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“I didn’t say you were”

“I think you just did”

“No, I don’t think you’re a hypocrite”

“I represent the church,” Paul said, trying not to sound hurt, “but I don’t agree with all of their positions on the issue You’re right The church would like to have it both ways and ht way, affire an open dialogue But I’ to explain what I think, and what the church says That’s all”

“I get that,” Ian said “I really wasn’t saying you’re a hypocrite”

“It’s a relationship with a church, like a friendship You don’t stop speaking because you disagree on sooing to say ‘let’s call the whole thing off’”

“You’re a Republican?”

“Uh-oh Maybe we should leave the politics for another night?”

“Sounds like a good idea”

When they had finished their conversation, Paul went to his co the church council had written on the issue of homosexuality It was all ordsned to please everyone and offend no one Theto say There were long passages discussing official openness to gays, laying out a commitment to nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation Churches were to actively welcoay members and also to understand that homosexualitythat could be perceived as “pro that ay couples yet not perfore a sa was unclear—hoas a ay relationship a sacred union or a sinful aberration? Were gays just like us in every way, or was there so with them?

The only thing unequivocal in the literature was this: the church would not tolerate an openly gay minister After a preamble about the “frailties of the human condition” and the “pressures of society” that ministers faced, it stated clearly: “practice of ho”

Reading the passage sent chills down Paul’s spine “Inco” They ords he had never tripped over before He must have read the h to hi it all personally—and he was afraid The church had always been his life Who would he be if the church rejected him? Who would he be if he was not a minister?

“Frailty” Wasn’t that a strange way to describe risking everything in the name of love?

“Inco passage of all With all of the kind language about the “ “equally deserving of God’s love,” it all caay relationship was not a blessed union of souls That hy there could be no weddings It was a “frailty of the human condition,” a sinful act, a weakness to be tolerated out of co”

The next , Paul picked Ian up at his apart sun illulow His beauty ument on the telephone