Spuhler McCabe believed that as a pastor in the PCUSA, she embodied a reality faced by what she described as “a growing number of pastors who find ourselves caught between the desire to stand with couples in sacred moments and having a polity that restricts us from living out our calling.”

PITTSBURGH, Pa – Amidst an environment that both the moderator and vice moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) described as “poisonous,” the Rev. Tara Spuhler McCabe resigned the second highest office in the denomination a mere 36 hours after being elected.

Prior to her announcement, Spuhler McCabe read from Philippians 2:1-5. Then she said, “It has been quite a journey over these past few days since being confirmed as vice moderator.” Indicating that her confirmation “touched a nerve,” she told her fellow commissioners that she appreciated the opportunity to respond.

Spuhler McCabe believed that as a pastor in the PCUSA, she embodied a reality faced by what she described as “a growing number of pastors who find ourselves caught between the desire to stand with couples in sacred moments and having a polity that restricts us from living out our calling.” She said that was especially true for pastors like her who serve “in states where it is legal for everyone to be married.”

Acknowledging that the “energy and passion about this issue runs deep and is not going away,” Spuhler McCabe said, “I am surprised and saddened … by the overall tenor of GA and toward the office of the moderator” she has experienced since being elected Saturday night. She said that both “individuals and groups who have made little attempt to have personal conversations” have been “blogging and tweeting unhelpful comments.” She went on to lament the time and energy being required by “others who … feel the need to protect me.”

Out of “great love,” “deep concern,” and information that has led the GA leadership to believe that some commissioners have “plans to use parliamentary process to keep us from tending to the important business before us,” Spuhler McCabe said that “I do not want this situation to get in the way and it obviously is.” Then she said in a steady voice, “I am resigning as your vice moderator.”

Continuing, she said, “it is my choice and it is my decision and it comes from that same pastoral core that led me to be with two women in their sacred moment in D.C.”  Beginning in the seating section for observers but swelling quickly through the hall, applause arose. [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

Concluding her remarks, the teaching elder commissioner from National Capital Presbytery said, “I am incredibly grateful to this moderator who has already demonstrated the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and continues to support and love me as his sister. I care too much about this church and this assembly to let this situation continue to keep us from doing the important work we were sent here to do.” She then assured her fellow commissioners that she looked forward to getting on with that work saying, “let us get to what God has called us here to do as the peace of Christ is with us all.”

During a period of applause, Moderator Neal Presa received the vice moderator’s stole placed upon her only two days earlier. The two friends exchanged a long embrace and most in the hall rose in applause.

The moderator then addressed the assembly. “It was with great sadness that the stated clerk and I received this decision from our vice moderator yesterday morning.” Presa acknowledged that Spuhler McCabe’s actions were consistent with her “deep pastoral heart,” and “love for the church and this assembly and for me.”

The moderator said that over the past two days it had become clear that the participation of his vice moderator in the marriage of two women was going to be disruptive to the assembly as some commissioners were “questioning my integrity” and the authenticity of the friendship between Presa and Spuhler McCabe.

The experiences described by the moderator were characterized by an “undercurrent of pernicious poison.”

Although the moderator accepted the vice moderator’s resignation, he also acknowledged the experience has only given both of them “an even more steely determination” to pursue the vision of a unified Presbyterian church that is “marked by deep love, risk taking, deep relationships …” while “living comfortably in the tension when we are divided.”

Presa thanked Spuhler McCabe “for her courage, love and pastor’s heart,” saying, “I will deeply miss what could have been.”

After prayer and a comment about process from the stated clerk, Presa announced that his nominee for consideration as vice moderator would be Teaching Elder Tom Trinidad, from Faith Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, CO. Commissioners to the 220th GA of the PCUSA will vote on Wednesday evening on the nomination of Trindad.

Spuhler McCabe’s resignation letter:

July 4, 2012

Mr. Moderator, sisters and brothers in Christ:

In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul wrote:

1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus….

It has been quite a journey over these last few days since being confirmed as your Vice Moderator. The amount of conversation in person and comments online indicate that my confirmation has obviously touched a nerve. And so I appreciate a moment to respond.

I am a pastor. That is who God has called me to be. As I reflect on what’s happening now, I think I am embodying the reality of a growing number of pastors who find ourselves caught. We are caught between being pastors – being with couples in those sacred moments when they make their vows to one another . . . and having a polity that restricts us from living out our pastoral calling – especially in states where it is legal for everyone to be married.

The tension over all of this is real, and clearly the energy and passion about this issue runs deep – and isn’t going away. I am surprised and saddened by the pervasive poisonous activity that has increased toward the overall tenor of our General Assembly and toward the Office of the Moderator. Individuals and groups with no personal relationship with me and have made no attempt to have one-on-one conversations with me or the Moderator are blogging and tweeting unhelpful and, frankly, divisive comments.

I am also saddened by the amount of energy and time that others have taken on, in the midst of their important work here, to defend what the majority has already decided, or to feel the need to protect me.

Because I have great appreciation and affection for this church and our process, I am deeply concerned that some within our community here plan to use parliamentary order, among other things, in a way that will serve as a stumbling block to us – keeping us from tending to the vital business that is before us as the General Assembly.

I do not want this situation to get in the way. And it is obvious that it is.

And so I am resigning as your Vice Moderator. It is my choice and my decision, and it comes from that same pastoral core that led me to be present for two women in their sacred moment in DC.

I am incredibly grateful to this Moderator who has already demonstrated the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace and who continues to affirm, support, and love me as a sister in Christ.

So, bottom line: I care too much about this church and about this assembly to let this situation continue. We have important work to do here, and so let us get to what it is God called us here to do.

May the peace of Christ be with us all.

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[Editor’s note: Original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]