Baltimore Presbytery backs same-sex civil rights
By Craig M. Kibler, The Layman Online, November 27, 2006
The Presbytery of Baltimore has approved a resolution supporting same-sex civil rights “in the state of Maryland and the United States of America.”
The Book of Order defines marriage as being a union of a man and a woman. On May 22, 2000, the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission ruled that sessions may authorize their pastors to conduct services to “bless” same-gender couples, but specifically prohibited describing them as marriages or endorsing homosexual behavior.
The Presbytery of Baltimore on Nov. 16 considered a motion that stated it supports “equal access to civil marriage for same-gender couples of the state of Maryland and the United States of America as the means of providing equal protection in securing access to the full rights, benefits, privileges, and responsibilities that only civil marriage confers in our society.”
The presbytery approved (73-44) an amended resolution that supports “same gender couples in covenantal relationships to have equal access to civil and legal rights granting the same privileges, benefits, protection and responsibilities as those that marriage confers in the state of Maryland and in the United States of America.”
On Nov. 18, 2004, the presbytery approved (51-35) an almost identical resolution that sought to have the presbytery join an amicus curiae brief on behalf of legalizing homosexual marriages in the state of Maryland. The language in that resolution read: “That the Presbytery of Baltimore goes on record … in support of the recognition of ‘Civil Marriage’ for same-gender couples as an appropriate means for securing access to the rights, benefits, privileges, and responsibilities of marriage in our society.”
In January 2005, the presbytery voted (86-71) to rescind its action after two ministers filed a complaint with the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic that said the presbytery’s action violated the Book of Order.
In their complaint, the two ministers – the Rev. Joseph Condro of Churchville Presbyterian Church in Churchville, Md., and the Rev. David Wilson, pastor of Grove Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen, Md. – contended that the action “was contradictory to the Constitution [which] recognizes marriage as a union only of a man and woman, whether the marriage is conducted in a church or in a civil ceremony.”
The synod had issued a stay prohibiting the presbytery from filing the amicus curiae brief, pending the outcome of a synod trial. By rescinding its action, however, the presbytery avoided the trial.
In a statement posted on its Web site, the presbytery said that its most recent action “is in line with the Letter to the Ephesians 2:14 which states, ‘For (Jesus) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.'”
The statement also said “this vote and position is in line with the presbytery’s historic commitment to equal rights for all people and its understanding that we are called ‘to glorify God and express God’s inclusive grace.'”
The complete text of the resolution is as follows:
“WHEREAS, Baltimore Presbytery has acted sixteen times between April 1985 and November 2005 to affirm the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) members of the PC(USA) with all other members of the church; and
“WHEREAS, Baltimore Presbytery acted in February 1984 to support Baltimore City’s ordinance, in January 1991 to support Baltimore County’s ordinance, and in June 1997 to support the state of Maryland’s legislation to extend equal civil rights to gay and lesbian citizens; and
“WHEREAS, the 190th GA (1978) of the UPCUSA supported non-discrimination regardless of sexual orientation in various areas of civil society (“The Church and Homosexuality,” #13, p. 62.), and the 214th GA (2002) reaffirmed this support for non-discrimination (214th GA, Minutes, p. 575.), and further, consistent with this support for non-discrimination the 216th GA (2004) affirmed the recognition of civil rights for same-gender couples by declaring that “… all persons are entitled to equal treatment under the law (Constitution of the United States of America)” (216th GA, Minutes, p. 59.); and
“WHEREAS, the recognition of the equality of LGBT people within the church and of their equality under the law should not be a mere abstract rhetorical affirmation, since there is an inseparable link between what we believe and what we do (G-1.0304), such that Baltimore Presbytery is called to respond to the present realities and needs of the people’s lives in the world wherein we minister; and
“WHEREAS the Letter to the Ephesians states, ‘For (Jesus) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us’ (Ephesians 2:14); and
“WHEREAS the Presbytery of Baltimore has engaged in extensive discussion and sought to discern the will of God as the body best understands it at the present time and seeks to speak with as much unity as possible; therefore . . .
“RESOLVED that the Presbytery of Baltimore supports same gender couples in covenantal relationships to have equal access to civil and legal rights granting the same privileges, benefits, protection and responsibilities as those that marriage confers in the state of Maryland and in the United States of America.”