Committee recommends deleting 'fidelity and chastity' By Robert P. Mills The Layman Online Tuesday, June 12, 2001 A deeply divided assembly committee on Ordination Standards has recommended to the full assembly that G-6.0106b, the denomination's "fidelity and chastity" ordination standard, be deleted from the Book of Order. The large crowd in the large meeting room remained respectfully silent after the vote, although during the break that immediately followed, opponents of the denomination's historic standard exchanged handshakes and hugs. A new Authoritative Interpretation By a vote of 31-25, the committee approved an amended version of Overture 01-08 from New York City Presbytery, which called not only for deleting the ordination standard but for issuing a new Authoritative Interpretation of the constitution which would read: "Interpretive statements concerning ordaining service by homosexual persons by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and all subsequent denominational affirmations thereof, shall be given no further force or effect; and Section G-6.0106a of the Form of Government, together with the other prerequisites for ordination expressly stated in our Book of Order, hereby are affirmed as the sole and exclusive standards for ordination by ordaining bodies acting in prayerful discernment of the leading of Almighty God." The new interpretation would not take effect until G-6.0106b had been deleted from the constitution. The amendment to the overture would amend G-6.0106a by adding the sentence, "Their suitability to hold office is determined by the governing body where the examination for ordination or installation takes place, guided by scriptural and constitutional standards, under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ." The committee's recommendation will be considered by the full assembly later this week.

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