Earlier this month Deacon Regan Burke of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, located downtown just off of Michigan Avenue, resigned from her position as deacon and member of the church in response to the Presbyterian Church's (USA) stance regarding same-sex marriage. Burke is a straight ally to the LGBT community.
During the 220th General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meeting earlier this month in Pittsburgh, Pa.—the GA meets every two years to discuss matters pertaining to the Presbyterian Church—tit chose not to change the definition of marriage in the church's Book of Order to include people of the same gender. The vote was 338-308 to keep the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The GA, however, did approve a two-year study on the issue of same-sex marriage and is inviting the entire church to engage in serious, deliberate conversation on the issue.
The recent decision to keep the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman comes on the heels of a 2011 amendment that opened ordination of candidates for the ministry to include partnered gay and lesbian candidates. Prior to this change, gay and lesbian ministers had to remain single and celibate. When this amendment took effect a new denomination—the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians—was formed among congregations who disagreed with the new policy.
Prior to the recent GA meeting of the Presbyterian Church, according to the Presbyterian News Service, at least 100 congregations defected due to the church's decisions to embrace a more liberal view on LGBT issues.
Burke is pleased that Fourth Presbyterian was a leader in advocating for gay marriage at the recent GA meeting and loves everyone who was involved for their perseverance and commitment to changing the Presbyterian church in the United States.
She noted that although there is no specific LGBT group at the Fourth Presbyterian Church there is a large population of openly gay men who hold leadership positions at the church and they are encourage and supported by church staff and ministers.
"Since the meeting and the vote generated a lot of press, I had friends outside the church ask me about it," said Burke. "I suddenly found that as a person who has been an advocate for gay rights my whole life, I am embarrassed to call myself a Presbyterian. I don't want to spend the rest of my life saying 'I'm a Presbyterian, but…'"
Raised as a Catholic in Chicago's northern suburbs and later in New Jersey, Burke left the Catholic Church at 17 because she "couldn't buy that only Catholics get to go to heaven." Burke spent a number of years searching for spiritual solace and then became a member of Fourth Presbyterian in the early 1980s after attending the church one day to hear Elam Davis—a Welsh preacher. During Davis' sermon he gave her the impression that God did love her, Burke explained. It was at Fourth Presbyterian that "my spiritual life was enlarged by John Buchanan's preaching about the inclusivity of God's love," said Burke.
She became a deacon two years ago following a nominating process, an election by the congregation and a four-week course on Presbyterianism. "I was thrilled at the time because I had been a member for a long time and was an active volunteer on the advocacy committee and supervised the weekly supper for the homeless," said Burke.
Burke explained that deacons volunteer at the church in a variety of capacities. They help at the weekly supper for the poor, conduct church tours for the public, lead intercessory prayers after Sunday services, serve communion, answer questions and sign people up as volunteers.
An activist her entire life, Burke worked in politics and was a special assistant to Secretary Richard Riley at the Department of Education during Bill Clinton's presidency. She is also board chair of the Rape and Incest National Network—an online 24-hour hotline for rape and incest victims.
"I am a 66-year-old straight woman who has seen the savage discrimination of the LGBT community, including the and especially during the early AIDS epidemic," said Burke. "I have no personal story other than my love for my gay friends. I am thrilled that the hard work of all gay rights advocates is finally paying off and yet, I'm perplexed about why we were ever in this conversation in the first place. I am confident in my belief that this fight is not how God intended his dear children to live out their lives."
Since announcing her resignation, Burke noted that she has not received a response from the leadership of Fourth Presbyterian Church. She has, however, gotten support from other parishioners at the church as well as the church's support staff.
When reached for comment, the leadership at Fourth Presbyterian Church did not respond to queries about Burke's resignation or the GA's vote on marriage.
