Council: Committee for sexual minorities is ‘not appropriate’
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, May 2, 2002
LOUISVILLE – The establishment of an advocacy committee for the concerns of sexual minorities is not appropriate in the Presbyterian Church (USA), according to the General Assembly Council.
A commissioner’s resolution to the 2001 General Assembly in Louisville calling for the creation of the advocacy committee was referred by that assembly to the council for further study.
During its April 26 meeting, the executive committee of the council based its decision on three factors: the historical precedent for advocacy committees; lack of clarity about the definition of sexual minorities; and ongoing costs.
The denomination has an Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns and an Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns. Both were formed following reunion between the Presbyterian Church (US) and the United Presbyterian Church (USA) to support the work of the church and uphold existing assembly policies in racial justice and justice for women.
“There is no clear General Assembly policy in the area of sexual minorities. An advocacy committee for sexual minorities is not needed until a General Assembly adopts clear policies that could be monitored,” reads the council’s recommendation.
The recommendation also said there was no clear definition of “sexual minorities,” and while the original commissioners’ resolution seemed to define sexual minorities as gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals, the term “could be expanded to include other individuals with different sexual preferences.”
Furthermore, stating that an advocacy committee costs about $57,000 per year, the council’s recommendation said that “in a time of budget constraints, it does not seem prudent to create another on-going cost.”
Before the vote, committee member Neal Presa proposed an amendment striking two sentences that recommend that “… middle governing bodies and congregations should consider forming advocacy committees for the concerns of sexual minorities, as the locus of the greatest need at this time is at the presbytery and congregational level.”
Presa said the General Assembly has not determined there is a great need for the advocacy committee, and, if there is a need, that the locus is at the presbytery and congregational levels.
Barbara Renton, the incoming chair of the General Assembly Council, opposed the amendment, saying that the words were a pastoral response to an otherwise negative response.
The amendment was defeated, but the two sentences were moved to the end of the council’s recommendation.
In the original commissioners’ resolution, the advocacy committee was to:
- “be a prophetic voice for involving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in the formation of public policy, particularly where sexual orientation is a factor;
- “monitor and evaluate policies, procedures, programs and resources regarding the way in which they impact the status and position of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in the church and the world;
- “advocate for full inclusiveness and equity in all areas of the life and work of the church and in society as a whole.”