Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) commissioners voted overwhelmingly on July 1st to amend church rules and declare those who profess a homosexual identity unfit for ordination.
The 48th PCA General Assembly discussed problems facing congregations today. The General Assembly for the conservative Christian denomination took place in St. Louis, Missouri from June 29 to July 2.
The most noteworthy item on the agenda was Overture 23, proposed by Gulf Coast Presbytery. The initial overture suggested an amendment to the Book of Church Order which bars “men who self-identify as a ‘gay Christian,’ ‘same-sex attracted Christian,’ ‘homosexual Christian,’ or like term” from ordination. It was amended further for clarification and compromise after which it was adopted on a vote of 1438-417.
A minority of Overtures Committee commissioners were unhappy with the initial language so they decided to begin drafting a minority report to be presented before the General Assembly. However, the minority ended up coming to an agreement with the rest of the committee.
“This has been a hot topic within our denomination, so it will not surprise you to hear that we spent more time on this overture than any other overture … as the minority report was being developed, guys continued to talk, and more than that they continued to listen to one another,” Committee Chair Scott Barber said in defense of the decision. Following the dialogue, support for the overture grew from 60 percent to 90 percent, and the minority report was withdrawn.
The committee agreed to modify the overture from the original language. The altered proposal stated that “Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America must be above reproach in their walk and Christlike in their character. Those who profess an identity (such as, but not limited to, “gay Christian,” “same sex attracted Christian,” “homosexual Christian,” or like terms) that undermines or contradicts their identity as new creations in Christ, either by denying the sinfulness of fallen desires (such as, but not limited to, same sex attraction), or by denying the reality and hope of progressive sanctification, or by failing to pursue Spirit-empowered victory over their sinful temptations, inclinations, and actions are not qualified for ordained office.”
Some General Assembly commissioners expressed confusion about the language and its implications. Because of this confusion, the chair clarified the committee’s intention. Barber defended their final decision saying that the amendment clarifies that, “a man is not deemed unfit for office by a mere profession of same-sex attraction, he would be unfit if he made same-sex attraction his identity.”
The chair explained how the new language maintained the prohibition against homosexual practice and homosexual identity but still allowed those who struggle with same-sex attraction to be ordained. Those who make their homosexual attractions their identity are not eligible; those who struggle with same-sex attraction are still eligible.
Even with agreement among committee commissioners, the amended proposal was not without controversy among the General Assembly. One speaker against the motion said that when growing up in a conservative Christian church his same-sex attraction was repressed and “the church [that] was the place that was supposed to provide grace and hope was not a safe place to share [his] struggles because [he] might not say the right words.” and that “[he] pray[s] we do not become a denomination like this.”
A majority disagreed with the overture’s opponents and enacted the proposition because they thought it was consistent with historic, biblical, Christianity.
“I speak in favor because I think this overture is most consistent with the Gospel, and because it is consistent with the Gospel, it is by definition compassionate,” Southeast Alabama Presbytery Commissioner Bart Harmon argued.
The amended overture now goes to local presbyteries for consideration. If a two-thirds majority ratifies the legislation and a successive General Assembly again votes to enact it, it will be added to the book of Church Order at the General Assembly next year.
The full video of the discussion and voting can be accessed on Vimeo here.
Comment by Mike on July 7, 2021 at 12:11 pm
“Barber defended their final decision saying that the amendment clarifies that, “a man is not deemed unfit for office by a mere profession of same-sex attraction, he would be unfit if he made same-sex attraction his identity.” ”
“Those who make their homosexual attractions their identity are not eligible; those who struggle with same-sex attraction are still eligible.”
Good. It’s about time that a denomination stood up for Biblical principles.
Comment by David on July 7, 2021 at 12:42 pm
Churches are essentially private clubs that can set their own rules for membership and participation. Let us not forget that “biblical principles” include polygamy, concubinage, slavery, hereditary guilt, and genocide. Of course, people like to pick and choose those parts to observe and which to ignore.
