Friday, June 19

CHARLOTTE, NC – On the final night of the 210^th Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly a demonstration broke out in the Charlotte Convention Center that disrupted what would otherwise have been one of the most orderly legislative sessions in the denomination’s recent history.

The 10:30 p.m. event was led by gay/lesbian activists and choreographed with the cooperation and participation of Moderator Douglas Oldenburg and members of the General Assembly staff. In the melee that followed, commissioners revisited their twice-affirmed decision to deny funding to a controversial group that supports lesbian activity on college campuses.

At the center of the controversy is the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW), an organization that was formed under the leadership of Mary Ann Lundy and her associates at Presbyterian Church (USA) headquarters shortly before Lundy was fired for her role in the 1993 ReImagining Conference. Calling the formation of this group "evangelism," network leaders produced materials for college women that encourages diversity in sexual behavior.

Dissatisfied with its share of the denomination’s mission budget as determined by the General Assembly Council, the organization took a request for $273,000 directly to the General Assembly. That request opened the door for critics to showcase the group’s activities and examine its printed materials, leading to a decision not only to deny the request for additional funds, but also to cut off all mission dollar contributions to the organization. Click here for previous story

After two attempts failed to get the assembly to reconsider its action, Moderator Oldenburg announced to commissioners that he deeply regretted what the assembly had done. Then he told the assembly that he had agreed to allow representatives of NNPCW "a moment of personal privilege." A tearful young woman, Rebecca Morrison, then stepped to the microphone and sparked the demonstration.

Gays and lesbians wearing multi-colored stoles (a symbol for homosexuals who have been denied ordination) poured out of the bleachers, held hands, and surrounded the commissioners. A small cluster of NNPCW members marched forward and lined up in front of the assembly holding candles. The assembly musician, Isaiah Jones, moved to the keyboard on stage and began to play "This little light of mine" as lyrics to the song appeared on giant television screens suspended over the commissioners’ heads. The song, often used by homosexual demonstrators who call their effort the "More Light Movement," was sung repeatedly as the young women stood crying before the assembly.

At the conclusion of the demonstration, Oldenburg again gave the microphone to commissioners who requested a "moment of personal privilege." Commissioners lined up at the microphones, some crying and others expressing anger and dismay that the assembly had "cut these young women adrift." One commissioner said "I deeply grieve … that we send them off without visible support and tell them that their life is over."

After several commissioners had spoken, some asking rhetorically, "What can we do about this?" the moderator suggested that a motion to reconsider would "be in order." Further lamentations were expressed, but no motion was forthcoming. The moderator again invited commissioners to solve the problem with a motion to reconsider.

At this point James Mead, Vice Moderator of the Assembly, stepped to the microphone and called for reconsideration, "I think we ought to hold people accountable," he said. "But I don’t think we ought to squash the whole thing."

The issue is coming on the floor this morning. The Layman Online will post the results as soon as they are available.

CHARLOTTE — Assured by the stated clerk and moderator that their action was "in addition to" and "not a replacement for" the 1993 authoritative interpretation of the Constitution, the 210^th General Assembly issued a new authoritative interpretation of the denomination’s ordination standards. While some expressed concern that the decision was unnecessary and ambiguous, others felt that assurances given by the moderator and stated clerk would be honored.

The assembly’s action reads:

"Resolved, That the 210^th General Assembly (1998) approve the following authoritative interpretation of G-6.0106b and G-4.0403. ‘Standing in the tradition of breaking down the barriers erected to exclude people based on their condition such as age, race, class, gender and sexual orientation, the Presbyterian Church (USA) commits itself not to exclude categorically in considering those called to ordained service in the church but to consider the lives and behaviors of candidates as individuals.’"

Church Orders and Ministry Committee moderator Carol McDonald, whose committee brought the proposal to the Assembly floor, declared, "This will diminish neither the Definitive Guidance of 1978 or the authoritative interpretation of 1993."

Youth Advisory Delegate Kara Tony asked, "If I don’t want anything added to our current Authoritative Interpretation how do I accomplish this?" GA moderator Douglas Oldenburg answered "Vote no." Commissioner Kathy Goodrich then asked "Is this in addition to or in place of our previous Authoritative Interpretation?" Oldenburg answered "My understanding is that it is in addition to, not in place of."

McDonald closed debate by assuring commissioners "The Stated Clerk said this neither supersedes or sets aside previous Definitive Guidance and Authoritative Interpretation."

The vote to adopt the new Authoritative Interpretation was 355-179.

The Assembly’s action came in response to an overture from Chicago Presbytery. Chicago asked the 209^th General Assembly to declare, "it is a violation of the inclusiveness requirements and standards specified in the Book of Order …to exclude from membership or leadership – including ordained office and employment – any person on the basis of that person's membership in a class or category of persons," and "that the [1978] definitive guidance … is an erroneous interpretation of the Constitution in that it considered only the requirement of governing bodies to examine and not the requirement to be inclusive."

