2The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, February 12, 1992
1
Baptist homosexual may preach locally
DTH
from page 1
By Kim Cable
Staff Writer
A homosexual divinity student may
begranted licensure to preach ifaChapel
Hill church congregation agrees to honor
his request.
The deacons of Olin T. Binkley Bap
tist Church voted last week to let the
congregation decide whether to give
licensure to John Blevins, a church
member and divinity student at Duke
University.
Blevins disclosed in his request for
licensure that he was homosexual, ac
cording to a statement released by the
church.
"The deacons' vote to recommend
licensure to the congregation indicated
that the majority of deacons did not
consider Mr. Blevins' sexual orienta
tion to be a sufficient barrier to
licensure," the report states.
Licensure, which would grant Blevins
the right to preach, is not the same as
ordination. Ordination would give
Blevins the right to conduct weddings
and funerals.
Blevins did not return calls from his
home and school last week.
The Rev. Linda Jordan, the pastor of
Binkley Baptist, and other church offi
cialsrefusedtocommenton the church's
decision Monday.
Deacons of the church provided op
portunities for the congregation to hear
speakers and to discuss the morality of
homosexuality and its bearing on
licensure before they recommended li
censing Blevins, the report states.
University religious studies Profes
sor Laurie Maffly-Kipp said the AIDS
crisis brought the issue of homosexual
clergy into light.
"It started with iheideathatthechurch
ought to support people who are sick.
she said. "(Churches) said 'if we're
going to accept (homosexuals) as mem
bers in the church, we can't deny them
leadership in the church.'"
Mitchell Simpson, pastor of Univer
sity Baptist Church, commended
Binkley Baptist for its courage in mak
ing a difficult decision.
"One of the primary tenets of Baptist
church polity is the idea of local au
tonomy," he said. "Every local congre
gation has the right to make its own
decisions."
Maffly-Kipp said there were a num
ber of denominations that had been de
bating the issue of whether to ordain
homosexuals.
The United Church of Christ openly
ordained homosexuals, she said, add
ing that the Presbyterian, Methodist and
Episcopalian churches had been con
sidering ordaining homosexuals.
Some churches were established with
J 3 I Si
the ordination of homosexuals in mind,
Maffly-Kipp said.
"The Metropolitan Community
Church was founded on the premise
that it would accept homosexuals," she
said.
Simpson said that sexuality was a
personal choice, and that the church had
rarely handled matters of sexuality with
the courage and dignity it should.
"The church has not dealt honorably
with lots of minority groups, including
this one," he said. "My heart aches for
so many people in the gay community
who think the church has locked them
out and condemned them. God's love is
unconditional."
The church statement explained that
Blevins did not seek ordination from
Binkley Baptist but could do so if he
received a call to a specific ministry.
Binkley's Interim Associate Pastor
Steve Hoogerwerf said the church had a
history of addressing controversial is
sues. Hoogerwerf said he thought Binkley
was the first church in the area to inte
grate blacks and whites.
"Our history has been to be on the
cutting edge of things," he said.
"I know a lot of graduate students
just from living here (in Chapel Hill),"
he said. "The graduate students that
voted obviously read the platform in the
paper, paid attention to the endorse
ments and realized that I have the most
solid and innovative ideas."
Eisley said he thought Wallsten re
ceived more votes at those poll sites
because he campaigned harder in those
locations.
"I think he campaigned there more
than I did," he said. "I'd like to meet
more graduate students. I'm 23, and I'm
closer to them in age."
Stephanie Johnston, the third DTH
editor candidate, said she wished the
run-off candidates luck in the upcom
ing race.
"Overall the campaign has gone
well," she said. "I hope it continues that
way for whoever goes to the run-off."
Wendy Bounds and DaciaToIl, write
in candidates, said they were glad they
had received so much support in the
election.
"It was a difficult race for us being
write-ins, but the fact that we had the
show of support that we did shows that
there were a lot of people out there that
believed in Bounds and Toll and the
ideas we wanted to implement,"Bounds
said.
Campus Calendar
February 15 8:30 a.m.
Omni Durham Hotel &
Convention Center
Grand Ballroom
201 Foster Street
Durham
8:30-noon: Destination MBA
1-3 p.m.: GMAT test-taking
strategies
All events are free to
DMBA participants.
At Destination MBA - for
Black and Hispanic college
students and graduates. Find
out what graduate business
schools offer you. Hear from
people who've been there.
Registration is at 8:30 a.m.
Free panel discussions:
9 to 10:30 a.m.: Grad school
reps on minority admissions
and financial aid; students on
full and part-time study.
10:30 to noon: Minority MBAs
on career opportunities.
Your future starts Saturday,
February 15 at 8:30 a.m.
Get up for it.
Destination MBA is sponsored by:
It.
