We Are One: Legislative Affirmations

 Download Legislative Affirmations (pdf)

Meeting in February, 2012, the Board of More Light Presbyterians unanimously passed the following statement which undergirds our work at the 220th General Assembly this Summer.

 We Are One

More Light Presbyterians are grateful to be in the Presbyterian Church (USA)

as together we live into the ordination standards of G-2.0104.

We look forward to working on the many important issues coming before the 220th GA
and we fully support all movement toward

marriage equality in the Church.

We stand opposed to schismatic attempts to reinstate the previous aberrant ordination
standards in any form.

We are grieved by the recent efforts to undermine our community and weaken the
covenant that binds us as a Church.

We pray for the unity of our Church, and in particular

for faithful members who find themselves in conflicted congregations.

We say with Paul:

There is one body and one Spirit, 

just as we were called to the one hope of our calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians. 4:4-5)

*****

The More Light Presbyterians GA220 web site: (http://ga220.blogspot.com/) is the entry point for a well organized overview of our areas of interest, along with links to the General Assembly web site pc-biz. Full texts of overtures may be found, along with overtures sorted by category.   

Overtures are numbered by committee assignment and in the order they were received. Committees that will be acting on the overtures of our concern are:

05 - Mid Councils Review; Larry Haward, Mod.; Ariel Mink, V. Mod.
06 - Church Polity; Emily Anderson, Mod.; Eunkiung Hahm, V. Mod
07 - Church Orders and Ministry; Charles Collier, Mod.; Martha McDonald, V. Mod.
08 - Authoritative Interpretation Review; Barbara Ross, Mod.; Larry DeLong, V. Mod.
13 - Civil Union and Marriage Issues; Aimee Moiso, Mod.; Ben Trawick, V. Mod.
18 - Confessions of the Church; Tod Jones, Mod.; Nicholas Yoda, V. Mod.
20 - Board of Pensions; Douglas Megill, Mod.; Emily Proctor, V. Mod.

Amendments Concerning the Definition of Marriage, W-4.9000

Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the
wellbeing of the entire human family. (W-4.9001)

Recognizing this, a number of states in our own country, as well as several other nations, have chosen to recognize and legitimate same-sex unions and marriages. The purpose of the several overtures submitted to the 220th GA is to remove the gender limited language from the definition of marriage in W-4.9001, that precludes recognition and affirmation of same gender loving couples who might be members of our Churches. This would free Sessions and Pastors to exercise the same careful discernment that should be considered in any marriage. ( W-4.9002a) After discussion with the couple, and perhaps, consultation with the Session, the Teaching Elder, or the Certified Ruling Elder makes the decision as to whether or not the couple is ready for marriage, or if the marriage would be unwise. (W-4.9002b)

The Church continues to have a wide range of opinions on the nature and purpose of marriage; and we continue to struggle together with our various and conscientious interpretations of Scripture, and with our theological understandings of Christian marriage. By removing the gender specific limitations of marriage as defined in the Directory for Worship, some ministers would be freed to offer this kind of pastoral care to those of their members who seek it, and for whom it would be otherwise legal. And we would hope to be able to agree that “persons of good characters and principles may differ,” and that therefore we might find it our “duty...to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other.” ( F-3.0105)

Overtures to amend W-4.9000, and concurrences to these, have been submitted by the following presbyteries: East Iowa, Baltimore, Des Moines, Heartland, Utica, Hudson River, New York City, Western New York, and Redwoods; and will be considered by Committee #13

Overtures for an Authoritative Interpretation (AI) of W-4.9000

Overtures supporting an AI ask the General Assembly to allow Teaching Elders and Certified Ruling Elders to perform weddings for same gender loving couples in those states which have made it legal, and for whom a legal marriage license has been issued. This would free ministers to respond to the pastoral needs of all their parishioners with the same careful discernment required of any couple seeking to be married. And it would free those ministers from the threat of disciplinary charges for extending pastoral care to some of their parishioners. These overtures do not require and amendment to the Directory for Worship, nor are they in conflict with those overtures which call for amending the definition of marriage. More Light Presbyterians support both these initiatives.

Again, reflecting on the wide differences of opinion on the nature and purpose of marriage in the PCUSA, and the expense, time, and pain expended in the numerous charges filed against ministers who have performed same-gender marriages, these A. I. overtures would be a useful step in encouraging tolerance and forbearance toward each other in this contentious area.

Overtures calling for an AI on W-4.9000 will be considered by Committee #13. These overtures and concurrences have come from the following presbyteries: East Iowa; Chicago, Des Moines, Heartland, New York City; Utica; Boston; Long Island; Genesee Valley; Albany; Southern New England; Cayuga; Syracuse; Baltimore; and Redwoods.

Ordination Issues G-2.0104b

More Light Presbyterians are grateful to be a part of the PCUSA which finally was able to replace the narrowly restrictive ordination standards (G-6.0106b) that were a stumbling block to the evangelical welcome of the Church, and a continuing rejection of the LGBT members of the Church. These standards were a clear source of dissension between those who found them reasonable and proper, and those who saw them as an idolatrous demonstration of works righteousness. Conflict was unavoidable between good Presbyterians who disagreed strongly on how Scripture should be interpreted in matters of sexuality.

Over the past two years, the whole Church entered into a discussion focused on a new standard of ordination in Amendment A. First at the 219th GA in Minneapolis, and then in every presbytery in the PCUSA, a majority of the commissioners, and then the presbyteries voted yes. The paragraph from Amendment A that is now in the revised Book of Order, G-2.0104b offers hope to the whole Church. This reiteration of our Presbyterian and reformed standards represents a reinforcement of the careful discernment and individual care that our sessions and presbyteries have traditionally exercised in the preparation and examination of candidates for the offices of Teaching Elder, Ruling Elder, and Deacon.

We believe that this change is a major benefit and positive outcome for the whole Church. We are committed to working together in mission, in education, and in pastoral healing as G-2.0104b becomes firmly grounded in our polity. We pray that its positive force may derive “from its own justice, the approbation of an impartial public, and the countenance and blessing of the great Head of the Church universal.” F-3.0108

Others

We support overtures that seek clarification of appropriate questions for officers elect. We support an inclusive polity that affirms a refusal to discriminate on any human grounds.

We support the inclusion of the Belhar Declaration, and an accurate translation of the Heidelburg Catchism in our Book of Confessions.

Overtures We Believe Do Not Support Our Values and Goals

We oppose overtures that propose to reverse G-2.0104b, and re-establish G-6.0106b.

We oppose overtures that seek to allow councils to add paragraphs to G2.0104 to set their own ordination standards, including theological and behavior standards.

We oppose overtures that would allow churches to leave the PCUSA without consulting their presbyteries.

We oppose overtures that would allow Union Churches and Union Presbyteries the right to decide between conflicting mandates, and rejecting PCUSA standards.

We oppose overtures that would allow “flexible boundaries” or non-geographical presbyteries in order to evade acceptance of Presbyterian polity, or for other theological reasons.

We oppose making the current definition of marriage binding on the PCUSA.

As we approach the 220th General Assembly, we do so strengthened by the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In a letter to the Presbyterian Church (USA) about the passage of G-2.0104, he wrote: "It is incumbent upon all of God’s children to speak out against injustice...it is not always popular to do justice, but it is always right."