Since the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s approval of Amendment 14F on March 17, the offices of the Presbyterian Lay Committee (PLC) have received numerous calls for help from pastors, elders and church members.
In response the PLC has created a “PCUSA Marriage Resources” page on its web site, The Layman Online.
The approval of Amendment 14F by a majority of PCUSA presbyteries s ratified the decision of the 2014 General Assembly to change the definition of marriage from between “a man and a woman” to “between two persons, traditionally a man and a woman,” thereby expanding same-sex marriages in the PCUSA beyond what is currently allowed through the Authoritative Interpretation (AI) issued by the same assembly. That AI already allows ministers in states where same sex marriage, to officiate at weddings for same sex couples.
In an article posted on the resource page, PLC President Carmen Fowler LaBerge wrote that “Almost immediately after the 86th affirmative vote was cast and the language related to marriage was formally amended in theBook of Orderthe phone started ringing. I have now heard from more than a dozen pastors who received reassuring calls from presbytery representatives saying essentially, ‘Don’t worry, we know you don’t believe in same-sex marriage and we’re not going to make you perform them.’”
The very fact that these pastors were even receiving such a call, she said “is an indication that these pastors have been identified by their presbyteries as ‘oppositional’ on this issue. Some Presbyterian Church (USA) pastors have wondered aloud what they can do to further protect themselves and their local church from the demand to perform a same-sex wedding.”
The PLC’s marriage resources page is an attempt provide the resources needed by churches to navigate through the changing landscape of both the PCUSA and the nation as marriage laws are being amended in many states throughout the country. The page will be updated frequently as new resources are made available.
Currently, the resource page includes a video from LaBerge, sample resolutions for church members and sessions in support of traditional marriage and articles, commentary and analysis on the issue.
The page can be accessed through this link.
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Even prior to 14f the Session included in the by-laws, record of the Session the following resolution. Such actions can only be amended or changed by a future act of Session. And has application to all employees of the church, paid, volunteer, including pastors, present and future. Until such time as amended. Summation:
-Definition of marriage as between a biological male and female, regardless of PCUSA action to the contrary. As an act of faith and the Church, not that of the State.
-Statement on prohibition of the use or employment of church owned property and or resources, equipment, or employees to conduct or facilitate same sex ceremonies, irrespective of any actions of the PCUSA. 14f only gave us the denominational framework which were reflective of out actions anyway.
-Statement on the constitutional right of direction and oversight of the Session of said church over all property and ministry, irrespective of PCUSA actions to the contrary.
This was followed up by notifications on all church controlled media and publications, and notice posted in the spaces proper.
So far from the Presbytery? Silence. Even if there is pushback we are fully prepared with the appropriate response. But they well aware of where we stand on a host of issues. We will see if mutual forbearance is indeed a two way street, or a ruse by which the majority continues its hegemony of the minority. The old bait and switch. We will see.
PCUSA will not for long allow pastors to exercise freedom of conscience. Check out PCUSA.org and the position taken on Indiana’s RFRA. PCUSA has squarely come down against allowing business owners to refuse participation in SSM ceremonies based on their religious convictions. It is impossible to hold that position and still permit your ministers or churches to engage in the same “discrimination.”
As an aside, but relatedly, it is amazing how quickly PCUSA calls for action on liberal hot button issues and how slow it is to call for action concerning the slaughter of Christians in the Middle East, Kenya and elsewhere. Whose side are they on?
As an example, the lead news item on PCUSA.org concerns the “unprecedented climate crisis.” How about the unprecedented radical Islam crisis? The one resulting in the actual murder, rape and enslavement of our brothers and sisters. It is so distressing to watch this denomination become an extension of one political party.
Yet, Another nail hammered into the Body of Christ…
You people should listen to yourselves. Gays and lesbians are different from you. Okay that is a given, They are still people and children of God. You probably know some or many. You may have co-workers or relatives who are gay or lesbian.
Some of the comments here are just ignorant, or just abhorrent. But there is little grace or graciousness in these comments.
Ask yourselves, is a gay person welcome in your church? Could they be baptized, or become a member? If they die, could they have a funeral in your church?
Now think about whether Jesus would sit at table with them, or walk with them. If you put together resources to deny them participation in the church what does that really say about you?
Time to blow the liberal lie out of the water.
