"This decision makes it abundantly clear that the Presbyterian church must remove the current prohibitory language that denies ordination to openly LGBT people and adopt a new policy. The amendment now being voted on across the country properly aligns our understanding of ministry with the mandates of first following Jesus. It gives presbyteries clear authority to recognize the gifts and call of candidates for ministry they believe are fully qualified, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Candidates, presbyteries and committees who have sought to act faithfully under the current constitution have only been rewarded with challenges and allegations. This decision fosters on-going confusion and demonstrates clearly just how unworkable the current policy is for those seeking a fair hearing.
"More than anything, I'm mindful of all the other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) candidates for ministry who only want to serve our church. The way forward for them need not be this complicated. This ruling, though technical in nature and limited in scope, nonetheless has deeply personal and painful repercussions for my life and in the lives of other LGBT people earnestly seeking to serve the church. For me, this ruling has already delayed my candidacy for ministry for over one year. I believe the best possible outcome of this decision would be that it will clarify the ordination process for other LGBT persons whose gifts, calls, faith and leadership the church cannot afford to lose. Procedural decisions like this, while important, pale in comparison to the greater urgency of removing all barriers to ordination for those who are called to freely serve the church. Right now, our Presbyteries have the best opportunity yet to vote for fairness, inclusion and welcome."
"The way forward for them need not be this complicated." Exactly.
Nit picky crap about the appropriate time to scruple a discriminatory law is the height of Phariseeism in the PCUSA.
Let's get out the vote on Amendment B now. Even If amendment B does not pass this year, then we will send another overture to the 2010 GA. Let's have 50 presbyteries send delete G-6.0106b overtures. Let's do it again.
If anyone dares to say, dares to say, that pushing for change is divisive then read this from a commenter in my last post:
The problem with the concerns over division is the failure to fully count those who are already excluded, disenfranchised, gone. The church divided back in 1978. The only difference was, those folks didn't have tall steeples and pricey properties. To not count them is to reinforce the idea that they are less-than... We need to make an already divided church whole again, by treating all equally.
"Even If amendment B does not pass this year, then we will send another overture to the 2010 GA. "
ReplyDeleteYup.
This will end when *we* end it, and not a moment before. (No matter how much some "classical presbyterians" wish we'd just "shut up and leave.")
Nothing makes you more hungry for victory than a close loss. Meanwhile the other side has had it, they're dispirited over their losses, tired, confused, outmatched and outgunned. I think most of them know its time, but are just too stubborn to recognize it.
I still hope we'll win this time. But if not, with God on our side, I think victory in 2011 is assured.
This is tough, both sides believe that God is on their side. Can two sides, so opposed, be united in one institution? I would like to think so, but experience tells me otherwise.
ReplyDelete"I think most of them know its time, but are just too stubborn to recognize it."
I don't know Alan, "classical Presbyterians" are very sure that they are right.(sometimes I sneak over there to see how the other folks live)
John - Thanks for explaining the ruling. It was all polity BoO-speak to me. I still think "scrupling" is a funny word.
One more thing. Have you ever noticed that the kids that play on the other side of the fence all have their comment moderation turned on? What's up with that?
ReplyDeleteScruple is a funny word, especially when used as a verb.
ReplyDeleteIn honor of the PJC decision I think I am going to write some scruple hymns.
To the tune of He Never Said a Mumbalin' Word:
They crucified my Lord,
and he never said
a scrupalin' word.
They crucified my Lord,
and he never said
a scrupalin' word.
Not a word, not a word,
not a word.
"Nothing makes you more hungry for victory than a close loss." - Alan
ReplyDeleteOr knowing that you're in the right.
You have the advantage of fighting out of righteous indignation while the oppressor fights out of fear of the unknown.
The fearful will eventually self destruct. They always, I mean always do.
Yours is a war of attrition and you will eventually win it hands down.
"One more thing. Have you ever noticed that the kids that play on the other side of the fence all have their comment moderation turned on?"
ReplyDeleteThey want either complete obedience to themselves, or complete silence from anyone who dares disagree with them, as at least one of them has made very clear on his blog yesterday.
They all do this, have all these rules about who can post and who cannot, which comments they delete, and which they keep. The rules are simple however: agree with us, or shut up.
And, as we've seen recently, they also love to stifle debate in the Presbyteries regarding the new Amendment B.
It's all a pattern of silencing any dissent anywhere, ever.
"Yours is a war of attrition and you will eventually win it hands down."
Yup. This will end when *we* decide to end it, not before. Nothing demonstrated that more than when the only presbytery that votes unanimously against us, had one person vote with us this time. I cannot think of a more obvious and energizing example of how this is really about changing one mind at a time, and it's happening even in the most conservative corners of the denomination.