Presbyterians Pro-Life NEWS
Fall 2001

Amendment A asks the church to say sex outside of marriage is no longer sin

Homosexual advocate Jane Spahr calls Amendment A "the whole enchilada." She means that it gives the movement with which she is associated everything they have been seeking to accomplish in the past twenty-five years of lobbying the Church. Quite the opposite of being the peacemaking compromise promised publicly by its supporters, who say it neither permits nor forbids the ordination of those engaged in unrepentant homosexual behavior, the amendment threatens to destroy the Presbyterian Church"USA) by trumping theology with polity.

While advocates for the acceptance by the church of homosexual behavior as normal--even a gift--are those pressing the case, the amendment goes much further. All restraints against sinful sexual practices by church leaders will be eliminated.

Under this amendment's provisions, the PCUSA definitely will permit the ordination of those whose practices do not accord with the fidelity/chastity standard. The question before the church has never been whether to require the ordination of those engaged in unrepentant practices. The question always has been whether such behavior accords with our standards in such a way as to permit ordination.

Amendment A is a proposed change to G-6.0106* of the Book of Order of the constitution, which will be voted on by our 173 presbyteries before the next General Assembly meeting in June, 2002. To be adopted it needs a simple majority vote of the presbyteries. All clergy and an equal number of elder delegates are eligible to cast their votes on this matter.

The amendment involves three changes. Two of the changes will affect the Book of Order directly. The third will revise the history of consistent interpretation of the constitution by General Assemblies and church courts.

The following is the wording of the amendment on which presbyteries will vote.

The wording of Amendment A:

"1. Shall G-6.0106b be amended by adding a new sentence to the end of the paragraph to read as follows: [Text to be added is shown as italic.]
'a. To those called to exercise special functions in the church--deacons, elders, and ministers of the Word and Sacrament--God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, natural and acquired, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world. They must have the approval of Gods people and the concurring judgment of a governing body of the church. Their suitability to hold office is determined by the governing body where the examination for ordination or installation takes place, guided by scriptural and constitutional standards, under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ.'

"2. Shall G-6.0106b be stricken. [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through.]
'b. 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-4.9004), 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.'

…adopting this amendment will "change the church's position regarding the issues of sexuality and the standards of ordination."

Advisory Committee on the Constitution

The implications of the changes to our church constitution
The Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC) advised the General Assembly that adopting this amendment "would change the church's position regarding the issues of sexuality and the standards of ordination." That single line by the ACC states the import of this amendment. As a church, we will no longer state a prohibition against ordaining those in sexual relationships outside marriage, including homosexual relationships. We will remove the prohibition on the one hand and add an ambiguous "local option" provision on the other. This means that individual sessions will be free to ordain deacons and elders and individual presbyteries will be free to ordain ministers regardless of the sexual practices of the individuals ordained.

There is a third effect. The "Background and Rationale" section to the amendment includes reference to Overture 01-8, which was approved by the General Assembly. It will go into effect only if Amendment A is adopted by a majority of presbyteries. The overture would rewrite the history of the PCUSA on sexual standards for leadership by erasing all interpretations of the constitution on this question. These constitutional interpretations have consistently held that unrepentant homosexual practice is not in accord with the requirements for ordination. The new authoritative interpretation of the constitution would read:

"Interpretive statements concerning ordained service by homosexual persons by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and all subsequent denominational affirmations thereof, shall be given no further force or effect; and Section G-6.0106a of the Form of Government, together with the other prerequisites for ordination expressly stated in our Book of Order, hereby are affirmed as the sole and exclusive standards for ordination by ordaining bodies acting in prayerful discernment of the leading of Almighty God, pending the approval of the related proposed amendment." [Emphasis added by editor.]

Amendment A rewrites history
The elimination of G-6.0106b and all authoritative interpretations of the constitution on this subject will give the false impression that the church is silent on whether those engaged in any non- or extra-marital sexual relationships and are unrepentant may be ordained. Presbyterians should note that the constitutional barriers to these ordinations will have been removed explicitly for those who wish to draw on the authority of denominational standards in making ordination decisions. Church courts will no longer have either an explicit standard or any precedent for deciding ordination-related cases. History will have been rewritten. The new authoritative interpretation will declare that the sole and exclusive standard for ordination is the amended G-6.0106a, and other requirements stated in the Book of Order.

"Church courts will no longer have either an explicit standard or any precedent for deciding ordination-related cases. History will have been rewritten."

No middle way: we will all give consent to ordaining those in sinful sexual relationships
Whit Brisky, clerk of session at First Presbyterian Church of Evanston, IL, pointed out in a letter to the Presbyterian Layman, that the amendment is no "middle way" for the church. The amendment assumes, he says, that homosexual behavior is not sin. This amendment does in fact permit the ordination of those in self-affirming, unrepentant homosexual practice, by virtue of the elimination of the clear prohibition in addition to the known intent of some of our churches and presbyteries to conduct such ordinations. It is a very grave matter for the church to decide by this vote that homosexual sexual relationships are no longer sinful.

Mr. Brisky further notes the absence in the amendment of any protection for sessions and presbyteries that determine that they will not conduct such ordinations. Our form of government states explicitly that "the act of [one governing body] is the act of the whole church performed by it through the appropriate governing body." (G-9.0103) Constitutionally, when one session or presbytery ordains, that person has been ordained by (and for) the whole church.

Once the church removes G-6.0106b, and all definitive guidance and authoritative interpretation, the question will become whether any church will be able successfully to deny ordination to someone in an unrepentant homosexual--or otherwise extramarital--lifestyle. As Mr. Brisky points out, in adopting this amendment we will have decided that homosexual behavior is not sinful. Any attempt to deny ordination on that basis will be subject to appeal to a higher governing body beyond the session or presbytery.

No local option: Stated Clerk notes that every ordination decision will be subject to appeal
The Stated Clerk, in commenting on the meaning of the amendment, said "All affirmative and negative examinations before ordaining bodies may be appealed, calling for judicial review." (Polity Reflections, Note 43, July 12, 2001) It will be possible--even likely--that decisions of lower governing bodies who decline to ordain a person on the grounds of the removed standard will be reversed by higher governing bodies, specifically judicial commissions. In those cases, ordination decisions will not be made by local governing bodies after all, and the idea of "local option" becomes a farce. Mr. Brisky is correct that there is no wording in the amendment to protect true local option.

Those who are promoting this amendment as a way to peace in the church are attempting to pull the proverbial wool over our eyes. Jane Spahr is correct: this is "the whole enchilada." It is a way of saying, You have your view and I have mine. Let's compromise and do it my way. The amendment does not simply give the advantage to those who wish to ordain persons in a homosexual lifestyle. It reverses the history of the church.

*Ed. Note. G-6.0106 is identifying language unique to the Presbyterian constitution. Our church constitution is made up of two books, the Book of Confessions (Part I) and the Book of Order (Part II). Part I expresses the beliefs we hold in common as Presbyterians and Part II sets forth the requirements of our polity. The Book of Order is divided into three sections: Form of Government, where each paragraph begins with G, and is followed by a number indicating a chapter; Directory for Worship (each paragraph begins with W); and Rules of Discipline (each paragraph begins with D). Therefore, G-6.0106b refers to a specific paragraph in Chapter 6 of the Form of Government.

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