Homosexuality and Presbyterianism

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[edit] Divided

[edit] Church of Scotland

The "mother church" for Presbyterians worldwide, the Church of Scotland has been divided over the issue of homosexuality. In 1994, the General Assembly received for consideration two reports, one from the Board of Social Responsibility on human sexuality ("placing questions of sexuality for people with...disabilities, elderly people, and homosexuality in the contexts of human sciences and Scripture"), and one from the Panel on Doctrine on marriage (concluding, "among other things, that cohabiting couples, whether heterosexual or homosexual, may well display all the marks of loving, faithful and committed partnership, and should not be thought sinful"). The Panel's Working Party was unanimous, but the larger Panel was not and had dissenting members, as did the Board's report. Neither became official church doctrine. The legalization of same-gender Civil Partnerships in Scotland in 2005 brought the issue to a head again, this time over the question of whether Church of Scotland ministers are allowed to conduct (and also have the right to decline to perform) union ceremonies between two persons of the same gender[1]. The Assembly narrowly passed legislation to permit civil blessings, but the legislation was rejected by a majority of presbyteries.

[edit] Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the largest U.S. Presbyterian body, is also divided over the issue of homosexuality. Although gay and lesbian persons are welcome to become members of the church, the denomination's constitution, The Book of Order states that:

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, 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 (G-6.0106b).

This paragraph, often referred to by its pre-ratification designation "Amendment B", was ratified by a majority of presbyteries in 1997 and was in large part inspired by definitive guidance documents issued by the PC(USA)'s predecessor denominations, the UPCUSA in 1978 and the PCUS in 1980. Different attempts to remove or soften this language have been unsuccessful. Individual ministers are permitted to bless same-sex unions, but the Church does not permit same-sex marriages, and does not explicitly support the consummation of these unions[2]. In 2001, the General Assembly ordered the formation of a Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church. The members were chosen to reflect the diversity of opinion within the church. Its final report was approved by the 2006 General Assembly in Birmingham. The task force made seven recommendations:

  1. The General Assembly should strongly encourage all members "to witness to the church's visible oneness, to avoid division into separate denominations, and to live in harmony with [fellow] members; and for congregations, Sessions, presbyteries and synods to strengthen their relationships with each other.
  2. The church should seek to engage in "intensive discernment" in the face of difficult issues using techniques used by the Task Force itself.
  3. The General Assembly should commend for study the Theological Reflection of the report.
  4. The church should consider alternative forms of decisionmaking than the usual Robert's Rules of Order with highly divisive issues.
  5. The General Assembly should issue an Authoritative Interpretation (AI) that upholds the Book of Confessions and Book of Order as the constitutional standards for ordination and installation, while noting that ordaining bodies (Sessions for elders and deacons, Presbyteries for Ministers of Word and Sacrament) have the responsibility to apply these standards to candidates and include in its determinations:
    • "Whether the candidate...has departed from scriptural and constitutional standards for fitness for office,"
    • "Whether any departure constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of the Reformed faith and polity under...The Book of Order," and
    • "Whether the examination and...decision comply with the Constitution of the PC(USA), and whether the ordaining/installing body has conducted its examination reasonably, responsibly, prayerfully, and deliberately in deciding to ordain a candidate for church office...subject to review by higher governing bodies
  6. Should the AI pass, that the GA not approve in 2006 any other AIs or constitutional amendments relating to the issues included in the Task Force's report, and that all church members should "acknowledge their traditional biblical obligation...to conciliate, mediate, and adjust differences without strife."
  7. Related to number 6 above, that the Task Force Report should be considered as answering the questions raised by several overtures to the General Assembly that year.[3]

The Task Force Report and the AI passed the General Assembly on June 20, 2006 [4].

In November 1994, an individual PC(USA) church and Presbyterian Renewal Ministries sponsored a conference called "The Path to Freedom: Exploring healing for the Homosexual." This conference focused on both how to minister to those “struggling” with homosexuality and to teach those in the church how to support them. A few months latter, OneByOne was organized. OneByOne is an ex-gay organization whose aim is to educate the Church and minister to members in regards to sexual brokenness, of which they include homosexuality[5]. Other groups advocate the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life and work of the church, including More Light Presbyterians, dating to 1974, and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians (formed in the aftermath of the ratification of Amendment B). All three of these groups are considered advocacy groups, separate from the PC(USA) and do not speak on behalf of the denomination [6].

