Deleting ordination standard wins little backing in early vote
The Layman Online, October 23, 2001
There are small signs that the movement toward the ordination of self-affirming, practicing homosexuals and adulterers in the Presbyterian Church (USA) may be headed for defeat.
In the presbyteries where there have been significant votes on both sides, those who oppose revising the denomination’s constitutional ordination standard have gained votes in comparison with previous national referendums on similar issues.
Through Oct. 22, the vote on what’s called Amendment 01-A – the proposal to eviscerate the denomination’s ordination standard – stood at 7-2 against. That leaves 167 presbyteries to vote.
Of the nine presbyteries that have voted, four were all but unanimous in their opposition to Amendment 01-A. In the other five, the percentage of votes opposing ordaining homosexuals rose.
Presbytery of Baltimore. One of the most liberal presbyteries in the nation, Baltimore voted in favor of 01-A. But the presbytery’s approval rate was 65.4 percent, down from its 69.6 percent opposition to Amendment B in 1996 and 69.9 percent support for Amendment A in 1978.
Presbytery of Central Washington. Commissioners opposed Amendment 01-A by 81.4 percent. In 1996, 71 percent favored Amendment B; in 1998, 82.1 percent favored the first Amendment A.
Eastern Oregon. Amendment B carried by voice vote in 1996 – with apparently little dissent. Amendment A in 1998 was favored by 65.2 percent. But on Oct. 19, Eastern Oregon narrowly approved the new 01-A: 17 to 14 (54.8 percent).
Mississippi. The Presbytery of Mississippi has always been in the column opposed to ordaining people who have sex outside marriage. It voted 77.9 percent in favor of Amendment B and 85.1 percent against Amendment A. This time, 85.9 percent of the commissioners voted against Amendment 0-1A.
Transylvania. Some observers thought Transylvania might be a swing presbytery because of its past close votes. In 1996, Transylvania supported Amendment B with 54.8 percent of the vote; in 1996, the presbytery voted 59.8 percent against Amendment A. This year’s vote against Amendment 01-A was 62.4 percent.