For information about DMBA in other cities, rail 1 -8UO-44li-(M07.
WEDNESDAY
II a.m. Alpha Phi Alpha will present-Supporting
Black Businesses" until I p.m. in the Pit.
3 p.m. A seminar for freshmen, sophomores and
juniors about career planning and internships will be
held in 306 1 lanes. Sponsored by University Career
Planning and Placemen! Services.
4 p.m. SocialHuman Services CareerPanel will be
held in 210 Hanes. Sponsored by I CPPS.
5 p.m. La Casa Espanola los invitaa"Tenulia"en
La Cucina Rusiica (University Square) para loniar
tapas y charlar en espanol.
I NC Vegetarian Club presents a free feast until 7
p.m. every Wednesday in Gerrard Hall.
AIESEC general body meeting will be held in 209
Union. All new members should attend.
Society fur Out-of-state Students will meet in
224 Union.
5:30 p.m. Asian Students Association will meet
in 206 Union.
Lutheran Campus Ministry will have commun
ion service at Holy Trinity and u 6: 1 5 p.m. fellowship
meal.
Hunger and Homelessness Outreach Projects
will meet in the Campus Y Lounge.
6 p.m. UNITAS will have an open discussion in the
fifth-floor lounge of Carmichael Residence Hall.
Wesley Foundation will have dinner and a pro
gram about career choices and living simply.
7 p.m. Alpha Phi Alpha will show "Strengthening
The Black Family. Pan II" in the Soma H. Stone Black
Cultural Center.
Marine Action Committee will meet in the Cam
pus Y. Questions? Call 932-9285.
Leadership Matters Program will have a skills
workshop in 213 Union. Questions'.' Call 966-4041.
Muslim Student Association will show
"Mujahideen: The Story of the A fghan I 'rccuum Fight
ers" with refreshments in 226 Union.
UNC Pre-Law Club will meet in 206 Union with
speaker Paige Potter of the Meredith Paralegal Pro
gram. 8 p.m. UNC-Russia Exchange will meet in 2IS
Union.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Nominations are requested for the Chancellor's
Awards for Excellence in Student Activities and Lead
ership. Forms are available at the Union Desk, Cam
pus Y, Office of Leadership Development (01 Steele)
and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs (104 Steele). Nominations an due Feb. 28.
Peer Leadership Consultants applications are
available at 01 Steele or at the Union Desk and are due
Feb. 24.
SAFE Escort operates from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Sunday through Thursday and can be contacted at
Davis Library or at 962-SAFE.
Carolina AIDS Resources Ensemble is looking
for students interested in building AIDS awareness,
raising funds for HIV-positive people and volunteer
ing within the community. Call Cynthia at 933-2976.
Phi Eta Sigma members: Graduate scholarship
and undergraduate award applications are available in
the Honors Office, 300 Steele.
Class of '38 Summer Study Abroad Fellowship
Applications for three fellowships of about $2,600
each are available at the International Center and are
due March 9. Questions? Call 962-3661.
ARTS
"Whisper In My Ear ... ,"an eveningof erotic and
romantic literature, will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday in
the Union Cabaret
Bertice Berry, celebrated young comedian, will
perform at 9 p.m. Friday in Great Hall. Tickets are $3
for UNC students and $5 for the public at the Union
Boa Office.
Terence Blanchard Quintet, as part of the Jazz
Festival:8p.m.Feb.2l inMemorialHall.S4students
$8 public at the Union Boa Office.
UNC Jazz Band with Rick Lillard and Tim
Eyerman: 8 p.m. Feb. 22 in Memorial Hall. $1
studentsS3 public at the Union Box Office.
Wynton Marsalis: 8 p.m. March 16 in Memorial
Hall. $10 students$l6 public at the Union Box Office.
DTH. The best
news on campus.
It can't do laundry or find you a date,
but it can help you find more time for both.
The new Apple" Macintosh Classic" II
computer makes it easier for you to juggle
classes, activities, projects, and term papers
and still find time for what makes college
life real life.
It's a complete and affordable Macintosh
Classic system that's ready to help you get
your work finished fast. It's a snap to set up
and use. It has a powerful 68030 micro
processor, which means you can run even
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And its internal Apple SuperDrive disk
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In addition to its built-in capabilities, the
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to 10 megabytes of RAM, so you'll be able to
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If you already own a Macintosh Classic,
and want the speed and flexibility of a
Macintosh Classic II, ask us about an
upgrade it can be installed in just minutes
and it's affordable.
To put more time on your side, consider
putting a Macintosh Classic II on your desk.
See us for a demonstration today, and while
you're in, be sure to ask us for details
. j . about the Apple Computer Loan.
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Macintosh Classic II Prices
start at $1089.00
To purchase from the RAM Shop of the Student
Stores one must be a member of the faculty, staff or
be a current student of UNC
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