Spring 2008
Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick reflects on 'The Church and Homosexuality'
study guide
To all the congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Office of Theology Worship and Education of the
General Assembly Mission Council has done the whole church a great service in preparing
the study guide for study of policy statements regarding homosexuality from both
our predecessor denominations (Presbyterian Church in the United States and United
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America). I hope Presbyterians will
use this study guide to continue our discernment of God’s will about issues
of human sexuality and ordination, which are as much matters of deep concern
for our church and for people throughout our nation today as they were in the
late seventies.
The policy statements are now almost thirty years old,
but they are remarkably contemporary. In the intervening years, the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) has held countless debates and taken a wide variety of actions
(constitutional amendment, authoritative interpretations, judicial actions, and
pastoral intervention), many of which are described and lifted up in this study
guide. The denomination’s
basic policy has remained constant over all these years and actions, which is:
- That God has created and loves all people regardless of
sexual orientation or practice and, therefore, that people of all sexual orientations
or practices should be joyfully welcomed as members of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.);
- That the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a part of
its commitment to be an agent of God’s justice is called to work actively
against homophobia, against discrimination of gay and lesbian people in church
and society, and for full human and civil rights for all people regardless of
sexual orientation; and
- That God’s intention for human sexuality is
for it to find ultimate expression only in marriage between a man and a woman
and therefore, self-affirming, practicing homosexual persons are not to be invited
to be church officers.
While much debate has taken place and many attempts
have been made to amend the church’s stance, these policies have basically
been sustained since their adoption almost thirty years ago. Yet, there continues
to be much pain and anguish in the church.
This study guide reminds us of two basic positions of the PC(USA) regarding
homosexuality: that all of our churches should actively welcome into church membership
homosexual persons who seek to follow Jesus Christ, and that we should work actively
for full human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation. This
study guide is a valuable resource to congregations and governing bodies as they
seek to make these convictions come alive in their life and ministry.
The study guide also lifts up the parts of the church’s policy that
have been declared as Authoritative Interpretation. An Authoritative Interpretation
is an interpretation of the church’s Constitution made by either the General
Assembly or the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission that is binding
on all Presbyterians.
I wish you all well as you use these valuable resources
to seek to understand the teachings of our church, to discern God’s will for the PC(USA), and
to be faithful in our ministry to all God’s people.
In Christ,
Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly |
