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

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

25-February-1997 
97104 
 
           Affirmative Votes for  Amendment B Now Lead; 
                     "COCU" Amendment 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 behind negative votes in voting tabulated as of Feb. 25. 
 
     In the official tally recorded by the Office of the General Assembly 
(OGA), the voting on Amendment B ("fidelity and chastity") stands at 42 
affirmative and 38 negative.  The tally on Amendment C is 32 affirmative, 
36 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 the "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 (42): Beaver-Butler, Carlisle, Central Florida, 
Charleston-Atlantic, Cherokee, de Cristo, Donegal, Eastern Virginia, Flint 
River, Florida, Foothills, Holston, Indian Nations, Inland Northwest, John 
Calvin, Memphis, Midwest Hanmi, Mississippi, Muskingum Valley, New Harmony, 
Noroeste, North Alabama, Palo Duro, Peaks, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, 
Prospect Hill, Providence, Riverside, St.  Andrew, St. Augustine, Salem, 
San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Shenango, Sheppards & Lapsley, South Alabama, 
Suroeste, Trinity, Western North Carolina, Yellowstone and Yukon. 
 
Negative (38): Boise, Chicago, Des Moines, East Iowa, Eastern Oregon, 
Eastminster, Genesee Valley, Giddings-Lovejoy, Heartland, Hudson River, 
John Knox, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, Milwaukee, Minnesota Valleys, 
Monmouth, National Capital, New Covenant, New York City, Newark, Northern 
Kansas, Northern New York, 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 (32): Baltimore, Cherokee, Chicago, Des Moines, Eastern Oregon, 
Florida, Heartland, Hudson River, Indian Nations, John Calvin, John Knox, 
Louisville, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Midwest Hanmi, Milwaukee, Minnesota 
Valleys, Monmouth, New Castle, New York City, Newark, Northern Kansas, 
Redwoods, Salem, Santa Fe, Sierra Blanca, Susquehanna Valley, Twin Cities 
Area, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Yellowstone and Yukon. 
 
Negative (36): Boise, Carlisle, Central Florida, Charleston-Atlantic, East 
Iowa, Eastern Virginia, Flint River, Foothills, Geneva, Holston, Inland 
Northwest, Los Ranchos, Mississippi, Muskingum Valley, New Covenant,  New 
Harmony, North Alabama, Palo Duro, Peaks, Pittsburgh, Plains and Peaks, 
Prospect Hill,  Providence, Riverside, St. Andrew, St. Augustine, San 
Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Shenandoah, Shenango, South Alabama, 
Suroeste, Trinity, Western North Carolina and Whitewater Valley. 
 
No Action (2): Noroeste and Wyoming. 

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