Comment by Palamas on July 7, 2021 at 1:35 pm
Yes, David, we get it. You’re the village atheist who has no more of an idea how to read Scripture and understand it than you do quantum mechanics. You’ve amply proven that point time after time.
Comment by David on July 7, 2021 at 2:42 pm
Ah, the Bible does not really mean what it says. This sort of destroys its credibility and authority.
Comment by Kathleen Miller on July 7, 2021 at 5:33 pm
While I haven’t been to church in decades, I grew up in the PCA and my father was a PCA minister. I don’t understand why the PCA would allow someone who is struggling with same-sex attraction to be ordained. If someone is confused about such an important aspect in their own life, how can they effectively lead others? I hope this isn’t a first step in accepting what the rest of the country sees as normal.
Comment by Mike on July 7, 2021 at 5:41 pm
David, just because something was practiced in the Old Testament, does not mean that it was carried through to the New Testament, much less is valid for today. It also does not mean that people can “pick and choose those parts to observe and which to ignore”. To make Old Testament principles and teachings obligatory for today ignores the fact that they are “Old” requirements, which have been superceded by the “New” principles and teachings given by Jesus and the Apostles. Also, many of the Old Testament laws were valid for the nation of Israel only.
Comment by Diane on July 8, 2021 at 12:02 am
Same old, same old. They of course will ordain gay pastors – all churches do. I grew up in a church that would never ordain a gay pastor. My minister was married to a woman, had two kids (I dated one of them for a year) and was a closeted gay man. Because I was dating the pastor’s son, I knew that which the congregation didn’t. In-the-closet gay pastor waited till his wife was asleep before going to bed. They both put on the face of a straight couple to outsiders. At home, it was a loveless marriage. There’s no shortage of gay, married (to someone of the opposite sex) women and men. I went to a gay pride event in 1990…there was a popular club with a full display. It was called “Gay Married Men”.
The way for gay folks to get around such rules is to be ordained as a closeted manor woman..or live honestly and go elsewhere. I’d rather worship where honesty is valued. Deception is so destructive. .
Comment by Douglas Ehrhardt on July 8, 2021 at 6:55 am
The act of sodomy is very destructive . The book The Health Hazards of Homosexuality documents the many diseases that result from unnatural sex. Having spent years working in the addiction treatment industry I have seen many results from the lifestyle. It’s not that difficult to get information on the many negative consequences of the results of deadly behaviors. Chech out the CDC stats on STDs.
Comment by Loren J Golden on July 8, 2021 at 10:40 pm
“Let us not forget that ‘biblical principles’ include polygamy, concubinage, slavery, hereditary guilt, and genocide.”
No, they do not. When you read these things in the Old Testament Law, you need to be careful to read them in context, and not assume that the Lord holds them as moral commandments He expects Christians to observe today.
In Deuteronomy 20, the Lord set forth regulations for how Ancient Israel, as His holy, chosen people, were to conduct warfare. In these regulations, He expressly forbade genocide:
“When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. And when the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword, but the women and the little ones, the livestock, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as plunder for yourselves. And you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the Lord your God has given you. Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here.” (vv. 10-15)
Thus circumscribed, the Lord gave the Israelites only two very limited exceptions: the peoples inhabiting the land He had promised their forefathers to give them, whom He was judging for the wickedness they had committed, which had polluted the land (Lev. 18); and the Amalekites, who had unprovokedly attacked the Israelites on their journey through the desert from the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai, “when (the Israelites) were faint and weary, and cute off (their) tail, those who were lagging behind.” (Dt. 25.17-19, Ex. 17.8-16, I Sam. 15)
With respect to the Canaanites, the Lord said, “But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded, that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God.” (Dt. 20.16-18)
With respect to polygamy and concubinage, the Biblical principle was nonetheless monogamy. After all, God had created only one wife for Adam (Gen. 2.21-25), the Israelite kings were forbidden from “acquiring many wives for himself” (Dt. 17.17), and among the requirements for officers in the Church is that they be “the husband of one wife” (I Tim. 3.2,12, Tit. 1.6). While polygamy and concubinage, like divorce, were allowed under the Old Testament Law, they were regulated under the Law, with some of the more egregious forms proscribed, and they were permitted only because of the hardness of the Israelites’ hearts (Mt. 19.7-9). Likewise with slavery (see my blog post on the subject, which can be accessed by clicking on my name, above).
