Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) passed a measure lifting the decade long ban on ordaining openly LGBT clergy. The ordination changes now go through a Presbytery wide ratification process. Hours after the ordination vote, commissioners postponed the discussion on marriage. Michael Adee and others provide some key perspectives about the General Assembly in a July 15 article in The Bay Area Reporter.

In striking down the celibacy requirement, the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted "one standard for all," said Michael Adee, executive director of More Light Presbyterians (http://www.mlp.org), an LGBT advocacy organization. "Instead of looking at one's marital status or sexual orientation or gender identity, it's about a person's life, faith, and character," he said.

Previously, candidates for ordination as ministers, deacons, and elders were held to a "fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness clause," which in effect, Adee said, "mandated compulsive heterosexuality or the imposition of celibacy or chastity, depending on how one reads the text."

Under the new overture, the wording of "joyful submission to worship of Christ" replaces the language of "fidelity" and "chastity."

Oklahoma native Heather Grantham, a seminarian at the Marin County-based San Francisco Theological Seminary, considers the new ordination standard "a better and higher standard," she said, adding, "It's a step forward on all fronts, whether gay or straight."

Now, "it's not all about sex," said Grantham, who attended General Assembly in two capacities, young adult and theological student advisory delegate. She also serves as family ministry director for the Noe Valley Ministry Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, which is a More Light welcoming and affirming congregation.

On the marriage vote:

Still, other LGBT advocates rejoiced over the Presbyterian embrace of ordination equality.

"Certainly the vote on ordination, and even getting the marriage vote out of committee, was a huge step forward," said More Light's Adee. "This says to LGBT people of faith within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in other faith traditions that you are morally and spiritually equal, which is a life-giving and life-saving blessing."

For Adee, the assembly's action sends a "clear message," he said, the denomination recognizes that "all children of as created in the image of God" and all Presbyterians are "welcomed and affirmed within our tradition."

Adee also said the move to fuller inclusion "encourages us to live out our baptismal vows" to "support and nurture in faith this child into adulthood." In other words, "there are no conditions," he explained. "We don't say when a 15-year-old says he's gay that we are going to withhold those promises."

 See Also:

"Ordination" label at MLP's 219th General Assembly Blog
"Marriage" label at MLP's 219th General Assembly Blog
"Legislative Summary" label at MLP's 219th General Assembly Blog

 Photo: The Plenary right before the ordination votes