I have been following this story closely because it is taking place just a couple of hours drive from where I now sit. For fifteen years a female minister in the United Church of Canada has been an open and avowed atheist. I could say much about this situation but I will just make two observations and allow my church family to just read the article. First - it took fifteen years for the denomination to respond to this person. Second - the vote was 19 to 4 - not unanimous.
Atheist Clergywoman 'Not Suitable' to Be Ordained Minister, Says United Church of Canada Committee
By Michael Gryboski , Christian Post Reporter
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Atheist Clergywoman 'Not Suitable' to Be Ordained Minister, Says United Church of Canada Committee
By Michael Gryboski , Christian Post Reporter
A committee of the United Church of Canada has decided that a clergywoman who came out as an atheist over 15 years ago is "not suitable" to remain an ordained minister of the denomination.
The Rev. Gretta Vosper of West Hill United Church of Toronto, Ontario, was declared "not suitable" to remain a church minister, according to a report released on Wednesday from the Conference Interview Committee for the United Church's Toronto Conference.
According to the 39-page report, which was provided to The Christian Post by the UCC Toronto Conference, the committee decided in a vote of 19 to 4 that by being an atheist, Vosper has rejected the ordination vows she took in 1993.
"In our opinion, she is not suitable to continue in ordained ministry because she does not believe in God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit," the committee's majority concluded.
"Although The United Church of Canada is a big tent, welcoming a diversity of theological beliefs, Ms. Vosper is so far from center of what holds us together as a united Church that we have concluded that she is not suitable to continue as an ordained minister in our Church."
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