Vote on ‘fidelity-chastity’ ordination clause
is 19-9 in favor of keeping same wording
The Layman, January 30, 2009
Five more presbyteries have voted on whether to change the wording of the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s “fidelity-chastity” ordination requirement making it easier to ordain adulterers and lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders as pastors, elders and deacons.
The unofficial vote total as of Jan. 30 is 19-9 in favor of keeping G-6.0106b as it is currently written in the Book of Order:
“Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.”Carlisle, Donegal and San Fernando presbyteries voted to keep the ordination clause as it is. The presbyteries also voted in favor of G-6.0106b in the 2000-01 referendum. The votes were:
- Carlisle Presbytery, 74-71. In 2000-01 the vote was 81-58.
- Donegal Presbytery, 86-63. In 2000-01 the vote was 118-77.
- San Fernando, 74-22. In 2000-01 the vote was 92-35.
Utica Presbytery and Palisades Presbytery voted to change the current wording of G-6.0106b to read:
“Those who are called to ordained service in the church, by the church by their assent to the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow where he leads through the witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures through the instruction of the Confessions. In so doing, they declare their fidelity to the standards of the Church. Each governing body charged with examination for ordination and/or installation (G-14.0240 and G-14.0450) establishes the candidate’s sincere efforts to adhere to these standards.”Utica Presbytery voted 70-3 to change the wording. In 2000-01 the presbytery voted 24-8 to delete G-6.0106b from the Book of Order.
Palisades Presbytery voted 35-20 for the change and in 2000-01 the presbytery voted 59-33 to delete G-6.0106b.