The Presbyterian Church in America Moves Forward

The 2024 (51^st) General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America was held June 10-14 in Richmond, Virginia. Both the overtures (requests from lower governing bodies in the PCA for action by the General Assembly) that were submitted and reports from those who attended the GA indicate that a strong and common desire to reaffirm and protect church life consistent with orthodoxy. This was evident even in some overtures that did not pass the assembly.

The Same-Sex Attraction Controversy

Recent PCA General Assemblies grappled with the contentious issue of “Side B homosexuality” (self-identification as being same sex attracted yet celibate). In particular, the issue concerned whether such men were eligible for the spiritual offices in the Presbyterian polity ((ruling and teaching) elder and deacon). Overtures in 2021 and 2022 which would have added to the Book of Common Order amendments disqualifying men identifying as same-sex attracted for these offices were passed by substantial majorities in their respective General Assemblies, only to fail to achieve approval by the needed two-thirds majority of presbyteries. These included Overtures 23 and 37 in 2021 and Overture 15 in 2022.

However, Overture 23, passed by the 2023 GA was approved by the presbyteries in the 2023-2024 interim between General Assemblies (by a margin of 76-2). It requires men in the offices of elder or deacon to adhere to “chastity and sexual purity” in their “descriptions” of themselves, and in their “convictions, character, and conduct.” In the Side B homosexuality controversy, “chastity” was not really presented as an issue, as it was held that Side B involves physical chastity. The question was sexual inclination, and the organization of one’s life based on same-sex attraction, and even the celebration of such a life. Thus it involves organizing one’s life around a sinful orientation.

Commentary on a failed overture (Overture 15 from 2022) indicated that it was the assertion of same-sex attraction as legitimate which was causing controversy and prompting overtures. Other articles written in the early 2020’s essentially said the same thing.

In the 2023 GA’s Overture 23, the term “sexual purity” seems to be a substitute term to exclude from ordination men earlier overtures referred to as “same sex attracted,” “homosexual,” or “gay Christian.” This change appears to have been sufficient to gain overwhelming approval by the presbyteries. Similar overtures advanced at the 2023 assembly (some of which did specifically refer to homosexuality) indicated that despite the failure of the 2021 and 2022 overtures to pass the presbyteries, the issue was not going away. Overture 23 received its final approval by a standing vote at this year’s assembly and is now part of the Book of Common Order.

Thus, the notable difference between the overtures that failed to gain two-thirds majority approval of the presbyteries and the successful 2023 Overture 23 approved this year is the absence of any explicit use of the terms “same-sex attracted,” “gay Christian,” “homosexual,” etc. It would seem that the sticking point was an apparent desire on the part of many not to exclude men who might experience same-sex temptation, but do not hold homosexuality as their identity, do not propose to organize life around it, and perhaps ultimately demand celebration and accommodation as a “gay Christian.”  

Other Issues Concerning Sexual Relations

The PCA ordains only men to the offices of elder and deacon, but some churches have evaded this by giving the title of “pastor” (or elder or deacon) to unordained persons. This appears to be similar to the current controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention over female clergy. Although the governing Baptist Faith and Message states that the office of pastor is reserved for men, and several authors of the recent (year 2000) version of document declared they meant all pastors, advocates of female clergy maintain the rule applies only to senior pastors.  

Overture 26 from the 2023 PCA GA provides that only persons ordained to the offices of elder and deacon may hold the title of the office to which they were ordained. It was ratified by the needed two thirds majority of presbyteries over the past year. Final approval by the assembly of an overture approved by presbyteries is usual, but reportedly this overture received the greatest debate at this year’s assembly. Korean PCA members objected that in Korean culture one addresses an older man as “elder,” and all Christians are addresses as “deacon” (which means servant) to emphasize that all Christians are Christ’s servants. Another objection some voiced was that their churches commonly train and commission female deacons, without ordaining them.  However, Overture 26 did receive final approval by the GA, also making it part of the PCA’s BCO.  

Other issues before the assembly were not necessarily dealing with sexual issues, but the possibility of sex abuse was surely a large part of the concern. In the first, Overture 17 from 2024 (originally offered as an amendment to the BCO), the GA voted instead as a simple resolution recommending background checks as policy for all churches and presbyteries. No requirement was established, as this was thought inadvisable in view of different legal requirements in different secular jurisdictions. On a second, the assembly approved an overture (Overture 26 (in this year’s sequence)) making any communicant member eligible to serve as counsel to an accused person in a church trial (this is already true in cases handled at the level of the General Assembly). On a third, an overture from 2023, (Overture 27) which was approved by the presbyteries, received final approval. This overture requires any confessions to be reviewed by the offended party. They may then provide their own comments about the confession before the approval of the final version of the confession by the confessor and the church court. 

A last item in the area of sexuality, an overture (Overture 13) petitioning the U.S. government  to protect “the lives and welfare” of minor children by refraining from the sexual destruction of “gender reassignment” (adoption of clothes, names, and pronouns of the opposite sex, administration of puberty blocking drugs, opposite-sex hormones, and surgery) easily past the General Assembly. It “humbly” petitions the government “to protect the lives and welfare of minor children from the physical, mental, and emotional harms associated with medical and surgical interventions for the purpose of gender reassignment.”

Other Action

Another overture to allow atheists or persons who do not believe in a future state of rewards and punishments to testify in church courts (2024 Overture 1) was defeated. Currently such persons are not eligible to testify. It is often emphasized in the Presbyterian system that the purpose of church discipline is not primarily to achieve justice, but the reclamation of sinners. State courts exist to achieve justice. In actual cases (which may well be sexual abuse cases), if an atheist doctor, psychologist, police officer, etc. needs to testify, his comments and advice can be obtained outside the court and included as thought advisable in the testimony of an eligible witness.

Finally, the assembly dealt with the controversial book “Jesus Calling.” In this book, the late PCA missionary Sarah Young presents her meditation as the words of Jesus. This, it is felt, violates the principle of Sola Scriptura, which holds that all divine revelation is to be found in the Bible. Overture 33 presented to this year’s GA was unusual in that it came from a single individual, but the notoriety of the book likely contributed to its consideration. Ultimately, an amended version was passed which directed two committees connected with the book (Discipleship and Mission to the World) to report on their involvement with the book, advice given to the author, the book’s appropriateness for Christians and the PCA in particular, and recommend possible actions that the General Assembly should take in connection with the book.

Outlook

No one can look into the future and know what it holds. During a period of conflict in a denomination it may be felt imperative to address the presenting issue, and indeed it may be. The future may indeed depend on how the issue is resolved. But resolving a problem does not guarantee peace and flourishing in the future. For the PCA, a crucial issue in the past decade has been the issue of self-identifying celibate homosexuals (although there have been other issues, such as what should be the ministry of women in the church). The recent General Assembly’s actions indicate that recently contentious issues have been resolved in favor of Biblical belief and practice. The church now has a good self-understanding. If doctrinal and moral commitments are strong in times of peace and growth, a church has the vitality it needs to meet any challenges, internal or external, in the future.