With respect to “hereditary guilt,” you doubtless refer to the Lord’s statement, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Ex. 34.6-7). However, when the Israelites complained, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” the Lord answered, “This proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. … The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezek. 18.2-4,20). Very often, children commit the same sins as their parents, and the same judgment God lays down on the father for his sin is the same that He lays down on the son for the same sin.
Comment by E C on July 9, 2021 at 4:59 pm
“A man is not deemed unfit for office by a mere profession of same-sex attraction, he would be unfit if he made same-sex attraction his identity.” Now, there is an exercise in hairsplitting!
Comment by Diane on July 9, 2021 at 6:52 pm
Great point, E C
Comment by Loren Golden on July 9, 2021 at 7:59 pm
Not at all, E C.
By “a mere profession of same-sex attraction” is meant that a man is susceptible to temptation to the sin of homosexuality. It is not sin to be tempted; after all, the Lord Jesus Himself was tempted, just as we are, and yet He never succumbed to temptation to sin (Heb. 2.17).
Conversely, to “make same-sex attraction (one’s) identity” is to find one’s very identity in something that causes one to sin—in something that the Lord Jesus commands us to rid ourselves of, lest our sin lead to our eternal destruction (Mt. 5.27-30).
Thus, to distinguish between the two is hardly “an exercise in hairsplitting.”
Comment by Steve on July 10, 2021 at 9:17 am
Diane’s seems to say: because some people get away with lying about their qualifications in order to enter a profession, honesty demands we should get rid of all job requirements. I doubt she’d want an doctor, lawyer, home improvement guy, etc. that lies about their qualifications.
Comment by Mike on July 10, 2021 at 5:21 pm
You can depend on Diane to make it all about herself and her experiences instead of about God and His directions. I have known many dozens of pastors in my lifetime (now in my seventh decade) and have yet to actually run into a situation like this.
Comment by George on July 10, 2021 at 8:50 pm
I can only imagine how difficult it is for church leaders to try and find common ground and still hold strong to their convictions. I have my on convictions yet I struggle too.
I hope God in heaven grades on a curve and that it’s less important of how we worship on Sunday than how we treat one and other on Monday. And by the way David, if you were just half as smart as you think you are, you might bring something useful to the conversation.
Comment by Loren J Golden on July 11, 2021 at 1:32 pm
“I hope God in heaven grades on a curve and that it’s less important of how we worship on Sunday than how we treat one and other on Monday.”
I’m sorry, George, but it’s not quite as simple as that. We are saved by the grace of God alone through faith alone in the person and work of Christ alone, and not by the works of the law (Rom. 3.28, Gal. 2.16, Eph. 2.8-9). And that faith must have a sure and certain knowledge of Him. After all, the Lord Jesus said in His high priestly prayer, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the eternal God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (Jn. 17.3)
Further, the priority of the love of God before the love of one’s neighbor is established in the order of the two greatest commandments: “And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.'” (Mk. 12.28-31). Indeed, you cannot love your neighbor as yourself, unless you love the Lord God with every fiber of your being. And while it is not necessary to have every detail of the knowledge of God down perfectly in order to love Him, our knowledge of Him as to His character and purposes must be certain and true, if our faith in and love for Him is to be genuine. Otherwise, we are putting our faith in an idol, and our faith and works are in vain.
Comment by Tom on July 11, 2021 at 4:05 pm
Loren J. Golden, you are on a roll!
I had come here intending to say a lot of the same things you said; but you said them earlier and better than I could. Well done!
