wfn.org | National and Social Issues Committee Tackles a Variety of Issues

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99047 
22-June-1999 
 
              National and Social Issues Committee  
                   Tackles a Variety of Issues 
 
 
FORT WORTH-The Assembly Committee on National and Social Issues will 
recommend to the General Assembly that three overtures dealing with 
homophobia and sexual conversion therapies be answered with language 
suggested by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. 
     Overtures 99-34 and 99-56 would have directed the General Assembly to 
call upon the church to repent of the sin of homophobia and of all violence 
based on perceptions of sexual orientation, develop resources addressing 
these issues, and encourage entities of the church to refrain from 
supporting, implementing, or sponsoring conversion therapies and 
ministries.   The overtures would have directed the Stated Clerk to write a 
pastoral letter communicating the action to the church. 
     Overture 99-73 would have directed the Assembly to continue to work to 
condemn and prevent violence and hatred against gay and lesbian persons, 
affirm the right of those in conflict with their sexuality to seek 
noncoercive therapy, and oppose any attempt to limit the choice to seek 
therapy. 
     Instead, the committee will ask the General Assembly to affirm the 
church's policy of inclusiveness that welcomes all into its membership, 
recognizing the need for repentance and God's grace.  It will further ask 
the Assembly to state that no church should insist that gay and lesbian 
persons need therapy to change their orientation or inhibit those who wish 
to do so from seeking therapy.  
     In other business on Monday, the National and Social Issues Committee 
recommended that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): 
    *   advocate for the survival of family farmers, ranchers and rural 
communities, 
    *   including Black and other racial ethnic farmers by developing 
resources, and advocating trade policies; 
    *  reaffirm the denomination's position in support of legitimate 
possession and use of firearms in specific activities, including hunting 
and maintenance of subsistence lifestyle and discouraging the misuse of 
firearms; 
    * oppose the privatization of prisons, prayer and advocacy, and further 
study of the issues involved; 
    * reaffirm the goals of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity 
with Women.  
   
Nancy Rodman 

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