Stated clerk now urges other clerks to uphold constitution
The Layman Online, January 4, 2002
Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick, reacting to challenges to live up to his oath to “preserve and defend” the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has urged stated clerks of synods and presbyteries “to join me in faithfully upholding our Constitution in the year ahead.”
His Jan. 3 letter made specific reference to G-6.0106b, the Book of Order provision that requires candidates for ordination to limit their sexual activity to marriage.
” … G-6.0106b is the ‘law of the church’ and should be upheld,” Kirkpatrick said. “No session or presbytery has the right to ordain anyone who is unwilling to live by the ‘fidelity and chastity’ standard, and I encourage you to faithfully uphold this provision in your governing body.”
However, Kirkpatrick’s letter did not address an interpretation of the ordination standard that his office proposed.
In Polity Reflection #19, the stated clerk’s office said, “In the examination of persons for church office the definition of being ‘single’ or being ‘chaste’ will be decided initially by those doing the examination.”
The document also said the words “chastity,” “self-acknowledged” and “repent” – which are part of G-6.0106b – “are not defined. Examining bodies will need to consider reasonable definitions and decide which to apply.”
By declaring that the Constitution was not explicit, Kirkpatrick’s office left open the possibility that some ordaining bodies might find a loophole and ordain people who publicly declare themselves both chaste and practicing homosexuals. That occurred in the Presbytery of Redwoods in California when it ordained Kathleen Morrison, a lesbian activist.
Kirkpatrick has come under increasing pressure from evangelicals to defend the denomination’s constitution from candidates and governing bodies that ignore the denomination’s standards. In December, he was scheduled to meet with an evangelical group from the Presbyterian Coalition. But Kirkpatrick would not agree to the meeting after the Coalition insisted that it be conducted in public with the press in attendance.
In his letter to stated clerks, Kirkpatrick also expressed his concern that “a growing number of ministers and elders … are encouraging congregations to withdraw (or ‘graciously separate’) from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and/or who are advocating the withholding of duly authorized per capita assessments from their governing bodies as a former of protest.”
He added, “It is a violation of our ordination vows to promote schism or the defiance of constitutional sanctioned governing body directives.”
None of the major evangelical groups in the denomination – including the Presbyterian Coalition, Presbyterians for Renewal and the Presbyterian Lay Committee – has recommended that any church leave the denomination. To the contrary, they argue that the PCUSA constitution must be enforced to prevent the on-going mass exodus of Presbyterians from the denomination.
Withholding per-capita payment is not a violation of the Constitution. The Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly has ruled that each session is responsible for determining how to spend the tithes and offerings of the local church.
Per-capita apportionments to support presbyteries, synods and the General Assembly are voluntary. Past General Assemblies, including last year’s, have rejected overtures that would make per-capita payments mandatory.