Overture 04-1. On Amending G-6.0106b Regarding Gifts and Requirements for Officers—From the Presbytery of Western New York.

The Presbytery of Western New York respectfully overtures the 216th General Assembly (2004) to direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the Book of Order, Section G-6.0106(b), to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:

Shall G-6.0106(b) be amended as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“b. 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) a covenanted relationship between two persons where a lifetime commitment is intended, or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin does not conform with this discipline shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.”

Rationale

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, preached a gospel of love toward all the people of the earth (John 3:16); and therefore all people should be equally welcomed in the church, remembering that it is in the spirit of Christ to reach out most of all to those who have been persecuted and shunned by society.

We acknowledge that passages of Scripture have led to the condemnation of sexual intimacy between two people of the same sex; yet after long and intense discussion, prayer, and study of the Scriptures as a whole, we do not believe it was, or is now, Christ’s own desire to condemn sexual intimacy between people of the same sex as inherently bad. Sexual intimacy is a gift of God intended for sealing the most committed relationships that one person can have with another.

Our Lord’s gospel of love was also accompanied by high standards of self-discipline that he set for his followers, even that we should love our enemies.

In accord with our Lord’s teachings, we believe all people should be guided by the same principles of sexual behavior regardless of sexual orientation, summarized as chastity in singleness and fidelity in a covenanted relationship before God with one other person where a lifetime commitment is intended.

We also acknowledge that there continue to be strong differences of opinion among our members and churches over these matters, and that contrary opinions may be held in good faith with the backing of historical precedent; yet we believe Christ wants us to move forward here.