The setting of standards, policy, regulations of the organization. The setting of clear parameters as pertains to LGBT services of civil unions, is not denial or pastoral care, compassion, the ministry or grace of the church. It is only the good people retaking, reclaiming their church from a power structure who seek power and authority they do not deserve. and impose an agenda which is both capricious and unconstitutional.
The church is indeed a house of prayer for all people, and all are welcome. No one puts bouncers out in front and no one is asked to present ID or questioned on family nature or dynamics. But in worship the full gospel of grace, hope and redemption is presented. A gospel big enough to bring the Good News to all. gay. straight, whatever. The sacraments are intended for all who call upon His name, regardless of orientation, as well as the offices of care, counsel, compassion.
It is only the so called liberal Christian that interprets anything less than full and complete capitulation to the LGBT agenda as less than “loving” , Christian
or all inclusive. Religious liberals think they have the corner on all truth and reason and correctness. But if they had the power to conjure up old John Calvin bodily in the flesh from the grave, he would take one look at the god-awful mess those who claim to be his spiritual heirs have made of the church, and would spit on the ground and curse them for their apostasy,their arrogance, hubris and pride.
That all you got Mr. Calvin?
The elite PCUSA leadership is a cunning subsidiary of the left wing of the democrat party–with flirtations toward socialist and Marxist politics (except when it affects their profitable Wall Street retirement/pension accounts).
What an angry diatribe. Is that all you’ve got?
I got plenty more.
For Calvin and others, who claim to know the love of Jesus Christ, the grace of God, who pride themselves in their tolerance, acceptance. Who claim Jesus as their moral example, friend, buddy, maybe even call upon him as Savior. Would Jesus acknowledge them? We all die in the end, the physical death, but there awaits another death, for those who lead others astray, deceive, call sin, “grace”. A lie, truth. A certain polity the one true church.
Tomorrow is indeed Easter, Jesus Christ has risen indeed. For Mr. Calvin I think Jesus is still in his tomb, he awaits his savior and messiah. May that day of true liberation and release come, for him, and others like so.
Your turn
I don’t see an angry diatribe, just a no-nonsense reply to your comment:
“Some of the comments here are just ignorant, or just abhorrent. But there is little grace or graciousness in these comments.
Ask yourselves, is a gay person welcome in your church? Could they be baptized, or become a member? If they die, could they have a funeral in your church?
Now think about whether Jesus would sit at table with them, or walk with them. If you put together resources to deny them participation in the church what does that really say about you?”
FWIW .. Jesus would sit, and then proceed to tell them about the sin in their lives, and to go and sin no more.
O the gay agenda—where can I get a copy of that? Is it like the Irish agenda, the Black agenda, the Italian agenda?
Every body have a happy Easter, All about the love you know.
Daniel 5:27. “TEKEL” – To Iglesia Presbiterianas in E.E.U.U.
“Gays and lesbians are different from you. Okay that is a given.”
That’s certainly what we’ve been told. But it’s the only sexual proclivity one chooses to act upon that seems to have the church’s imprimatur. What about adulterers, fornicators, pedophiles, and other assorted sexual addicts? Answer: they don’t have the marketing and PR that homosexuals have.
I hope all had a blessed Easter.
Onto the last comments of “Calvin”. The term “agenda” may have been a poor choice of terms. The PCUSA is not so much a functional unity of diverse people, but an amalgamation of various special or narrow focus groups. All with competing and at times conflicting agendas and goals.
The PCUSA has always promoted various theologies and ideals based upon “identity” or narrow focus affinity groups. So in this sense you have do have to name a few, feminists, LGBT, various racial- ethnic group goals, theologies, ends and desires based upon their specialty groups and concerns. It is the sacrificing the good of the most, for that of the agenda and concerns of the few. The whole Israel BDS process at the last GA was an example of how a narrow focus and agenda group tends to dominate the process and sort of takes over the process.
The presbytery of Carlisle has removed a pastor because he said he would not perform SSM. The presbytery, of course, will try to spin this another way, but that’s all it will be, spin. I have never witness such malice before in my life. Any PcUSA pastor who cannot in good conscience perform SSM is already at risk. Assurances to the contrary are an illusion.
Having attended the last GA in Detroit, I can honestly say that it was more political posturing and theatrics than spiritual and worshipful.
Let’s face the actual facts. Humans are sexual so the non-Christian ultra liberals in the PCUSA are no only condoning but also promoting sex between men and sex between women