A gay couple are told about the church's opposition to same-sex unions, but are encouraged to stay in the congregation. A young church leader who is living with his girlfriend is quietly asked to stop doing so, and does. Or a dying man and his live-in girlfriend are cared for by a parish, with few questions asked. Or it may be sparked by something they've studied, or heard in a sermon. It creates conflict, and raises hackles.
People leave, and money goes out the door.
The pervasive silence grows out of a judgment call that most pastors have made. So the General Assembly is the only place to raise those concerns. Citing longtime contentious issues such as homosexuality and abortion, DeVaughan said those who hold extreme positions will probably never be reconciled. That's one of the reasons I'm Presbyterian. There is room for a variety of opinions on issues.