Comment by George on July 11, 2021 at 9:03 pm
Your right Loren, it is absolutely the grace of the Lord that saves us all. You can’t work your way or buy your way to salvation. I was just emphasizing that even with your faith and knowledge of Bible verses, don’t sit on your hands tomorrow.. The Church is going through challenging times and we must all do our best to uphold Christ’s teachings. I don’t agree with the new liberal theology that many churches profess but I refuse to condemn anyone because I I will be judged as I judge others. The “curve” relates to those who don’t measure up to what our standards are. God’s standards are his alone. We try.
We all fall short. I know I do. Tomorrow is Monday. Let’s love our neighbor tomorrow as if it’s our last chance to do so. Peace to you.
Comment by Diane on July 12, 2021 at 10:50 pm
In this small town, First UMC has had 3 closeted gay clergy…they identified as gay within their circle of friends outside the church. The senior pastor (closeted gay man) annually invited an award winning gospel music group to sing…he was friend to the group (all of the gospel musicians were closeted gay men). The Disciples of Christ congregation on the same block had two closeted gay clergy. Down the interstate, there was a small town where the Presbyterian minister, the Disciples of Christ minister and the Catholic priest were all closeted gay men. A denomination may say it won’t ordain those who claim a gay identity, but anyone who’s part of the lgbtq and allies community knows that just means they won’t ordain anyone with an “openly gay identity”. These churches simply subscribe to don’t ask, don’t tell. Get real. Saying “we won’t ordain someone with a gay identity” doesn’t make it so.
Comment by Steve on July 13, 2021 at 8:47 am
Diane:
You have not established that there is any such policy in any of those churches. You have chosen to make a blanket assumption about the policies of denominations based on a few anecdotal stories rumor and gossip. Surely you have heard about “gay mafia” in denominations. Lying gay clergy seek out network with and ordain other lying gay clergy. There’s some corrruption in pretty much any organization. Keep palling around with corrupt people and pretending everybody is like that, you end up corrupt yourself. The corrupt have all kinds of rationales to excuse their descent, “everybody does it” being a big one.
Comment by George on July 13, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Is gossip one of the seven deadly sins ? If not, it ought to be.
Comment by Diane on July 13, 2021 at 3:55 pm
The gay mafia? Haven’t heard of it. Gossip? None of what I’ve shared is hearsay. My gay (closeted) clergy friends are senior adults, ordained in mainline denominations that had or still have prohibitions against ordination of gay people. All were raised in churches that passionately preached all are welcome.,…only later in our youth or young adult years did we learn there was an “exception” to the church’s welcome. Thankfully, nothing can separate us from the love of God…
Comment by Steve on July 14, 2021 at 7:58 am
Diane:
I don’t know how a person can say “nothing can separate us from the love of God” and also believe in judgment day. You’re reminding me of the Randy Newman song, “He Sends Us All His Love”. As the song suggests, the God you posit is pointless/useless. That’s probably the kind of God you want, a God that will excuse everything you do, however bad. Of course, such a God would never temper his love for Hitler either. I think you’re basically an atheist, and don’t care if your professed theology is nonsensical, just as long as it excuses what you want to do.
Comment by td on July 16, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Diane, if all of these men are “closeted” practicing homosexuals, how do you know they are practicing homosexuals? Doesn’t “closeted” imply that other people don’t know?
Comment by E C on July 16, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Loren-What does the world call someone attracted to the same sex? They call them a homosexual–it has nothing to do with whether or not they have acted on those desires sexually. The fact that someone is devoted to following Christ but also retaining the description that the world gives them should not negatively reflect on their candidacy for becoming a pastor
Comment by Palamas on July 16, 2021 at 3:12 pm
To hear Diane tell it, at least half of all Christian clergy are gay, and the other half are repressed. Sounds like she needs to get out more, and occasionally interact with straight people. She might find there are more than she thinks.
