In the January 15 issue of Presbyterian Outlook, editor Robert Bullock has joined with William Stacy Johnson to recommend the Amendment O should be rejected by the presbyteries. In part, they urge that this be done as an "act of unity" on an issue about which Presbyterians are still not of one mind. Further, they argue that the amendment is unnecessary, since the Constitution of the PC(USA) already makes clear that marriage is a commitment between one man and one woman.

Acknowledging the concern of many Presbyterians to protect the sanctity of marriage, they nevertheless suggest that this step "is in fact an over-reaction." And it is a dangerous one because it would limit (for example) prayers at the baptism of a child being raised by a same-sex couple, since the prayers at baptism include prayers of blessing for the family as well as for the child.

This new rule, then, would place very tight restrictions on the pastors of our church, and, they assert, "Such a binding of a pastor's conscience is not only unwise, it is unprecedented in the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition. It is hard to see how such a potential policing of pastoral practice either serves the gospel or reflects the ministry of Jesus who drew near unto those whom others wished to shun."

Click here for the full editorial on the Outlook web site.

I congratulate you on your Jan. 15 editorial, "Amendment O is Bad Polity." Your reasoned and well-modulated presentation captures all but one of the points that have convinced me to oppose ratification of this amendment. The one additional point I would make is that the amendment's potential effects in limiting ministry are not limited to ministry to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. If this amendment were in place in the Directory for Worship, I would feel as bound to warn my session of the potential consequences of baptizing the child of an unmarried heterosexual couple as I would concerning the child of a gay couple.

If our great commission is to make disciples of all people, how dare we preset limits on whom God may recognize as a family within our congregational families, and who shall be recognized as a member of the household of God?

Barbara Kellam-Scott
Sussex NJ (worshiping in Franklin Lakes)
Moderator, Semper Reformanda (Always Being Reformed)

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