pastoral care to all couples, including the blessing of same-sex couples who have previously been married by civil authorities.
