Evangelical presbyterian church gay marriage
Decades-Old Disputes Over LGBTQ Clergy Arrive Turning Point for PCUSA
What next for U.S. ‘mainline’ Presbyterians?
(ANALYSIS) The Presbyterian Church (USA) is nearing the latest turning point in its half-century battle over biblical sexuality—namely, LGBTQ clergy and marriage—that could give liberals powerful new leverage against traditionalists, if they choose to work out it. The coming clash would pit the liberals’ anti-discrimination principles against the evangelical minority&#;s liberty of conscience claims.
Last year’s General Assembly handily passed two significant sexuality changes to the constitution’s Book of Order that also need endorsement by 84 of the regional bodies known as “presbyteries.” Amendment A adds “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the categories of members guaranteed “full participation and representation” in church “governance,” alongside race, sex, age, disability, geography and “theological conviction.”
This law has already been ratified due to support from 91% of the presbyteries that have voted, according to the tabulation by the C
Strands of Thought
Though this is not a surprise at all, it now becomes official: Presbyterians vote to allow lgbtq+ marriage by whopping ratio. “The Presbyterian Church (USA) voted Thursday (June 19) to allow lgbtq+ and lesbian weddings within the church, making it among the largest Christian denominations to get an embracing step toward same-sex marriage.”
The General Assembly of the PCUSA ( million members) approved by a percent vote to permit pastors to carry out same-sex “marriages” in states where they are legal. This required another alter regarding the biblical meaning of marriage so they edited their Book of Order, that which governs the behavior of their pastors, so that the reference to “a man and woman” now reads “two persons.”
This will not become “church law” until a majority of the regional presbyteries vote to affirm the novel language, but given that the vote was it will likely be approved.
Lauren Markoe, writing in the Religion News Service, notes that this decision is reflective of the broader culture, but it also reflects accommodation to the culture, a alter most Ev
Due to the most recent pronouncement of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to redefine marriage, we in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church reaffirm our position on Christian marriage. We hold to the biblical standard of marriage, which is that it is a formal and sacred covenant between one man and one girl for life.
Further, to clarify our relationship among the diverse Presbyterian denominations, the EPC is a completely independent, separate, and unrelated denomination from the PC(USA) and shares no common identity, missions, or holdings.
Our unquestionable commitment to this biblical definition of marriage is undergirded by our doctrine that God ordained marriage for a number of purposes. These include His glory; intimate human companionship and mutual assistance; bearing, nurturing, and training of children; promoting societal stability; and affirming the proper context for human sexuality.
The EPC is firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition and orthodox theology. We assume the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the infallible Word of God, the final authority on all is
Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Presbyterian Church (USA)
BACKGROUND
With its roots in the 16th century teachings of John Calvin, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) boasts million members who participate in more than 10, congregations across the country. The largest Presbyterian organization in the territory, the denomination was formed in when the southern-based Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS) joined the northern-based United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA) to form a free entity. The Presbyterian Church (USA) remains distinct from the Presbyterian Church in America, which tends toward less inclusive policies.
The Presbyterian name derives from the Greek word for “elders” – lay leaders who govern the church and are chosen by its congregants. According to the denomination’s web site, elders work closely with clergy to, “exercise leadership, government, and discipline and own responsibilities for the being of a particular church as well as the church at large.” Elders serve at every level of leadership from “sessions,” which govern a free church, to “presb