‘Fidelity/chastity’ standards
not likely to be overthrown
The Layman, April 20, 2009
Presbyterians who believe lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people – the terms they use to describe their constituency – should be ordained are on the edge of failing to accomplish their goal for the fourth time since 1997.
The latest tally is 65 votes in favor of a constitutional amendment that would have eliminated the “fidelity/chastity” requirement from The Book of Order. Those who believe in the Biblical sanctions against sex outside of marriage have 84 votes – within two of the majority required to defeat the amendment to G-6.0106b. The majority required in previous referendums was 87, but Midwest Hamni Presbytery is not voting in this referendum.
Two presbyteries that are virtually certain bets to oppose repealing the ordination standards: Noroeste and Suroeste in Puerto Rico. In the past, the Puerto Rican Presbyterians have been almost unanimous in supporting the ordination standards.
Twenty-three presbyteries are still scheduled to vote between now and mid-May. Nine are expected to vote against the “fidelity/chastity” requirement, just as they did in 2001-02, the most recent referendum. The nine are Boise, de Christo, Detroit, Eastern Iowa, National Capital, Northern Waters, San Francisco, Sierra Blanca and Southern New England.
And there will be a number of close votes as the referendum approaches the finish line. The advocates of change already have gained 25 presbyteries that changed their votes from 2001, including three presbyteries in North Carolina and one each in Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas. No presbyteries in the South voted against the Biblical standards in the past.
In 2001, the vote was 127-46 against repealing G-6.0106b.