Church, gay rights supporters seek apology from Oklahoma legislators

Religious leaders and gay rights supporters said Friday they want an apology from the 20 legislators who voted this week against making the prayer offered by a gay pastor a part of the House official record.

The Justice and Witness Commission of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ made the request during a noon news conference today at the state Capitol. The pastor who gave the opening prayer Wednesday in the House chamber is a member of the United Church of Christ.

After Rep. John Wright, R-Bartlesville, made his objection, House members voted 64-20 to make the prayer offered by the Rev. Scott Jones, pastor of the Cathedral of Hope-Oklahoma City, as part of the House journal.

"We would love to have an apology from Rep. Wright and from all 20 of the people who protested Scott's prayer," said the Rev. Loyce Newton-Edwards, assistant pastor of the Church of the Open Arms. "It would be wonderful if the speaker (of the House) would issue an apology. What happened in the House was just outrageous and ridiculous."

Wright could not be reached for comment early this afternoon.

House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, who voted to make the prayer a part of the House journal, said he didn't find anything wrong with Jones' prayer. Before giving his prayer, Jones acknowledged friends and family in the House gallery and then introduced "my loving partner and fiance, Michael." Jones' remarks before his prayer are not in the House journal. Only his prayer is in the journal.