01-A -- the Text

Overture 01-08, as approved by the 213^th General Assembly, has now received its official name for the coming year: Amendment 01-A. Ordination Standards - On Amending G-6.0106 [7-23-01]

01-A. Ordination Standards -- On Amending G-6.0106

The 213th General Assembly (2001) directed the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendments to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:

1. Shall G-6.0106a be amended by adding a new sentence to the end of the paragraph to read as follows: [Text to be added is shown as italic.]

"a. To those called to exercise special functions in the church -- deacons, elders, and ministers of the Word and Sacrament -- God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, natural and acquired, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world. They must have the approval of God's people and the concurring judgment of a governing body of the church. Their suitability to hold office is determined by the governing body where the examination for ordination or installation takes place, guided by scriptural and constitutional standards, under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ."

2. Shall G-6.0106b be stricken. [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through.]

"b. 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 (W-4.9001), 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."

Background and Rationale

These proposed amendments to the Book of Order came before the 213th General Assembly (2001) by way of consideration of Overture 01-8 from the Presbytery of New York City (Minutes, 2001, Part I, p. 401).

Concurrences to Overture 01-8 were received from the following presbyteries: Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse, Presbytery of Genesee Valley, Presbytery of Long Island, Presbytery of Northern New York, and Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. Each of these presbyteries submitted additional rationales which presbyteries may wish to consider as they vote. The concurrences to Overture 01-8 are listed in the General Assembly Minutes, which should be available by the time most presbyteries vote. They may also be found on the web at: http://www.pcusa.org/ga213/business/OVT018.htm.

Overture 01-8 sought to change the church's position regarding the issues of sexuality and the standards of ordination by the deletion of G-6.0106b and the approval of a new authoritative interpretation.

The following amended authoritative interpretation was recommended by the Assembly Committee on Ordination Standards and approved by the 213th General Assembly (2001):

"Interpretive statements concerning ordained service by homosexual persons by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and all subsequent denominational affirmations thereof, shall be given no further force or effect; and Section G-6.0106a of the Form of Government, together with the other prerequisites for ordination expressly stated in our Book of Order, hereby are affirmed as the sole and exclusive standards for ordination by ordaining bodies acting in prayerful discernment of the leading of Almighty God, pending the approval of the related proposed amendment." [Note: Emphasis added by editor.]

[Note: This new authoritative interpretation is explicitly contingent upon the approval of the changes to G-6.0106a and b.]

The assembly committee recommended an amendment to G-6.0106a, adding a new sentence to the end of the paragraph as seen above.

The Advisory Committee on the Constitution advised the 213th General Assembly (2001) that the two-stage approach recommended by Overture 01-8 would change the church's position regarding the issues of sexuality and the standards of ordination, and advised that if it was the wish of the assembly to accomplish this change, the approval of Overture 01-8 would achieve that goal.

The overture was referred to the Assembly Committee on Ordination Standards (pp. 6-2 through 6-3). The assembly committee amended the overture (as described above) and recommended approval of the amended overture by a vote of 31/25/0. The assembly approved the assembly committee's recommendation with an additional amendment from the floor by a vote of 317/208/3.

That additional amendment directed the Moderator of the 213th General Assembly (2001) to send a pastoral letter to the presbyteries and sessions interpreting the assembly's action. [Editor's Note: That letter was sent July 2001.]