The 2008-09 referendum on the “fidelity/chastity” ordination requirement in the Presbyterian Church (USA) is more than halfway to the finish line and the adherents to Biblical standards have a commanding lead.You betcha. Regardless of the vote this year, our denomination is moving slowly but surely toward ending discrimination. The "popular vote" or the votes of the commissioners is quite close. 5933 to 6885 so far. 46.3% of the individual commissioners voted favor the change.
Or do they?
The latest reports on the denomination’s fourth referendum on the issue since 1996-97 tally up to 39 presbyteries in favor of a re-wording of the standards and 66 opposed to the amendment that would jettison “fidelity/chastity” from G-6.0106b in The Book of Order.
But no one should jump to conclusions about the outcome. Momentum is about to change.
Presbyteries have by a 3-1 margin increased votes in favor of the amendment that is far superior theologically than the current text. 17 have switched from anti to pro equality. None have gone the other way.
In presbytery after presbytery folks are hearing powerful heartfelt and well-reasoned statements for removing this immoral barrier and for restoring our Presbyterian principles for ordaining and installing officers.
Every vote and every speech counts in every presbytery.
Keep 'em nervous, beloveds.
interesting that the new wording which is ""pledge themselves to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church" is somehow NOT upholding biblical standards. They have me incensed with that sort of demeaning commentary that supplants Christ with political ideology. That's idolatry my friend and those who are not ashamed of idolatry...well that's one bit the Bible wavers little about and is very clear.
ReplyDeleteMaybe more LAYman need to come out of the closet or have more sex to loosen up a bit.
Make that gay sex.
ReplyDeleteI love it when the LAYman is nervous.
ReplyDeleteDrew, I'm with you on the wording thing. I can't for the life of me figure out what they mean when they say such wording separates Jesus and the Bible. The closest I can get is that they mean it places Jesus ABOVE their interpretation of the Bible, and that's pretty self-incriminating as far as idolatry goes.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric doesn't have to *mean* something, it just has to sound like it means something. I believe another word for this little exercise is "spin." In this case, the smokescreen is simply to cover up their obvious "keep the dirty gays out" bigotry, which they at least have sense enough to attempt to cover up with theological-sounding nonsense.
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