Presbyterian Church in America takes stand on homosexuality The Layman Online Monday, August 16, 1999 LOUISVILLE – Meeting in Louisville, the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) recently considered one of the same issues that seems to dominate PCUSA assemblies: how to respond to homosexual activists. The PCA reiterated its strong position against homosexual activity. Commissioners approved a statement that said: "Given the serious threat that sexual perversion generally, and homosexuality in particular, represents to young people in our society, the congregations of the PCA are encouraged to study the Scriptures, to pray for God's mercy and truth to triumph in the lives of people affected by homosexuality, to speak and act pastorally on behalf of our children, and to direct further questions and concerns within our churches to those within our denominational circles especially able to assist them, such as Harvest USA." Creation study extended The General Assembly moved quietly past one of the most controversial issues on its docket by giving another year for study of the interpretation of the first three chapters of Genesis, particularly the length of the days of creation. Pastors in the 300,000-member evangelical denomination are required to affirm the system of doctrine in the 17th-century Westminster Confession of Faith, and some consider that to mean endorsement of a literal 24-hour length for each of the six days in which God created all things. Others in the PCA consider that those days could have been longer periods of time. Both sides agree that the creation account in Genesis is true as part of the inerrant Word of God, but differ in interpretation. The 1,300 commissioners agreed to give the study committee appointed in 1998 another year to prepare its report. Role of women in worship The General Assembly also dealt with two issues concerning the role of women in worship services. The first proposal, which would have allowed women to read Scripture and pray as part of formal worship services, was rejected. The second issue stirred more debate and a number of signed objections to the position taken by the commissioners. The proposal was aimed at reports that women were being allowed "to preach/teach the Scriptures at worship services," something that is forbidden under the PCA constitution, reflecting biblical admonitions. The assembly rejected the overture which would have had the General Assembly "speak to this issue and to advise sessions [local church boards] and presbyteries not to allow this practice to continue." Instead, the assembly resolution stated: "While the GA does stand against the preaching of women as referred to in 1 Timothy 2:12, violations of the standards should first be addressed by the lower courts." In other words, any such practice should be brought as judicial cases, which may be appealed from the local church to the regional presbytery and then on to the national General Assembly. The PCA also addressed the issue of sanctity of life. Commissioners called for prayer for the sanctity of life as well as sponsoring a day of prayer and fasting for the ending of abortion next year. Lay leader elected moderator Tom Leopard, a lay leader in Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, who now is part-time administrator at Briarwood Christian School, was elected moderator with a two-thirds majority. He is a CPA with a career in public accounting and corporate management before joining the staff at Briarwood in 1971. Comparison with PCUSA The PCA was formed in 1973, with many of its churches and members coming out of the conservative wing of the old Presbyterian Church (U.S.) after the PCUS and predominantly northern United Presbyterian Church (USA) were reunited in 1983. The PCA was joined in 1982 by the Reformed Presbyterian Church (Evangelical Synod), an older denomination formed in part by churches and members from the old Northern Presbyterian Church. The conservative PCA and the more diverse mainline PCUSA remain cordial, with PCA Stated Clerk L. Roy Taylor paying a courtesy call on his counterpart, Clifton Kirkpatrick, prior to the General Assembly. Today, the PCA has 1,184 churches, compared with 11,295 in the PCUSA, and 2,815 ministers compared with 20,858. The PCA, however, has been growing steadily with a gain of 13 churches and 6,500 members in the past year. The PCUSA lost more than 20,000 members in 1998.

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