Number of
presbyteries
reviewing or approving
'essentials' is growing
The Layman
Online
Tuesday, October 3,
2006
Presbyteries
responding to calls
for Constitutional enforcement
|
|
Presbytery |
Congs. |
Members |
Actions |
| 1 |
Central Florida |
74 |
29,905 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 2 |
Donegal |
62 |
22,822 |
Resolution under review
|
| 3 |
Eastminster |
54 |
11,578 |
Seven resolutions under
review |
| 4 |
Holston |
66 |
8,367 |
Referred to Bills and
Overtures |
| 5 |
Mississippi |
46 |
6,205 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 6 |
Pittsburgh |
153 |
43,855 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 7 |
Sacramento |
42 |
15,941 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 8 |
San Diego |
31 |
16,741 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 9 |
San Francisco |
77 |
28,132 |
Considers competing
proposals |
| 10 |
Scioto Valley |
113 |
23,940 |
Review scheduled |
| 11 |
Sierra Blanca |
22 |
2,162 |
Under review |
| 12 |
Utah |
24 |
4,009 |
Review at Oct. 13-14 meeting
|
| 13 |
Western N.C. |
115 |
19,937 |
Affirmed standards but
approved exemption on case-by-case basis |
| 14 |
Whitewater Valley |
68 |
23,289 |
Second reading Dec. 6 |
| 15 |
South Louisiana |
67 |
10,322 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 16 |
New Covenant
|
109 |
39,416 |
Affirmed
constitutional standards |
| 17 |
Beaver-Butler |
87 |
15,329 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 18 |
James |
113 |
28,259 |
Vote on Oct. 10 |
| 19 |
San Joaquin |
34 |
7,980 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 20 |
Olympia |
50 |
10,800 |
Affirmed constitutional
standards |
| 21 |
Santa Barbara |
30 |
9,378 |
Under review
|
|
The number of presbyteries that have either approved resolutions
that affirm the constitutional ordination requirements of the Book
of Order or have received proposals calling for similar action has
grown to 21 – 12.1 percent of the 173 presbyteries in the
Presbyterian Church (USA).
Collectively, those presbyteries serve 1,437 congregations, 13.1 percent
of the 10,960 churches in the denomination, and 378,367 Presbyterians,
16.3 percent of the denomination's 2.31 million members.
Ten of the 21 presbyteries have already approved resolutions declaring
that the ordination requirements are essential in response to the 2006
General Assembly's authoritative interpretation that declares that
ordaining bodies can decide whether or not to allow exemptions for
candidates who are practicing homosexuals. Eleven presbyteries have not
taken final action on the resolutions.
In one case, the Presbytery of Western North Carolina affirmed the
ordination requirements as essential, but also approved a resolution
saying that ordination requests would be considered on a case-by-case
basis. None of the 21 presbyteries has defeated a resolution affirming
the ordination requirements.
The most recent additions to the list are:
- The Presbytery of San Joaquin in California: "For
the sake of the peace, unity, and purity of the church, the
Presbytery of San Joaquin adopts and shall function according to the
following principle: it is an essential of Reformed polity that the
Presbytery of San Joaquin comply with and adhere to the standards
for ordination adopted by the whole church and expressed in the Book
of Order. Therefore, any departure from ordination standards
mandated* in the Book of Order shall bar a candidate from
ordination and/or installation by the Presbytery of San Joaquin."
[*ordination standards mandated in the Book of Order include
those instructions designated by the terms "shall," "is/are
to be," "requirement" or "equivalent expression."]
- The Presbytery of the James in Virginia will consider the
following resolution at its Oct. 10 meeting:
- Whereas the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has standards
for ordination to church office in the Form of Government;
and
- Whereas these standards include educational requirements,
a definite set of examinations, willingness to make certain vows,
and a commitment to limit sexual expression to heterosexual
marriage; and
- Whereas the church has judged each of these standards
necessary for good and sufficient reasons; and
- Whereas the 217th General Assembly (2006) has issued an
Authoritative Interpretation of G-6.0108, to the effect that
ordaining bodies may decide whether a departure from one or more of
our Constitutional standards touches something essential in our
faith and polity,
- THEREFORE, the Session of New Hanover Presbyterian Church
respectfully overtures the Presbytery of the James to resolve:
- 1. That it is the policy of this Presbytery in every particular
case to treat as essential all the standards for ordination and
installation to church office in the Form of Government,
including the requirement that deacons, elders, and ministers "live
either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and
a woman or in chastity in singleness" (G-6.0106b); and,
- 2. To resolve further that this Presbytery will neither offer nor
accept any scruple about or exception to the constitutional
standards for ordination and installation within its jurisdiction,
except as provided in the Book ofOrder G-14.0313; and,
- 3. To direct that the Presbytery of the James' Manual of
Administrative Operations and Standing Rules under section 1, Item D
"Presbytery Norms" number 2 be revised to insert the
following text: "All who participate in examinations of
candidates for ordination or installation, including the candidates
themselves, shall be made aware of the Presbytery's policy that each
and every requirement for ordination and installation in the Form
of Government is essential, including G-6.0106b, and the
Presbytery does not offer or accept any scruple about or exception
to them, except as provided in the Book of Order G-14.0313."
- The Presbytery of Olympia in southeastern Washington
approved the following resolution during its meeting on Sept. 21: "We
hereby declare that in our discernment of the movement of the Holy
Spirit, every mandate of the Book of Order (2005-2007) is an
essential of reformed polity. Therefore, any violation of a mandate
of the Book of Order (2005-2007) constitutes a failure to
adhere to the essentials of reformed polity and thus presents a bar
to ordination and installation."
- The Presbytery of Santa Barbara in southwestern
California is reviewing a resolution.
|