Stats and Text on Change B and AIs

Bruce Hahne developed the following information:

Stats from the official tracking site pc-biz.org:

Overture 05-09 to throw out the 1970's AI and send a delete-B
with replacement language to the presbyteries passed 380 yes,
325 no, 3 abstentions.  I'll paste the whole thing in here
even though it's long.  It appears that this overture made it
through the entire process unamended.  Pretty impressive. :-)

So that's 54% yes.

Here is 05-09 as listed on pc-biz.org.  This is the one that
passed in committee with 80% (actually 79%, I think).
----------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDATION

The Presbytery of Boston respectfully overtures the 218th General
Assembly (2008) to do the following:

1.   Direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to
the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:

a.         Strike the current text of G-6.0106b and insert new text to
read as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through;
text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“b. [STRIKETHROUGH BEGINS HERE]  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-4.9001), 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. [STRIKETHROUGH
ENDS HERE]  Those who are called to ordained service in the church, by
their assent to the constitutional questions for ordination and
installation (W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to
Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow where he leads
through the witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures
through the instruction of the Confessions. In so doing, they declare
their fidelity to the standards of the Church. Each governing body
charged with examination for ordination and/or installation (G-14.0240
and G-14.0450) establishes the candidate’s sincere efforts to adhere to
these standards.

b.         Amend G-14.0240 as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with
a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“Preparation and Examination for Office

“When persons have been elected to the office of elder or deacon, the
session shall confer with them as to their willingness to undertake the
office. The session shall provide for a period of study and preparation,
after which the session shall examine the officers-elect as to their
personal faith; knowledge of the doctrine, government, and discipline
contained in the Constitution of the church; and the duties of the
office; and readiness to assent to the constitutional questions for
ordination and installation. If the examination is approved, the session
shall appoint a day for the service of ordination and installation (see
W-4.4000). If the examination is not approved for one or more elected
officers, the session shall report its action to the congregation’s
nominating committee, which shall bring nomination(s) to a meeting of
the congregation for any office(s) not filled.”

c.         Amend G-14.0450 by inserting a new paragraph “b.” and by
re-lettering current paragraphs “b.” through “d.” as “c.” through “f.”
The text shall read as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a
strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“Final Assessment of Readiness to Begin Ordained Ministry

“In the final year of theological education or when a candidate has
satisfied all of the requirements of this section, and before the
candidate has received a call, the committee on preparation for ministry
of the candidate’s presbytery shall conduct a final assessment of the
candidate’s readiness to begin ordained ministry. A summary of this
assessment shall be reported to the presbytery and shall be transmitted
to a calling presbytery when requested. The committee on preparation for
ministry shall report to the presbytery when it has certified a
candidate ready for examination for ordination, pending a call. This
consultation shall focus on the outcomes of inquiry and candidacy and
shall include each of the following requirements of certification:

“a. demonstration of readiness to begin ministry of the Word and
Sacrament as required to fulfill the candidacy phase of preparation;

“b. demonstration of readiness to assent to the constitutional questions
for ordination and installation;

“b. c.          presentation of a transcript showing satisfactory grades
at a regionally accredited college or university, together with a diploma;

“c. d.          presentation of a transcript from a theological
institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools
acceptable to the presbytery, the transcript showing satisfactory
grades, and presentation of a plan to complete the theological degree
including Hebrew and Greek and exegesis of the Old and New Testaments
using Hebrew and Greek texts;

“d. e.          presentation of satisfactory grades together with the
examination papers in the five areas covered by the Presbyteries’
Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates.”

2.   Provide the following authoritative interpretation:

Interpretive statements concerning ordained service of homosexual church
members 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 affirmations thereof, have no further force or effect.
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Overture 05-12 to overturn the recent PJC Bush (not that Bush)
decision passed as amended by committee, 375 yes, 325 no, 4 abstain.
This is the "reaffirm and allow local option for scrupling" overture,
though its supporters might deny that this gives local option.

Again this is 54% yes, probably the same 54%. :-)

The text is:
------------------------------
Final Text:

That the 218th General Assembly (2008) to approve the following
authoritative interpretation of G-6.0108 of the Book of Order:

“[The 218th General Assembly (2008) affirms the authoritative
interpretation of G-6.0108 approved by the 217th General Assembly
(2006). Further, the 218th General Assembly (2008), pursuant to
G-13.0112, interprets]the requirements of G-6.0108 [to] apply equally to
all ordination standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Section
G-6.0108 requires examining bodies to give prayerful and careful
consideration, on an individual, case-by-case basis, to any departure
from an ordination standard in matters of belief or practice that a
candidate may declare during examination. However, the examining body is
not required to accept a departure from standards, and cannot excuse a
candidate’s inability to perform the constitutional functions unique to
his or her office (such as administration of the sacraments).”