couples, in violation of scripture and Christian morality.
One supporter of this year's version was Alan Wisdom, an elder at Georgetown Presbyterian Church in Washington DC, who was a leading critic last year. Wisdom, a representative of a Presbyterian "think tank" related to the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington, was the author of the affirmations and recommendations section of the new version.
"I appreciate the discussion of searching for new patterns of mutuality in marriage," he said during the hearing. ".I like the parts that talk about moving beyond the ties of blood and marriage, by talking about adoption and other kinds of families that can demonstrate and nurture."
Not so happy was Donna Riley, a co-moderator of More Light Presbyterians, an organization that favors the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the life of the church.
"Last year I spoke against the report . because it excluded the families in our community," she said. ". This year I despair in this report because it twists the knife in the wounds of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in our church. If what the church is going to say to our community is a condescending, condemning, and ultimately irrelevant to our community as the language that's in this report, it would be better to say nothing."
The committee considered an overture that sought an endorsement of
"A Christian Declaration of Marriage," but approved a substitute motion calling the PC(USA) to a year of prayer for marriage, renewal and reconciliation. |
