17th presbytery seeks repeal of PCUSA ordination standard
The Layman Online, January 12, 2006
Another presbytery has approved an overture seeking to repeal G-6.0106b – the constitutional “fidelity/chastity” clause in the Book of Order – and the General Assembly Authoritative Interpretation that declares that homosexual practice is sinful.
San Francisco Presbytery on Jan. 10, by a vote of 118-95, became the 17th presbytery to approve such an overture – seven more than the number of presbyteries submitting similar overtures to the 216th General Assembly in 2004. Twelve of the current overtures on the issue have been approved since the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity released its report Aug. 25 recommending, among other things, that no further actions dealing with matters of ordination be taken.
The other presbyteries that have approved overtures to date are: Newark; East Iowa; Lake Michigan; Newton; Genesee Valley; Mid-Kentucky; Twin Cities; Des Moines; Detroit; Cascades; Western Reserve; Heartland; Baltimore; Southern New England; Hudson River; and Chicago.
The overtures, similar to one defeated in 2004, will go to the 217th General Assembly, which will meet in Birmingham on June 15-22.
The last time presbyteries voted on a proposed amendment to repeal G-6.0106b was in 2001. Overall, the amendment was rejected by 73.4 percent of the denomination’s 173 presbyteries.
At the 213th General Assembly (2001) held in Louisville, Ky., the hometown of the denomination’s headquarters, more than 30 of the 173 presbyteries sent or concurred with overtures on G-6.0106b, varying from deleting the clause, to rewording it or to declaring that adopting the clause was “in error.” That was the General Assembly that created the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
The current overtures, promoted by More Light Presbyterians and other gay 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.