Episcopal Church in Florida Refuses to Baptize Adopted Son of Gay Couple

A gay couple in Florida expressed dismay after their church in Orlando, Florida, refused to baptize their son despite an earlier approval by the Episcopal church's dean to hold the ceremony.

Last month, Rich and Eric McCaffrey sought to have their son Jack baptized at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke. Anthony Clark, the church's dean, initially agreed to hold the baptism on April 19.

However, three days before the ceremony, Clark notified them that certain members of the church opposed their son's baptism and thus could not be held in the church.

Rich and Eric have been together for 15 years and got married in New York last summer. They adopted Jack, which they said "has been a highlight for us."

Rich, in a Facebook post, said "it is important for us to provide Jack a spiritual foundation he can build on throughout his life" through baptism.

He said they chose to be members of the Episcopal Church as "it could serve as a place in which we could grow spiritually as a family."

He said they discussed the baby's baptism with Clark, who "was welcoming and open about the congregation, explaining it was a mix of conservative- and liberal-minded people.

"He agreed to Jack's baptism, and recommended we opt for the later 6 p.m. service, since those who worship at that time tend to be the most 'open,'" McCaffrey wrote.

McCaffrey said they chose April 19 for the baptism.

"We attended Sunday services and recommended classes, becoming more familiar and pleased with our choice," he said, adding that they invited friends for the ceremony.

However, he said, on April 16, "we received a message from Dean Clark asking us to contact him regarding 'a development' concerning the baptism."

"The Dean shared there were members of the congregation who opposed Jack's baptism and although he hoped to resolve the conflict, he was not yet able to," McCaffrey said.

He quoted Clark as saying that "the issue is with you and Eric being the first two men who will baptize their child at the Cathedral."

Clark offered his apologies and said "this is not no forever, just not now."

"Three days before our son was to be baptized he was turned away," McCaffrey said. "At that moment, he was unwelcomed by the church, and denied his rite to be recognized as a Christian. I was speechless, angry, and heartbroken."

He became frustrated as the issue "became about Jack having two dads, rather than a community opening its arms to a joyful little soul, one of God's children."

"Is this how the church loves its neighbors and respects the dignity of human beings?" he asked. "Or are we only afforded that respect and dignity if you fit the church's view of what a family is? Would we be accepted if we opted out of the Cathedrals' congregation and instead hide in plain sight by being members of a lower profile Episcopal church? Both my head and heart tell me this is wrong."

He added, "For the leadership and congregation of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, this is a time for reflection."

The Episcopal Cafe quoted Clark as saying that "Jack's parents and I have had a very regrettable misunderstanding regarding Jack's baptism; I've reached out to them so that we might resolve the misunderstanding and make this right moving forward."

Eric and Rich are set to meet Episcopal Bishop Greg Brewer on Thursday regarding the issue.