Kirkpatrick predicts end of
PCUSA’s fidelity-chastity standard
By Edward Terry, The Layman, November 12, 2010
HOUSTON – Relishing the opportunity to be present as a part of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, rather than the official role he once played as stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick called on the church to repent of its “exclusion” of gays and lesbians and predicted an end to the denomination’s fidelity-chastity standard for ordination.
Kirkpatrick preached one of three worship services at the 2010 Covenant Network of Presbyterians national conference, Nov. 4-6 at St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Houston. The theme of the event was “We Are Family: Celebrating the Whole Household of God.”
Preaching on Galatians 3:23-29, Kirkpatrick said that “for Paul, the law was not really important.” His message to the Galatians was a rejection of the old restrictions. Kirkpatrick lifted up racial, economic and sexual orientation injustices as examples.
“These were not just New Testament problems,” he said. “In a world of divisions and injustice, Galatians is incredible good news, that there is no more Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, we are all one in Jesus.”
Kirkpatrick said that God is calling on Christians to cooperate, break down barriers to find ways that different gifts can complement one another. He also called on the church to repent for exclusions based on injustice.
“We are in the process of what God is calling us to be … an open community,” he said. “Our only intolerance should be an intolerance of efforts to exclude those who are different.”
In his sermon, Kirkpatrick twice predicted change to the PCUSA’s current ordination standards – specifically the fidelity-chastity standard that requires ordained officers be faithful in marriage or chaste in singleness. The PCUSA’s 173 presbyteries currently are voting on Amendment 10-A, which rewords G-6.0106b without the fidelity-chastity standard.
“The hope of the Gospel is that in Jesus Christ things like this are set aside,” he said. “Things like G-6.0106b will end – I believe it will end this year.”
Additional Covenant Network speakers, guests
- David Van Dyke, pastor of House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minn., and Covenant Network co-moderator, preached on John 2:1-11 in a sermon entitled “The First Sign.” His sermon focused on Jesus’ first miracle at the Cana wedding. Speaking in support of same-sex marriage, Van Dyke said “we can’t go back to the time when wine was wine and water was water.” He was also critical of the U.S. divorce rate for heterosexuals and the many weddings where Jesus is not present.
- Princeton Theological Seminary professor of pastoral theology, Robert Dykstra, offered a plenary lecture entitled “The Gospel of Kindness.” In discussing gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues, he challenged the group to follow advice from a New York City park sign: “Keep it wild; stay on the path.” He explained that “Keep it wild” can mean beyond orthodox, beyond traditional, while “stay on the path” refers to keeping it holy, safe and familiar. “Must it be one or the other?,” he asked. “Can it not be both at once? Must Christians tiptoe through life … and avoid all things wild?” He compared the way Christianity has treated LGBT people to a horror movie and blamed the early Church for making it “increasingly difficult for Christians to keep it wild.” He also spoke of the importance of sexual desire and praised the Covenant Network’s commitment to kindness. “You remind us that we are in all our sexual and other complexities, a source of delight to our source of delight,” he said.
- PCUSA minister and associate professor of New Testament at the Interdenominational Center in Atlanta, Margaret Aymer, spoke on “Biblical Family Values: Problems and Promise.” Her lecture focused mainly on the various kinds of marriage throughout history and how it’s drastically changed in recent centuries.
- PCUSA Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons and Moderator Cynthia Bolbach, who also participated in worship and hosted a workshop, were present as representatives of the denomination. Also participating were officials from Austin Theological Seminary, the Synod of the Sun and the presbyteries of Palo Dura and New Covenant.
- An unexpected interruption came Saturday as the final worship service was coming to a close. The Rev. William Tarbell of South Carolina made a statement of protest during the service. His intent, he said, was to replicate similar protests in favor of same-sex marriage and gay ordination at events such as General Assembly. Covenant Network Executive Director Pam Byers said the interruption of a worship service was inappropriate and unproductive. “There was ample opportunity for Bill to say what he wanted to say,” she said, adding that an open microphone session on Friday would have been a more appropriate venue. “We invited people to come to the mic, and if he had said what he wanted to say, we would have listened. We’re all about dialogue.”