Assembly votes to keep Authoritative Interpretation By John H. Adams The Layman Online Friday, July 2, 2004 2004 General Assembly Richmond, Virginia June 26-July 3, 2004 General Assembly news index RICHMOND, Va. – The national governing body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) decided Friday evening to continue prohibiting the ordination of self-acknowledged, unrepentant homosexuals – at least for two years. The commissioners to the 216th General Assembly, on the next to the last day of their meeting in this historic town that was the capital of the South during the Civil War, voted 297 to 218 to do nothing to dismantle the "fidelity/chastity" ordination standard in the denomination's constitution or its theological underpinnings. Precisely, the vote was an affirmation of a minority report signed by 18 members of the assembly's Committee on Church Orders and Ministry. The committee's majority had proposed that the commissioners nullify the status the Authoritative Interpretations of 1978 and 1979, which spelled out the Biblical basis for what later became the ordination law, G-6.0106b in the Book of Order. In a series of votes, the commissioner's rejected the committee's recommendation and adopted the minority report, which said the committee's recommendation would "significantly disturb the peace of the church, undermining the trust of our members at the very time when it is needed." Instead, the minority report called for a continuing dialogue and commended the work of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity, which is charged with providing "discernment" on the issue. The task force will make its final report to the 217th General Assembly when it meets in Birmingham, Ala., in 2006. The commissioners decided not to consider any of the overtures calling for repeal of G-6.0106b. Instead, their action in voting against the committee's recommendation covered all of the five overtures opposing the prohibition against ordaining practicing homosexuals. Immediately after the vote Friday night, Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase met for prayer with advocates of changing the denomination's ordination standard. He announced before the vote that he would meet with Presbyterians on the losing side of the issue – no matter which side that was. "Either way the debate goes, some of us are going to be deeply disappointed," he said. "As we finish, I would like to gather with those of you who are likely to be disappointed for a time of prayer. This is not a time of celebration, but rather a time to support one another."

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