By
What do you think will happen to the Presbyterian Church (USA) now that it has voted to officially sanction gay marriage?
THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER:
Maybe not much. The Presbyterian Church (USA) announced March 17 that a nationwide referendum among regional bodies (“presbyteries”) has redefined marriage as “between two people, traditionally a man and woman” so same-sex couples can wed in church. This historic change will be very upsetting for a sizable minority but eruptions could be muted, for three reasons. First, some who consider Bible-based tradition a make-or-break conscience matter have already quit the PCUSA. Second, conservatives who remain risk loss of their properties if they leave.
And then dissenting clergy and congregations are told they won’t be forced to change their stand or conduct gay nuptials. But Carmen LaBerge, president of the conservative Presbyterian Lay Committee, is wary. “If this is a genuine justice issue” and the traditionalists are “discriminatory hatemongers” as liberals believe, she wonders how long the church can “limp along between two opinions…. That’s a lot of tension for an organization to endure for long.”
While Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and evangelical Protestantism are resolute in opposition, the PCUSA becomes the second major U.S. Christian denomination to sanction same-sex marriages. In 2005 the United Church of Christ endorsed them for secular law and asked congregations to consider the same policy. The Episcopal Church is expected to redefine marriage at its June 25 – July 3 convention. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America allows leeway and eventually may give gay marriage formal endorsement. However, the United Methodist Church has consistently upheld a conservative belief defined in the 1970s that’s unlikely to change at next year’s conference or beyond, though liberals persistently defy their church’s teaching.
For the troubled PCUSA, will this decision finally conclude an anguishing debate and bring some healing?
12 Comments. Leave new
Things will only get worse. All material will now be gender friendly towards gays. Family dynamics will now include gay families. Raising your kids to be taught it OK to be gay. Realizing kids in he churches were born and are already gay. PC-USA believes its clergy are “teaching” elders, this is what they will be teaching. The LGBT movement will not be satisfied, we already see it in society. They will move to have it taught that Jesus was probably gay, the disciples were a group of gays, and it is more blessed to be gay than straight. The agenda never stops, this is only the beginning.
In the long, long, long term perspective the PCUSA, or the normative liberal interpretation of the Presbyterian root in America has been in structural decline since 1790, when 1 out of every 5 believers in post revolutionary America self identified as Presbyterian or “reformed” in some sense. Just keeping up with population growth there should be about 70 million Presbyterians today in Colonial demographics.
Much like the Quakers, the evolutionary trajectory of the PCUSA is out of the general global Christian communion. And into this ’boutique” sect that is long on politics and social commentary, short of confession or doctrine. If that fits where you are now, you stay, if not, you move along. Very simple.
The end game of the current version, the post 1983 merger of the PCUSA is in play now. In the concept of “mutual forbearance” the system asks clergy and churches to accept a Congregationalist understanding of standards and practices, while at the same time, accepting an episcopal understanding of property. power, money. Those two concepts are mutually incompatible in the same denominational structure.
Sooner or later, the system collapses and churches, clergy, folks spin out and find their natural place.
In the “Lion King” we called that the ‘circle of life’
Excellent point.
God will not be mocked!! More importantly what do you think is going to happen to a church and a country that turns its back on God? As a life-long Presbyterian with roots going back to Scotland, I am personally appalled by what we’ve allowed to happen to our church! My greatest fear is what will happen to our grandkids!! We have failed to confront evil both in the church and society and we shall all suffer in the future!!
I don’t like telling anyone “I told you so,” but I wrote a letter TWELVE YEARS ago, and The Layman published it. Here is what I said:
“I have been a Presbyterian for more than 50 years and think I am on safe ground in saying the PCUSA is “history.” Many of us are unwilling to concede the obvious, but there is no other rational outcome to the ongoing unpleasantness.
“All this talk of “reconciliation” and “healing” is a smokescreen. The revisionists are relentless. They seek total submission. And, in a few years, they will finally wear us down.
“We must act now, while there is still time. We must begin by restoring some integrity to the dialogue. There will be no reconciliation.
“And then both sides must appoint commissioners and reach agreement on a property settlement.
“Until then, we are perfuming a corpse.”
And, at the time, I wasn’t even talking about the re-definition of marriage.
Now, 12 years later, it time to stop the embalming.
Any questions?
The author’s first argument is incorrect. As it is said, “this historic change will be very upsetting for a sizable minority but eruptions could be muted, for three reasons. First, some who consider Bible-based tradition a make-or-break conscience matter have already quit the PCUSA.”
As of today, 43 of the 171 presbyteries voted against the change in definition. That’s still approximately 35-40% churches in the PCUSA against the standard. Ironically, if they have not left now…there really is no reason to leave…since the last 3 years every congregation has been paying into the Board of Pensions Healthcare Plan which is ACA Compliance – which means every congregation has been paying for gay benefits and abortions. They have already crossed the line.
Mark our words. Nest General Assembly the More Light and other gay activists will cry for guidelines against discrimination practices. Then every pastor will be forced to administer gay marriages. Watch and learn.
If recent history is any predictor, we should expect an ad hock group of self appointed Presbyterian USA feminists in churches to nag the session and others about ordering expensive new, modern culture gender neutral hymnals; eliminating those ‘sexist, outdated classic songs.’ This will be followed by the music director, organist and half the choir leaving the church again, followed by another 20 to 30 church members also leaving.
Does anyone know if the PCUSA has communicated a directive to Senior Ministers, Assiciate Ministers, etc. to support the BoO changes?
As an elder, I think it’s probably over for me. I was married in the Catholic Church anyway. Now in my senior years, I think I want to sit beside my wife at mass in a church that keeps its hands firmly on the rudder and its eyes fixed on the compass (Scripture and tradition). So I guess it’s adios compadres.
Andy, I’m not Catholic and never have been. But … happy sailing. I know where you’re coming from.
I only pray that you’re wrong, but I’m not sure of it. However, I will continue to work to prove you’re wrong.