Presbyterian stance on gay marriage
Evangelical Presbyterians Take on Debate Over Celibate Gay Pastors
A Presbyterian denomination that prides itself on liberty in nonessentials has found its cooperative ministry model strained by the latest discussion of human sexuality.
Presbyterian historian Donald Fortson has been a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) since its inception in , and he says he has never seen a more “raucous” General Assembly than this year’s gathering, held last month in Memphis.
Among the topics of debate was whether to admit a congregation whose pastor identifies as lgbtq+ but also says he is celibate and supports a traditional Christian sexual ethic, which falls under what some have called “Side B” Christianity.
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Greg Johnson, pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, led his congregation to leave the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) two years ago after that denomination had a preliminary vote to disqu
By Philip Ryan | February 24,
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs
For the second year in a row, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) has sent down overtures regarding the sexuality of ministers to the presbyteries. Overture 29 presented to the 49th General Assembly passed on the floor of the Assembly and was referred to the 88 presbyteries of the PCA as Item 4. Along with a related proposal (Item 5), it has received overwhelming approval from across the spectrum of the PCA. Indeed, leaders of the Gospel Reformation Network[1] and the former public figure of the National Partnership[2] have both expressed their desire to see these approved and added to the BCO.
Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on your opinion – Overture 15 presented before the 49th Assembly passed by a much narrower vote and has now failed to achieve the requisite 2/3 majority of affirmative votes from the presbyteries (as Item 1) to proceed to a final ratification vote at the 50th General Assembly in Memphis. For some reason
Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Presbyterian Church (USA)
BACKGROUND
With its roots in the 16th century teachings of John Calvin, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) boasts million members who participate in more than 10, congregations across the country. The largest Presbyterian organization in the country, the denomination was formed in when the southern-based Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS) joined the northern-based United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA) to form a unattached entity. The Presbyterian Church (USA) remains distinct from the Presbyterian Church in America, which tends toward less inclusive policies.
The Presbyterian label derives from the Greek word for “elders” – lay leaders who administer the church and are chosen by its congregants. According to the denomination’s web site, elders work closely with clergy to, “exercise leadership, government, and discipline and contain responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large.” Elders serve at every level of leadership from “sessions,” which govern a single church, to “presb
While the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has opened the way for gay individuals to be ordained, there remains an active discussion of sexual orientation in the church and society.
Commissioners at the th General Assembly (GA) will vote on a proposed overture to add more inclusive language to the Book of Order to forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Meanwhile, members of the Activism Committee for LBGTQIA+ Equity (ACQ+E) will attend their first GA as a group.
Advocates for LBGTQIA Presbyterians are hopeful the overture will pass and that the committee will be a passionate and model voice for people who at times have felt unheard in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). But some people view the overture as a step in the wrong direction.
The Fellowship Community (TFC) , a network of Presbyterian churches, released a statement saying, “Our hope is that the overture fails. We hope that the General Assembly commissioners will identify that their task is to enrich the whole church, and not just those they agree with.”
The statement was releas