wfn.org | Affirmative Votes for Amendment B Now Lead; "COCU" Amendment

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Narrowly Trails 19-February-1997 
 
97090      Affirmative Votes for Amendment B Now Lead; 
                 "COCU" Amendment Narrowly Trails 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--For the first time since voting began on the so-called 
"fidelity and chastity" amendment, affirmative votes outnumber negative 
votes on the tightly contested measure. 
 
     And affirmative votes for Amendment C, the enabling amendment for 
Presbyterian participation in the Consultation on Church Union, or COCU, 
have fallen below a majority in voting tabulated as of 
Feb. 19. 
 
     In the official tally recorded by the Office of the General Assembly 
(OGA), the voting on Amendment B ("fidelity and chastity") stands at 36 
affirmative and 32 negative.  The tally on Amendment C is 29 affirmative, 
28 negative, with two "no action."  A majority of the 171 presbyteries 
-- 86 -- must vote in the affirmative for the amendments to be incorporated 
into the "Book of Order."  
 
     The complete text of Amendment B, which would be added to section 
G-6.0106 of he "Book of Order," is: 
 
     "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." 
 
              Amendment B ("Fidelity and Chastity") 
 
Affirmative (36): Beaver-Butler, Central Florida, Charleston-Atlantic, 
Cherokee, de Cristo, Donegal, Eastern Virginia, Flint River, Florida, 
Holston, Indian Nations, Inland Northwest, John Calvin, Memphis, Midwest 
Hanmi, Mississippi, Muskingum Valley, New Harmony, Noroeste, Palo Duro, 
Peaks, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. Andrew, St. Augustine, 
Salem, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Shenango, Sheppards & Lapsley, Suroeste, 
Trinity, Western North Carolina, Yellowstone and Yukon. 
 
Negative (32): Boise, Chicago, Des Moines, Eastern Oregon, Eastminster, 
Genesee Valley, Giddings-Lovejoy, Heartland, Hudson River, Louisville, 
Milwaukee, Minnesota Valleys, Monmouth, National 
Capital, New York City, Northern Kansas, Ohio Valley, Palisades, Plains and 
Peaks, Redwoods, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Fe, Sierra Blanca, 
Susquehanna Valley, Twin Cities Area, Utica, West Virginia, Western 
Kentucky, Western New York, Whitewater Valley and Wyoming. 
 
                       Amendment C ("COCU") 
 
Affirmative (29): Baltimore, Cherokee, Chicago, Des Moines, Eastern Oregon, 
Florida, Heartland, Hudson River, Indian Nations, John Calvin, Louisville, 
Memphis, Midwest Hanmi, Milwaukee, Minnesota Valleys, Monmouth, New Castle, 
New York City, Northern Kansas, Redwoods, Salem, Santa 
Fe, Sierra Blanca, Susquehanna Valley, Twin Cities Area, West Virginia, 
Western Kentucky, Yellowstone and Yukon. 
 
Negative (28): Boise, Central Florida, Charleston-Atlantic, Eastern 
Virginia, Flint River, Geneva, Holston, Inland Northwest, Los Ranchos, 
Mississippi, Muskingum Valley, New Harmony, Palo Duro, 
Peaks, Pittsburgh, Plains and Peaks, Providence, St. Andrew, St. Augustine, 
San Francisco, San Joaquin, 
Santa Barbara, Shenandoah, Shenango, Suroeste, Trinity, Western North 
Carolina and Whitewater Valley. 
 
No Action (2): Noroeste and Wyoming. 

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