Here's the best post I've seen so far about the defeat of Amendment B (which would have permitted the ordination of non-celibate homosexual persons in the PCUSA): Where Do We Go From Here. Blogger Mark Time gives excellent words of advice to all sides.
Like Mark, I pray we could take a season off from voting on this issue before addressing it again. That seems unlikely, though.
Like Mark, I pray we could take a season off from voting on this issue before addressing it again. That seems unlikely, though.
7 comments:
Thanks for your kind words.
It's clear from the comments that not all of my readers agree.
I can't help but wonder: if Amendment B had passed, would its opponents be saying, "Let's give it a rest and live with it this way for awhile?"
(Said in a mild tone of voice.)
If it had passed, yes, I think that it is not likely the 2010 GA would pass an overture that would send a vote to overturn Amendment B and return the status quo ante.
QG,
with the current way of determining commissioners to the GA, I totally agree.
IMHO .. the only reason many presbyteries voted the way they did this time, vs the last vote was that this was a replacement of B with something that sounds like it would keep standards rather than a total deletion of the standards.
Mark,
its kinda interesting who's giving you 'what for' on that post.
Of course, those of us who believe in keeping B would like to take a break and discuss something other than sexuality.
Something along the lines of how to keep a mainline denomination from becoming totally irrelevant in the next 10 to 20 years.
Reformed Catholic,
We are totally irrelevant to the surrounding culture now.
Rick Brooks
Dallas, TX
Not to rain on anyone's "pause" parade, but there will be no rest, no respite, no year off, no peace-seeking GA. The LGBT lobby is already reloading to fire another round of agenda-rich lead into the Body. We will see overtures ranging from FOGn's recommendation that would remove the "constitutional" status of ord stds and relegate them to a "directory;" to another re-write of G6, to its out-right removal. All three are already in play. The larger question is the one posed by Rick Brooks - our only hope for "relevance" as an expression of the authentic Church of Jesus Christ is to reclaim our core theology (ie: essential tenets) and "innovate" in everything else. I would also argue that its time to "finish" the unfinished business of the Reformation. Namely, returning the ministry to the Priesthood of All Believers, stripping the clergy clique of its dominance in these debates.
Carmen Fowler
Lenoir, North Carolina
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