UPDATE: Bethany Christian Services of Mississippi has reconsidered its policy of discrimination against Catholics. The Board voted to accept any Christian applicants, including Catholics, who will sign Bethany’s statement of faith.
“In accepting applications for adoption, all Christians who are in agreement with our agency statement of faith are welcome applicants to the adoption process,” wrote Bethany’s state director Karen Stewart and board president Peggy McKey in a statement issued today. “Bethany Christian Services of Mississippi regrets any pain caused to families, especially to our Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ.”
The statement said the adoption agency will continue to stand on its statement of faith but “we realize that we took too narrow a view in assessing adoptive applicants.”
The Board’s president said the policy was “unintentional” and based on the belief that Catholic Charities gives preference to Catholic couples.
McKey, Bethany’s local board president, said the agency’s past policy of excluding Catholic parents was “unintentional on our part” as Bethany had assumed Catholic Charities gave preference to Catholic couples seeking to adopt.
“We just didn’t keep up with the times,” she said.
Catholic Charities of Jackson is an ecumenical organization that serves people of all faiths.
I’m not too sure about that explanation, but I applaud the Bethany board for acting so quickly. Sandy and Robert Stedman, who were recently turned away by Bethany because they are Catholic, have been amazingly gracious in the face of obvious injustice.
When hearing the news about Bethany’s change in practice, Sandy Stedman of Jackson said, “I really think God had his hand in this.”
Stedman and her husband Robert, a Catholic couple wishing to adopt, inquired about Bethany’s policy regarding Catholics earlier this month.
They were told in a letter from Stewart at Bethany that “It has been our understanding that Catholicism does not agree with our statement of faith. … Our practice to not accept applications from Catholics was an effort to be good stewards of an adoptive applicant’s time, money and emotional energy.”
Stedman said Bethany’s change in policy is “a true testament to Christians working together to resolve an issue peacefully.”
Steve M. at No More Mr. Nice Blog has the details and his comments. Thanks, Steve, for bringing attention to this story.