Overture would spell out what ordination law means
The Layman Online, Posted Monday, January 9, 2006
While 16 presbyteries have submitted overtures to the 217th General Assembly calling for the repeal of the denomination’s “fidelity/chastity” standard, one presbytery has asked the commissioners to spell out in detail what the standard means.
The constitutional ordination standard is G-6.0106b in the Book of Order:
- Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W 4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.
The Presbytery of Mississippi unanimously approved without debate an overture calling on the commissioners to confirm the standard with this statement:
- The 217th General Assembly of the PCUSA hereby confirms that the requirement for Fidelity and/or Chastity as set forth in Section G-6.0106b. plainly prohibits practicing homosexuals, adulterers, or anyone engaged in sexually immoral conduct from being ordained and/or installed to church office whether as deacons, elders or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.
The overture include a six-sentence rationale:
- The conduct of all persons, in matters concerning sexual activity, is clearly taught in the Holy Scripture.
- The particular sexual disposition of a candidate for Ordination is not mentioned. The proper actions of the people of God are addressed in the inspired Word, and should be obeyed by all Christians.
- Membership in a Church is open to all believers, and all are sinners.
- Ordination and/or Installation as an officer of the church lays on the person special responsibility and authority, calling for special qualifications.
- Reference is made to the Larger Catechism, question 139 and answer, and to Hebrews 13:4 as well as other constitutional statements.
- Question 139 of the Larger Catechism (Westminster) and its answer are:
- Q. 139. What are the sins forbidden in the Seventh Commandment?
- A. The sins forbidden in the Seventh Commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are: adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts; all unclean imaginations, thoughts, purposes, and affections; all corrupt or filthy communications, or listening thereunto; wanton looks, impudent or light behavior, immodest apparel, prohibiting of lawful, and dispensing with unlawful marriages; allowing, tolerating, keeping of stews, and resorting to them; entangling vows of single life, undue delay of marriage; having more wives or husbands than one at the same time; unjust divorce or desertion; idleness, gluttony, drunkenness, unchaste company; lascivious songs, books, pictures, dancings, stageplays, and all other provocations to, or acts of, uncleanness either in ourselves or others.
- Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”