Third presbytery passes overture seeking to delete G-6.0106b, authoritative interpretation
The Layman Online, June 30, 2005
A third presbytery has approved an overture to the General Assembly in an effort to overturn the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s ordination standards and rescind its “authoritative interpretation” regarding homosexual behavior.
The presbyteries, the vote and the date the overtures were approved are:
- The Presbytery of Detroit, 120-77, on June 28.
- The Presbytery of the Cascades, 92-61, on June 25.
- Heartland Presbytery, 109-92, on April 19.
The overtures, similar to one defeated in 2004, will go to the 217th General Assembly, which will meet in Birmingham on June 15-22, 2006.
The overtures, promoted by More Light Presbyterians and other homosexual activist groups, ask commissioners to:
- “1. Provide the following authoritative interpretation: Interpretative statements concerning ordained service of homosexual church members by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and all subsequent affirmations thereof, have no further force or effect.
- 2. Direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes: Shall G-6.0106b be stricken?”
The Authoritative Interpretation is a thorough assessment of what the Bible teaches about homosexual behavior. It unequivocally says that homosexual behavior is contrary to the will of God and that self-acknowledged, practicing homosexuals could not be ordained.
G-6.0106b is the Book of Order requirement that says candidates for deacon, elder and minister must demonstrate either fidelity within the marriage of a man and a woman or chastity in singleness to be eligible to serve as officers. The action, if approved by the General Assembly, would nullify the 1978 and 1979 Authoritative Interpretations – first adopted by the United Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbyterian Church U.S. and later affirmed by the Presbyterian Church (USA) – and reaffirmed by later assemblies and court decisions after those predecessor denominations reunited in 1983.