wfn.org | Assembly Opts for Dialogue, Not Debate on Homosexual Issue

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

GA99120 
25-June-1999 
 
                   Assembly Opts for Dialogue, 
                  Not Debate on Homosexual Issue 
 
 
FORT WORTH-The 211th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
voted for dialogue, not debate, and approved a minority report calling for 
two years of study and discussion on the matter of whether to ordain 
practicing homosexual persons as ministers, elders or deacons.  
     The commissioners approved this rather than the majority report from 
the Committee on Church Orders and Ministry, which would have approved 
deleting the fidelity and chastity provisions for officers (paragraph 
G-6.0106b) from the "Book of Order".  Final vote on the matter was 319 for, 
198 against, and one abstention.  The percentages are 61 percent for, 38 
percent against, and one percent abstention.   
     Even if the Assembly had approved deleting G-6.0106b, the action would 
have to have been approved by a majority of the 173 presbyteries during the 
coming year.  The two years of dialogue and study does not affect the 
church's constitution and does not require the vote of the presbyteries. 
     Debate was serious but respectful with a good number of Youth Advisory 
Delegates (YADs) speaking on both sides of the issue. The major debate 
lasted less than one hour and focused on whether to make the minority 
report for dialogue the main motion in place of the majority report, which 
called for deletion of the standards.  The vote on making the substitute 
motion the main motion, a vote in essence on dialogue vs. deletion, was 293 
for, 243 against, and two abstentions.  Some considered this the more 
telling vote. 
     Nineteen people spoke from microphones during the debate.  The 
moderator, Freda Gardner, alternated between those for and those against 
making the minority report the main motion.  Dorothy Bernard, a former 
moderator of the Presbyterian Church US General Assembly, asked permission 
to read a statement from the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, but 
permission was denied by voice vote. 
     The Rev. Kathy Runyeon, a minister commissioner from the Presbytery of 
the Redwoods and moderator of the Church Orders and Ministry Committee, 
said in presenting the committee's recommendation to the Assembly, "the 
committee made a bold decision to speak with a prophetic voice.... We 
believe that the current wording of G-6.0106b means excluding from ordained 
office persons to whom God has clearly given gifts for ministry.  We 
believe the primary criteria for ordained leadership should be those 
affirmed in G-6.0106a, that we expect our officers to be 'persons of strong 
faith, dedicated discipleship and love of Jesus Christ as savior and Lord'. 
     "Our Youth Advisory Delegates were particularly strong in their 
assertion that they wish to be a part of an inclusive community, and we all 
expressed hope for a church characterized by justice and by grace, not by 
law, a church of vitality and faithfulness...." 
     The Rev. Stephen Moss, minister commissioner from Salem Presbytery and 
primary advocate for the minority report, said in presenting it to the 
Assembly, "...the minority report presents you with a simple and a clear 
alternative--have the quiet time that we need for civilized and thoughtful 
discussion, listening respectfully one to another, when we are not under 
the threat of having to vote on something, and maintaining our historic 
standard against behavior that is contrary to Scripture, contrary to order, 
contrary to tradition, contrary to our constitution.   
     "Or, we can choose the way of the majority report.  We can have 
ongoing, in your face dissention all across the church for the next couple 
of years, and the 'in your face' was what was said in our committee.  It's 
a clear choice.  Don't lower the bar on behavior, and don't lower the bar 
on civil discussion...." 
     The Rev. Robin White, a minister commissioner from New Castle 
Presbytery and a member of the Church Orders and Ministry Committee, spoke 
against the two-year dialogue. "There are some who believe that we need a 
sabbatical, a rest from dealing with the concerns that are raised by the 
former Amendment B [now G-6.0106b].  I remind the Assembly of the words of 
Jesus as he spoke to the Pharisees about healing on the Sabbath.  Is it 
lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to 
destroy it?  There can be no sabbatical as long as people are hurt and 
denied their rightful place as God's servants.   
     "There are some who say that they recognize that eventually the church 
will be more fully inclusive in God's time, so we must wait.  But we've 
heard the words of the Rev. James Forbes. The time comes when you have to 
act.  May we also be reminded of the words of the unjust judge in reference 
to the persistent widow: because the widow keeps bothering me, I will grant 
her justice.  And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to 
him day and night?  We must not rest but act.  We must be persistent in our 
promotion of social righteousness....  May this Assembly lift up a cry for 
justice, now." 
     The Rev. Bryan Smith of Detroit Presbytery spoke for the two-year 
dialogue.  "I may be one of the few people in this room who find themselves 
still wrestling with this topic.  The leaven is still at work within my own 
spirit.  I see both the sisters holding high the bar of justice and 
inclusiveness, and I understand and respect that.  And I see other brothers 
and sisters holding high the bar of Scriptural authority.  The concern I 
have is that grace and truth have not merged together on this issue in a 
way that I can stand and say that I know fully the mind of God about this 
issue.   
     "It's not from a lack of prayer or reading of Scripture, but I still 
find myself waiting on God for truth to reveal to me in such a way that I 
can stand and speak boldly and clearly about what God's will is, and while 
I wait I am in need of leadership from the General Assembly and my church 
to help guide me in this process.  It seems to me that the majority report 
feels to me, as somebody who's still learning and seeking, as an 
in-your-face kind of move that requires presbyteries to go back and 
re-discuss something that they voted on just two or three years ago. 
     "I am hoping that we can find a way to keep talking about this in a 
way that those who have strong convictions can understand that there are 
still others of us waiting and praying, and we need more than prophetic 
voice.  We also need wisdom." 
     One young male commissioner burst into tears as he appealed for the 
deletion of G- 6.0106b.  "Please, let's do it.  This minority report puts 
it off," he said in part. 
     The Assembly voted to allow their action in calling for dialogue to 
answer two other overtures directly affecting G-6.0106b.  One was Overture 
99-27 from St. Andrew Presbytery, the other was Overture 99-30 from 
Philadelphia Presbytery.  Each would have modified G- 6.0106b.  Overture 
99-1, which would have added to the ordination vows for officers one that 
called for "subjection to your brothers and sisters in the Lord," was 
defeated upon committee recommendation. 
     An overture from Baltimore Presbytery (99-25) calling for a special 
committee to "consider the issues behind our disorders and disagreements" 
was referred to the General Assembly Council. 
 
Bill Lancaster 

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