PCUSA's Washington Office doesn't speak for Presbyterians in the pews, readers say The Layman Online Wednesday, June 30, 2004 2004 General Assembly Richmond, Virginia June 26-July 3, 2004 General Assembly news index Editor's Note: More than 2,200 readers told The Layman that the director of the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) doesn't speak for them when it comes to marriage issues. The Rev. Parker T. Williamson, chief executive officer of the Presbyterian Lay Committee and editor in chief of its publications, read the following statement Wednesday on the lawn outside the U.S. Capitol – the same place where the Washington Office's director said that the PCUSA endorses same-sex marriage and opposes a proposed Federal Marriage Amendment. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Scripture tells us that those who follow God's call are "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses." What an encouragement when we find ourselves in difficult places! I thought about that Scripture when talking with Presbyterians all over this country. Their public affirmation of traditional, orthodox Christianity is a tangible expression of that encircling "cloud," sent by God to enable and encourage His people in troubled times. I thank them for their devotion to Jesus Christ. Together, we are raising the standard in a denomination – whose leaders sometimes forget that He alone is Lord. We are laying God's Word before His Church, insisting that it be the benchmark that tests and measures every denominational policy and program. Many Presbyterian leaders have chosen to be enveloped by a different cloud – a cloud of confusion – that they identify with culture. Accommodating their programs to the lowest common denominator, they take their cues from the media and ignore rock solid principles that are laid down in God's Word. But the environment they have chosen will not sustain them. It is no substitute for the truth. One of those Presbyterian leaders is the director of the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory. Standing in front of the United States Capitol building on March 3, she told reporters that our denomination favors the civil marriage of same-sex couples and opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment. She was wrong. The Presbyterian Church (USA) has never taken a position opposing the Federal Marriage Amendment. And it has never endorsed same-sex marriages. Rev. Giddings Ivory bolstered her argument that the Presbyterian Church (USA) supports "civil marriage" for homosexuals by quoting from a section of our denomination's Constitution (The Book of Order), which affirms both civil and Christian marriage. But she omitted part of the text. Here's what she left out: "Marriage is a civil contract between a man and a woman." Clearly, there is no room in our Constitution to argue – as she did – that homosexual unions are part of the package. Rev. Giddings Ivory was wrong about General Assembly policy, and she was wrong about our Constitution. She misrepresented them both. As a paid official of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Elenora Giddings Ivory claimed she was speaking for Presbyterians in the pews all across this country. Frankly, we don't believe her. We are in touch with hundreds of thousands of Presbyterians in the pews. We believe Rev. Giddings Ivory's claim that she represents them is just as bogus as her claim that she represented General Assembly policy and our Constitution. And more than 2,200 Presbyterians wrote to us and told us just that - and also that they support the Federal Marriage Amendment. Sadly, Rev. Giddings Ivory is the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Washington lobbyist, and her salary of almost $75,000 is paid from the General Assembly "mission budget." Yet, she does not represent the majority of Presbyterian people. She lobbies for same-sex marriage and partial-birth abortion, things that are simply horrifying to most Presbyterians. We want our representatives in Washington to know that we are embarrassed by the causes she supports in our name. This huge groundswell of support for traditional marriage as ordained by God is not something that we take lightly. We will take the information from these letters and send it to: The General Assembly Council of our Church! Our leaders must know where we stand. The United States Senate and Congress. When the Federal Marriage Amendment comes before our governmental leaders, we want them to know that Presbyterians support traditional marriage! President George W. Bush. He has taken a beating in the press for standing up for marriage and families, and we want to let him know that in this area we are firmly behind him. We want to set the record straight on what most Presbyterians in the pews really think about this important issue. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6) Most Presbyterians in the pews believe that. I believe that. Together with others who share that belief, we are experiencing a surrounding joy that can never be taken away – even though we may find ourselves in difficult places and in troubled times. To Him belongs the glory.

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