Tuesday, March 19, 2019
South African Court Invalidates Dutch Reformed Church's LGBT Policy
In South Africa, a 3-judge panel of the North Gauteng High Court set aside as unlawful and invalid a decision on same-sex relationships made by the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church during the Synod's November 2016 meeting. That decision reversed a 2015 policy that recognized same-sex civil unions and allowed the ordination of gays and lesbians. In Gaum v. Van Rensburg, S.A. High Ct., March 8, 2019), the court said in part:
The Church denied that the 2016 decision prevents the participation of the LGBTQIA+ community in the church community, or that it impedes their private lives, or that the decision violates their constitutional rights.... On behalf of the Church it was submitted that the 2016 decision did not restrict Gaum’s right to freedom of association; Gaum is free to join another Church that interprets the Bible in the way that Gaum does....
The differentiation caused by the 2016 decision does inherently diminish the dignity of Gaum because same-sex relationships are tainted as being unworthy of mainstream church ceremonies and persons in a same-sex relationship cannot be a Minister in the Church....
Read more at: http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2019/03/south-african-court-invalidates-dutch.html
This Dutch Reformed Church did not recognize gay marriages, the South African Government is telling them they have to.
Here is a normal news article on it. The one above, I think a bit clearer.
Dutch Reformed Church's decision not to recognise gay marriages overturned
Written by: Neo Koza
The North Gauteng High Court has set aside the Dutch Reformed Church's decision not to recognise gay marriages.
In 2015, the church decided it would accept gay marriage but backtracked a year later, saying same-sex marriages contradicted Christian doctrine.
http://www.702.co.za/articles/340509/court-sets-aside-dutch-reformed-church-s-decision-not-to-recognise-gay-marriages
