Dear Caldwell,
Today is a day of celebration for many in the PC(USA) – and also a day of deep prayer.
With a voting margin of 75% to 25%, effective immediately, ministers in our denomination have been granted the freedom of conscience on the issue of presiding at marriages of same-gender couples. This permits gay and lesbian couples who wish to be married in a church in our denomination to do so. In addition, a proposal to redefine marriage in our church constitution as a commitment between “two people” was advanced for nationwide ratification.
It is an historic day, one millions of people have worked toward and hoped for over many years, one many LGBT friends and members have told me they never expected to see in their lifetime. For Caldwell church, where allies and LGBT people walk, worship and serve together as family, it is a day of great celebration (even though work remains to achieve marriage equality in our state). Thanks be to God.
But there is more to this day. Hundreds of churches and their thousands of members greet this news with deep sadness and disappointment. For them, important choices on whether they can stay in communion with our denomination lie ahead. Any time there is disharmony and division in the church is a moment of grave importance for those who seek unity in Christ, even as some today feel liberated.
Interestingly, this action at our General Assembly follows action yesterday that elevates the importance and hard work and ministry of reconcilliation. Specifically, the Belhar Confession, which calls all to the work of reconcilliation, was advanced to be voted on by Presbyteries nationwide for vote on whether it should be added to our Book of Confessions. In part, the Belhar Confession reads:
(Unity in the church) must become visible so that the world may believe that
separation, enmity and hatred between people and groups is sin which
Christ has already conquered, and accordingly that anything which
threatens this unity may have no place in the church and must be resisted;
The back-to-back passage of these proposals reminds us of what it means to be a part of a tradition that is “Reformed and always being Reformed” and the joy (and pain, for some) that come with that process.
On Sunday, in worship, we will take time to process, pray over and discuss these historic events. Keep our General Assembly in prayer as it continues its business tomorrow. Below is the text of both of the items relating to marriage.
To give ministers (Teaching Elders) freedom of conscience on same-gender marriage, passed 74% to 26%.
“The Presbytery of Heartland overtures the 221st General Assembly (2014) to issue the following authoritative interpretation of the Book of Order, W-4.9000:
“’Worship is a central element of the pastoral care of the people of God (W-6.3001, W-6.3010) in which a teaching elder’s discernment of the leading of the Holy Spirit is indispensable. The necessity of ensuring the exercise of freedom of conscience in the interpretation of Scripture (G-2.0105) in the planning and leadership of worship has deep roots in our Reformed tradition and theology. Because a service of marriage is one form of such worship, when a couple requests the involvement of the church in solemnizing their marriage as permitted by the laws of the civil jurisdiction in which the marriage is to take place, teaching elders* have the pastoral responsibility to assess the capabilities, intentions, and readiness of the couple to be married (W-4.9002), and the freedom of conscience in the interpretation of Scripture (G-2.0105) to participate in any such marriage they believe the Holy Spirit calls them to perform.
“‘Exercising such discretion and freedom of conscience under the prayerful guidance of Scripture, teaching elders may conduct a marriage service for any such couple in the place where the community gathers for worship, [if] [so long as it is] approved by the session; or in such other place as may be suitable for a service of Christian worship. In no case shall any teaching elder’s conscience be bound to conduct any marriage service for any couple except by his or her understanding of the Word, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The authoritative interpretation of this section by the 203rd General Assembly (1991) (Minutes, 1991, Part I, p. 395, paragraphs 21.124–128), and the subsequent authoritative interpretations of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission relying upon it, are withdrawn and replaced with this authoritative interpretation.’
Proposal to change the definition of marriage in our denomination’s constitution, passed 76-24%.
“Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the well-being of the entire human family. Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and support each other for the rest of their lives. The sacrificial love that unites the couple sustains them as faithful and responsible members of the church and the wider community.
“In civil law, marriage is a contract that recognizes the rights and obligations of the married couple in society. In the Reformed tradition, marriage is also a covenant in which God has an active part, and which the community of faith publicly witnesses and acknowledges.
“If they meet the requirements of the civil jurisdiction in which they intend to marry, a couple may request that a service of Christian marriage be conducted by a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who is authorized, though not required, to act as an agent of the civil jurisdiction in recording the marriage contract. A couple requesting a service of Christian marriage shall receive instruction from the teaching elder, who shall agree to the couple’s request only if, in the judgment of the teaching elder, the couple demonstrate sufficient understanding of the nature of the marriage covenant and commitment to living their lives together according to its values. In making this decision, the teaching elder may seek the counsel of the session, which has authority to permit or deny the use of church property for a marriage service.
“The marriage service shall be conducted in a manner appropriate to this covenant and to the forms of Reformed worship, under the direction of the teaching elder and the supervision of the session (W-1.4004–.4006). In a service of marriage, the couple marry each other by exchanging mutual promises. The teaching elder witnesses the couple’s promises and pronounces God’s blessing upon their union. The community of faith pledges to support the couple in upholding their promises; prayers may be offered for the couple, for the communities that support them, and for all who seek to live in faithfulness.
“A service of worship recognizing a civil marriage and confirming it in the community of faith may be appropriate when requested by the couple. The service will be similar to the marriage service except that the statements made shall reflect the fact that the couple is already married to one another according to the laws of the civil jurisdiction.”
“Nothing herein shall compel a teaching elder to perform nor compel a session to authorize the use of church property for a marriage service that the teaching elder or the session believes is contrary to the teaching elder’s or the session’s discernment of the Holy Spirit and their understanding of the Word of God.”