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By Associated Press, May 18, 2007

Last updated: Friday, May 18, 2007 3:04 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A regional Presbyterian court upheld a ban on gay marriage ceremonies and reiterated the national church's position that ordination requires chastity or heterosexual marriage.

The Synod Permanent Judicial Commission's ruling followed a two-day trial earlier in the week in Camp Hill on a resolution the Pittsburgh Presbytery passed in October.

The resolution said it was essential to follow the ordination standards of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and that clergy cannot conduct same-sex marriages within the presbytery's jurisdiction.

The court ruled 8-3 that the presbytery could not call the ordination standards "an essential of Reformed polity," but while candidates could disagree with them, they still must adhere to them.

The court also voted 11-0 that presbytery could prevent clergy from conducting same-sex marriages as long as they were able to bless same-sex unions, which the church's high court has upheld.

The matter went to trial after several Presbyterian reverends complained that the presbytery exceeded its authority to interpret the church's constitution.

Both sides in the presbytery's debate on the issue of gays found something positive in Thursday's decision.

The Rev. James Mead, pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery, said it affirmed "the presbytery's freedom to decide how we will apply the national standards in Pittsburgh."

The Rev. Janet Edwards, who performed a lesbian marriage ceremony and could face church charges for doing so, said the ruling implies that the national church constitution is silent about same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Both sides have 30 days to appeal to the national court.