wfn.org | Defeat Nears for Amendment A

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

4-March-1998 
98081 
 
    Defeat Nears for Amendment A 
 
    by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-With nearly half the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s 173 
presbyteries having formally reported, negative votes on proposed Amendment 
A - the commonly called "fidelity and integrity" amendment - to the "Book 
of Order" outnumber affirmative ones by a wide margin, and unofficial 
tallies being kept by a number of individuals and organizations agree that 
the controversial measure is less than a handful of negative votes from 
defeat. 
 
    The official count - kept by the Office of the General Assembly from 
formal ballot cards submitted by presbytery stated clerks - is 54 negative 
and 30 affirmative as of March 3.  Unofficial tallies include the votes of 
presbyteries that have voted but whose votes have not been formally 
recorded with the Office of the General Assembly.  The Presbyterian News 
Service will report only those votes that have been formally recorded. 
 
    Amendment A seeks to change the language of G-6.0106b, which received 
97 affirmative votes last year when it was being voted on as Amendment B - 
the commonly called "fidelity and chastity" amendment.  For Amendment A to 
pass, at least a dozen of those presbyteries that voted for Amendment B 
would have to effectively "reverse" their position and vote for Amendment 
A. 
 
    Of the first 84 presbyteries to officially record their votes, eight - 
Cimarron, Great Rivers, Lehigh, Middle Tennessee, Monmouth, New Covenant, 
West Virginia and Whitewater Valley - have reversed their position - but 
against Amendment A, not for it.  One presbytery - Northern Plains - has 
voted for Amendment A after voting for Amendment B last year. 
 
    It now seems clear that Amendment A will be decided by mid-March. 
 
                      Proposed Amendment A 
 
    "Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in 
obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture and instructed 
by the historic confessional standards of the church.  Among these 
standards is the requirement to demonstrate fidelity and integrity in 
marriage or singleness, and in all relationships of life.  Candidates for 
ordained office shall acknowledge their own sinfulness, their need for 
repentance, and their reliance on the grace and mercy of God to fulfill the 
duties of their office." 
 
                           G-6.0106b 
 
    "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 
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." 
 
Affirmative votes on proposed Amendment A (30): Albany, Baltimore, Chicago, 
Des Moines, East Iowa, Eastern Oregon, Genesee Valley, Geneva, Heartland, 
Hudson River, Long Island, Maumee Valley, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota 
Valleys, New Brunswick, New Castle, New York City, Northern Kansas, 
Northern New York, Northern Plains, Palisades, San Jose, Santa Fe, Twin 
Cities Area, Utah, Utica, Western Kentucky, Western New York and Western 
Reserve. 
 
Negative votes on proposed Amendment A (54):  Carlisle, Central Florida, 
Charleston-Atlantic, Charlotte, Cherokee, Cimarron, Coastal Carolina, 
Dakota, de Cristo, Donegal, Eastern Virginia, Flint River, Foothills, Great 
Rivers, Hanmi, Homestead, Huntingdon, John Calvin, Lake Erie, Lehigh, 
Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Midwest Hanmi, Mississippi, Monmouth, New 
Covenant, New Harmony, North Alabama, North Puget Sound, Northwest, 
Pacific, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Prospect Hill, Providence, Pueblo, 
Redstone, St. Augustine, Salem, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Juan, Santa 
Barbara, Sheppards and Lapsley, Shenandoah, South Alabama, South Louisiana, 
Southern Kansas, Southwest, Stockton, Trinity, West Virginia, Western North 
Carolina and Whitewater Valley. 

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