At the General Assembly of 2004 an overture to consider adoption of the Belhar Confession was approved. That confession was written by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in response to apartheid. Some controversy exists as to whether its principles in the American context relate to the issue of sexual orientation{cite}. The 2008 General Assembly will consider adoption. [7]

[edit] For gay celibacy or marriage

One By One booth at a Love Won Out conference
One By One booth at a Love Won Out conference

Other American Presbyterian bodies, such as the Presbyterian Church in America [8], the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church [9], and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church [10] condemn same-sex sexual behavior as incompatible with Biblical morality.

In New Zealand the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand has debated homosexuality for many years. In 1985 its General Assembly declared "Homosexual acts are sinful." The most recent decision of the Assembly in 2004 declared "this church may not accept ...anyone involved in a sexual relationship outside of faithful marriage between a man and a woman," but added the lemma, "In relation to homosexuality... this ruling shall not prejudice anyone, who as at the date of this meeting, has been accepted for training, licensed ordained of inducted."

OneByOne is an Presbyterian ex-gay organization whose mission is both to minister to the "sexually broken" and serve as a source to those trying to support them, with an emphasis on homosexuality. The idea for OneByOne started as a result of a conference held in November 1994 by a PC(USA) church and the Presbyterian Renewal Ministries entitiled "The Path to Freedom: Exploring healing for the Homosexual." In January 1995 the Presbyterian Renewal Network held a meeting to discuss what could be done, at which time they created OneByOne.[11] In July 2003, it joined with 10 other organization that serve people conflicted over unwanted homosexual attractions[12] to form a coalition called Positive Alternatives to Homosexuality.[13]

[edit] For gay relationships

The United Church of Canada, formed in 1925 with 70% of Canadian Presbyterians along with Congregationalists and Methodists, welcomes LGBT members into active membership and does not bar LGBT candidates to the ministry. It allows same-gender marriage ceremonies to be performed by its ministers and opposes repeal of the Civil Marriage Act that allows persons of the same gender to be married[14].

The Presbyterian Church of Canada has a somewhat more conservative view on the subject. A 2002 report summarized its position by noting that the church "opposes any attitude of hatred or discrimination directed at homosexual people, the Church believes its task is to lead all people to the grace and mercy of Jesus Chist, the Church has accepted the biblical norm of male and female, and the Church has called for chastity...outside the bond of marriage." It notes that "there are lesbian and gay people holding positions of responsibility in the [PCC], people of homosexual orientation are able to have all the privileges of church membership, and [that the PCC] still needs to examine the issues around ordination."[15] The PCC does not approve of same-sex marriages and has stated its position to the Canadian government. [16]

Many Presbyterians in New Zealand are active in the Association for Reconciling Christians and Congregations[17], an ecumenical group that supports the full inclusion and participation of all people in the Church, including gay and lesbian persons.

In America, More Light Presbyterians, a coalition of gay-inclusive congregations, was founded in 1980. Today the organization has 113 member churches, while many more informally endorse its mission to more fully welcome people of all sexualities into the life of the church.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/generalassembly/downloads/gareports07mandd.txt
  2. ^ PC(USA) - Presbyterian 101 - Homosexuality
  3. ^ Final Report of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church as Approved by the 217th General Assembly
  4. ^ PC(USA) - 217th General Assembly (2006) - Controversial 'authoritative interpretation' garners 57% support
  5. ^ OneByOne
  6. ^ PC(USA) - Presbyteries, Synods and Other Links of Interest - Presbyterian Publications and Advocacy Groups
  7. ^ PC(USA) - Theology and Worship - Confessional Resources
  8. ^ Presbyterian Church in America
  9. ^ Position Statements
  10. ^ Humble Petition to President Clinton
  11. ^ OneByOne: About Us
  12. ^ PATH web site Retrieved April 4, 2006
  13. ^ Diverse Coalition Forms to Support People Seeking ‘Non-Gay’ Alternatives to Unwanted Homosexuality July 9, 2003, Jersey City, Marketwire
  14. ^ United Church Urges Parliamentarians to Say No to Reopening Debate over Same-Sex Marriage | Press Releases
  15. ^ http://www.presbyterian.ca/documents/listening.pdf
  16. ^ http://www.presbyterian.ca/documents/GuidanceReSameSexMarriage.pdf
  17. ^ Association for Reconciling Christians and Congregations

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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