Comment by E C on July 16, 2021 at 3:14 pm
Loren-What does the world call someone attracted to the same sex? They call them a homosexual–it has nothing to do with whether or not they have acted on those desires sexually. The fact that someone is devoted to following Christ but also retaining the description that the world gives them should not negatively reflect on their candidacy for becoming a pastor.
Comment by Loren J Golden on July 16, 2021 at 11:47 pm
E C, why should the Church heed the definitions of the world? We Christians are called to not be conformed to the world’s ways of thinking (Rom. 12.2); the wisdom of the world is foolishness in the sight of God, the world in its wisdom does not know God (I Cor. 1.20-21); friendship with the world is enmity with God (Jas. 4.4); if one loves the world, the love of God the Father is not in him; the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride in possessions are from the world and not from God; and the world with its desires are passing away, whereas those who do God’s will will abide forever (I Jn. 2.15-17). So why should we consider the world’s definitions in our thinking?
Why, then, do men and women engage in homosexuality? Because they desire to (Jas. 1.14-15). And where do these desires come from? They come from the human heart (Mt. 15.18-20), which is steeped in sin (Gen. 6.5, 8.21, Jer. 17.9-10, Rom. 3.9-18,23). Thus, homosexuality is sin (Gen. 19.4-9, Lev. 18.22, 20.13, Dt. 23.17-18, I Kg. 14.24, 15.12, 22.46, II Kg. 23.7, Rom. 1.24-28, I Cor. 6.9-11, I Tim. 1.8-11, Jude 7), regardless of whether the desires to do it are acted upon or not.
Sometimes sinful desires come upon us unexpectedly and unwantedly. But very often, before we sin we harbor sinful desires, and this harboring of sinful desires is itself sin. After all, coveting one’s neighbor’s belongings, which is forbidden by the 10th Commandment (Ex. 20.17, Dt. 5.21), is by nature the harboring of sinful desires. So, for that matter, is looking pornography (Mt. 5.27-30). Thus, the Apostle Paul commands us to “put to death…what is earthly in (us)” (Col. 3.5), “and to make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Rom. 13.14)
All of us, every last man, woman, and child who has ever lived (excepting the Lord Jesus Christ alone; Is. 53.9, II Cor. 5.21, Heb. 4.15, I Pet. 2.22, I Jn. 3.5), is prone to sin, from conception to the grave. No one is prone to every sin, but many are prone to the temptation to sexual immorality in its various forms, and many of these are prone to the sins of homosexuality and gender dysphoria. As the Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration and authority of God the Holy Spirit, said, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.” This includes the temptation to homosexuality and gender dysphoria. “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (I Cor. 10.13). That “way of escape” is the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit, but He has the expectation that the one who will partake of this “way of escape” is walking in regular communion with Him through the ordinary means of grace, that is, regular Bible study, prayer, and worship and fellowship with the body of believers in a local Christian church. That one finds oneself succumbing to temptation to sexual immorality, despite having prayed for deliverance from said temptation, is a fair indication that one’s walk with the Lord is not what it should be.
When it comes to pastors and other ordained leaders in Christ’s Church, it should not be wondered at that some of them suffer from temptation to homosexuality or gender dysphoria. “The way of escape” is not exemption from temptation to sin. Salvation from the presence of sin will not occur until we are with the Lord in glory. The bare fact that they recognize and confess their susceptibility to one or both of these sins should not thereby be cause for excluding them from serving as officers in Christ’s Church. However, if they find themselves succumbing to temptation to these indwelling sins, or worse, finding their identity in one or both of these sins, this is a sign that their walk with the Lord is impaired, if not non-existent. Such men are not “above reproach,” one of the most basic requirements for office in Christ’s Church (I Tim. 3.2, Tit. 1.6), and therefore not fit to lead His people.
Comment by Rob on July 21, 2021 at 3:30 am
So very convenient once again who seem convinced somehow of their own righteousness versus Jesus’ declarations. Orthodoxy is wonderful but too often prejudice and judgment over what they do no understand and have now answer to is called “righteous”. God is the judge.