I do not consider human sexuality, important as it is, the central issue of Christian faith. Yet it has become the touchstone, the present measure of our understanding of the Gospel. Below are several reports on the Assembly's vote to ask the presbyteries to amend the Book of Order to ban same sex blessings. I call particular attention to the PlanetOut article.

Many good things happened at this Assembly. For example, during the brief time I was there, I was privileged to watch the election for Moderator. The candidates were two Korean Americans, one African American, and an Irish/Mexican woman. Presbyterians have become inclusive in ways deserving celebration.

Still, I am deeply discouraged by the major events of this Assembly. I do not see us putting love before self-righteousness. That is why these several articles on how Presbyterians are responding to the g/l/b/t members of the family are important.

Rev. Erin Swenson reminds us, in Michael Adee's words, that we are in a long distance run and not a sprint. We are engaged in an effort to open doors and windows of understanding that have been closed for many centuries. Pray for the strength to keep the light of the Gospel in full view!

Assembly Votes to Ban Same-Sex Unions

by Deanna Tiefenthal for tamfs.org

This is the report developed by TAMFS
 

Assembly sends same sex union ban amendment to presbyteries

by Jerry L. Van Marter

This is the report prepared by PC USA News
 

Presbyterians Vote to Ban Clergy From Conducting Unions of Gays

by Gustav Niebuhr

The New York Times
 

Presbyterians Vote Down Unions

[An excellent summary of this action and of the Assembly in General]

Presbyterians Vote Down Unions
      PlanetOut News Staff
      Friday, June 30, 2000 / 01:59 AM

SUMMARY: The denomination's General Assembly has again voted to stop discussing same-gender unions and have its presbyteries ban them once and for all.

The highest policy-making body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) late on June 30 voted 268 - 251 to amend its constitution to explicitly prohibit "same-sex union ceremonies." However, the amendment to the Book of Order will have to be ratified by a majority of the 2.5-million-member denomination's 171 regional presbyteries. The narrow margin of passage in the General Assembly suggests that ratification may fail, as it did when the General Assembly passed a similar measure in 1995. Currently, as affirmed in May by the denomination's highest judicial authority, ministers and local congregations may choose to perform such ceremonies as long as it is clear that they are not marriages. The denomination holds that sexual activity should occur only within heterosexual marriage.

Earlier in the day the General Assembly had agreed to put off the gay and lesbian union ceremonies debate  until the very end of its agenda, after dinner on this final day of business other than budgets. A counterproposal to hold the debate in the afternoon was defeated. The previous day, the General Assembly had agreed to prohibit demonstrations inside the convention center by individuals or groups, authorizing the moderator to call a recess should a demonstration occur. Presbyterians pride themselves on doing things "in good order," and delegates may well have been concerned not to see a repeat of the demonstration held on the floor of the United Methodist Church General Conference in protest of anti-g/l/b/t votes, although that was entirely peaceful.

When the time finally arrived, the main part of the debate centered around a minority report presented by 16 members of the Assembly Committee on Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, which had voted 25 - 23 to recommend passage of the ban on union ceremonies. The minority's "can we talk?" substitute motion asked the full Assembly to agree to three affirmations: to continue dialogue on unity and diversity issues; to uphold the Presbyterian tradition of allowing individual pastors and congregations to order worship and pastoral care; and to understand that the conflict involves the interpretation rather than the authority of Scripture. The General Assembly had agreed earlier to continue for a second year to avoid action on the denomination's current ban on ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians. However the delegates were less inclined to prolong the discussion on union ceremonies and rejected the minority report by a vote of 273 - 247.

Prior to the final vote the delegates and observers were instructed not to respond "audibly" to the results. After the same-sex union prohibition was passed a 10-minute recess was called and about 50 supporters of lesbians and gays gathered in a corridor to sing hymns in protest; they did not attempt to enter the meeting hall. As the delegates returned to continue the meeting, the pianist played "Blessed Be the Tie That Binds."

In other gay-related business on June 29, the Twin Cities Area Presbytery of Minnesota had proposed adding "sexual orientation" to the denomination's membership non-discrimination statement, which currently specifies "race, ethnic origin or worldly condition." Instead, the Assembly chose not to expand the list but to throw it out altogether, in favor of a statement reading, "No persons shall be denied membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) for any reason not related to profession of faith." This proposed constitutional amendment was passed 384 - 127, and it too will be sent on to the presbyteries for ratification.

Also on June 29, the General Assembly approved by a hearty 423 - 82 vote a proposal by the Presbytery of San Francisco to "develop resources and tools to assist congregations in ministries of evangelism, programming and pastoral care with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons and their families and friends." One amendment to this proposal that succeeded said to "consult Scripture and the Confessions of our denomination in developing resources." Another amendment required that "former" g/l/b/t church members participate in developing the materials. Many other amendments were proposed but defeated, including a proposal that the resources conform to the sexual standards which apply to ordained officers of the church -- fidelity in marriage or chastity in singleness. In the course of the vigorous debate on the g/l/b/t resources and the denomination's sex education curriculum, fire alarms went off for the second time in two days at the conference -- a truly heated discussion.

The so-called "take a hike" proposal from the Beaver-Butler Presbytery was crushed 453 - 71. This proposal would have declared that an "irreconcilable impasse" exists within the denomination, and that those unwilling to toe the line in eight key areas -- Biblical authority and interpretation, Jesus Christ and salvation, ethics, leadership, sanctification, and the nature of the church -- should leave. Homosexuality seems to be the fault line that exposes differences over Biblical authority and interpretation both among Presbyterians and in other denominations, with literalists insisting it can only be viewed as a sin.

A church commissioner from Beaver-Butler, minister Jack Patrick, used homosexuality as his example of what he called a "theological divide." He said, "We can no longer ignore the central issues of theology in our church. We need to bring these theological issues to the forefront so that we can declare what we really believe as Presbyterians. Diversity can only go so far before we no longer can be called a confessing church of Jesus Christ." Instead, the Assembly affirmed a statement in response that said, "We choose to see differences positively and believe that differences in fact have the potential to make our unity in Christ even stronger" and "Our prayer is that we all might strive for the 'still more excellent way,' which is our mutual love and forbearance of one another."

The Assembly also agreed to the formation of a task force to consider how to refer to the persons of the Trinity in "inclusive language" rather than masculine terms, since God is believed to be beyond gender.

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