However, the Advisory Committee on the Constitution determined that Chicago’s overture "attempts to overturn the decisions of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission, which have determined that self-affirming, practicing homosexual persons may not be ordained as elders and deacons … The overture, furthermore, misinterprets the constitutional call to inclusiveness as absolute, when it is in fact circumscribed and limited by other provisions of the Constitution along with Scripture and our confessional standards." Thus the ACC advised the Charlotte Assembly "not to approve the proposed authoritative interpretation."

Chicago’s overture was assigned to the Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry, where a motion was made to disapprove the overture and append the ACC’s comment. That motion was defeated 20-21-4. Alister Drummond from New York City Presbytery, then moved to substitute language provided by the Advisory Committee on Women’s Concerns (ACWC) for Chicago’s overture.

With minor modifications, that language was approved 39-8 and sent to the floor of the Assembly where it was adopted.

CHARLOTTE, NC —The 210^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted Friday night to require abstinence teaching emphasizing sexual purity in youth educational material.

Commissioners turned back a substitute motion that would have replaced the word "purity" with "responsibility."

The intent of the overture was to have literature conform to the denomination’s ordination standards, "chastity in singleness" and "fidelity within the covenant of marriage."

Commissioners voted narrowly, 261 to 246, against taking a vote on the substitute motion. They approved the overture 322 to 185.

Most of the speakers on the two motions were youth advisory delegates who had sharply divergent views about whether the General Assembly should use purity or responsibility as the principal standard for instructing eighth-graders.

The current literature recommends that youth remain abstinent before marriage, but it also counsels responsibility in sexual activity. The overture did not provide money to publish revised. Therefore, said Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick, the material will be used until the supply is exhausted.

Opponents of the purity standard raised a number of objections. Natalie Hundertmark said the purity standard conflicted with the teachings of Christ. "Jesus saw people’s lives destroyed by legalism, and … a holiness code, she said. "We are blessed to have a youth curriculum that is faithful to Jesus’ way."

Liz Anderson of Sacramento, a 20-year-old college student, who said she intends to remain sexually pure until marriage, said young people "need the church’s support and encouragement to make this stand."

But another youth advisory delegate said studies showed that "abstinence education is not effective." Rather, teaching responsibility in sexual activity "has helped to reduce unwanted pregnancies, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases."

Meg Flannagan countered that "my generation has been saturated with material encouraging sexual behavior. A safe-sex attitude has not worked." She cited studies showing a rising number of illegitimate births and added, "Chastity is helpful for both the body and the soul."

Emily Dobson declared that "a message of sexual purity is unclear. It is crucial for leaders to be realistic … by encouraging responsibility, we do not encourage sexual activity."

Andy Smith, a youth advisory delegate, opposed the purity standard and said, "Christ places more emphasis on moral decision-making. Responsibility is much superior to purity.

Paul Johnson, a minister who served on the Health and Education Committee, spoke for the committee’s overture. "The world is giving one message on sexuality, but the church needs to give another perspective. The minority report changes a clear call for abstinence to an ambiguous call for responsibility."

During the committee’s hearing, young people offered strong support for the proposal. Jonathon Tony, a college student who described himself as representing the "Presbytery of the Chicago Bulls," said students need the support and encouragement of the church. Students who are not sexually active "are regarded as abnormal because we refrain from sex, as our Lord Jesus Christ commands," Tony said.

Another youth speaker, Betty Banaszak, said chastity was important because "it is about my relationship with Christ."

Opponents of the overture took other tacks. Kathleen Buckley, a former college chaplain, questioned the meaning of words in the overture: "I am concerned by phrases, ‘sexual purity and chastity.’ What do they mean? Who defines them? Our young people need relationships, not decrees."

Cleveland Evans, an elder in Omaha, Neb., and a psychology professor, opposed the overture by citing studies which, he said, demonstrated that purely abstinence based instruction has no effect on reducing sexual activity but does result in students "being less likely to use condoms."

Donna Riley of Pittsburgh Presbytery and a leader in Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns opposed revising youth material because "the denomination already has excellent curriculum, ‘God’s Gift of Sexuality,’ which is "recognized by the experts as excellent." She said abstinence teaching does not work and that the most important factor in preventing young people from becoming sexually active is communication with parents.

"Just say no doesn’t work anymore," said Glendon Morris, who described herself as a counselor.

Lois Green, an elder from San Francisco, said she feared that the emphasis on chastity and fidelity would "if you’re gay, tell them [young people] that their sexuality is wrong."

But Theresa Latini, executive director of One-by-One, a ministry to persons in sexual confusion, urged the committee to "encourage our youth to abide by our Constitution."

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