23rd presbytery seeks repeal of PCUSA ordination standard
The Layman Online, February 24, 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.
Winnebago Presbytery on Feb. 11 became the 23rd presbytery to approve such an overture – more than twice as many as the 10 presbyteries submitting similar overtures to the 216th General Assembly in 2004. In a strategic vote during that assembly, the repeal advocates came within four votes of repealing the Authoritative Interpretation upon which the constitutional standard is based.
Eighteen 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 overtures will go to the 217th General Assembly, which will meet in Birmingham on June 15-22.
In the 2001 national referendum on the issue, 22 of the 23 presbyteries – 95.6 percent – voted in favor of repealing G-6.0106b. The vote in the other 150 presbyteries was 126-24 – 84 percent – in favor of the constitutional standard. Combined, 127 presbyteries (73.4 percent) affirmed the “fidelity/chastity” clause and 46 (26.6 percent) voted to repeal it.
The overtures, promoted by More Light Presbyterians and similar 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.
Profiles of presbyteries submitting overtures to repeal constitutional ordination standards: