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PNS reports on the defeat of
"A" |
| Presbyterian News Service reports on
the defeat of Amendment A
Presbytery of South Louisiana casts 87th and
deciding ""no"" vote
[2-20-02]
| The
Witherspoon Society expresses deep regret that the presbyteries have
not affirmed Amendment A, and calls for our church to move beyond fear
with courage and hope. [2-22-02] |
| More
Light Presbyterians has issued a statement.
Here's a hymn
you may want to use on Sunday -- with words by Carolyn
Winfrey Gillette that affirm God's all-embracing love in Christ.
Other reactions to the defeat of
"A"
The
Covenant Network statement affirms that "our
congregations will continue to extend the welcome of Jesus
Christ to all who trust in him as their Savior and wish to share
in the mission and ministry of his church. We grieve with all
who are excluded by the policy of the church, and we are
saddened by the waste of gifts from which the church will not
benefit."
They add that "although the amendment has
failed, ... 43% of ministers and elders voting in presbyteries
thus far have voted for it."
The
Layman Online calls the action "a victory for
Biblical morality."
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by Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE - February 19, 2002 - The Presbytery of
South Louisiana cast the 87th and deciding vote against Amendment 01-A
on Feb. 19.
The amendment's defeat ensures, for at least one more
year, that officers of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will continue to be
required to practice "fidelity within the covenant of marriage
between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness."
The vote on Amendment 01-A -- which would delete
section G-6.0106b from the church's Book of Order -- now stands at 87
presbyteries against, 40 in favor. Fifty-six presbyteries have yet to
vote.
A similar measure proposed in 1997 was defeated
57-114. If all the remaining presbyteries vote the same way this year as
they did then, 01-A would lose by a final margin of about 49-124.
G-6.0106b states: "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 or chastity in
singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice
which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as
deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament."
The unofficial tally:
Yes (40): Albany, Baltimore, Boston, Cayuga-Syracuse,
Chicago, de Cristo, Denver, Des Moines, East Iowa, Eastern Oregon,
Elizabeth, Genesee Valley, Geneva, Giddings-Lovejoy, Heartland, Hudson
River, John Knox, Long Island, Mid-Kentucky, Milwaukee, National
Capital, New Castle, New York City, Newton, Northern Kansas, Northern
New England, Northern New York, Northern Waters, Palisades, Redwoods,
San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Fe, Sierra Blanca, Southern New England,
Susquehanna Valley, Twin Cities Area, Utica, Western Reserve and
Winnebago.
No (87): Arkansas, Beaver-Butler, Boise, Carlisle,
Central Florida, Central Washington, Charleston-Atlantic, Cimarron,
Coastal Carolina, Dakota, Donegal, East Tennessee, Eastern Virginia,
Eastminster, Flint River, Florida, Foothills, Great Rivers, Greater
Atlanta, Holston, Huntingdon, Inland Northwest, James, John Calvin,
Kiskiminetas, Lackawanna, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lehigh, Los Ranchos,
Maumee Valley, Memphis, Midwest Hanmi, Minnesota Valleys, Mississippi,
Missouri River Valley, Missouri Union, Muskingum Valley, New Covenant,
New Harmony, Noroeste, North Alabama, North Central Iowa, Northeast
Georgia, Northern Plains, Northumberland, Ohio Valley, Olympia, Pacific,
Peace River, Peaks, Pittsburgh, Plains and Peaks, Prospect Hill,
Providence, Pueblo, Riverside, Salem, San Diego, San Fernando, San
Gabriel, San Joaquin, San Juan, Santa Barbara, Scioto Valley, Seattle,
Shenandoah, Sheppards and Lapsley, South Alabama, South Louisiana,
Southern Kansas, St. Andrew, St. Augustine, Stockton, Suroeste,
Transylvania, Trinity, Tropical Florida, Upper Ohio Valley, Utah,
Washington, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Western North Carolina,
Whitewater Valley, Wyoming and Yellowstone.
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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