Presbyterian, Episcopal theologians: Nothing 'holy' about same-sex unions By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, November 8,1999 NEWARK – After the ReImagining Conference of 1993, John Burgess, then associate for theology in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (USA), co-authored a theological report declaring much of what took place at that event outside the bounds of Christianity. For that, he was heavily criticized by denominational staff members who defended the PCUSA's financial support for and participation in the ReImagining Conference. When the denomination was debating its ordination standards and proposing a "fidelity/chastity" requirement for officers, Burgess' office was silent. But on Nov. 4 in Newark, Burgess was back in the middle of another raging controversy in the PCUSA. This time, he weighed in against same-sex unions, affirmed the denomination's ordination standard and said the standard applies to members as well as candidates for church offices. Two theologians testify Burgess was one of two theologians who testified for the complainants against the Hudson River Presbytery in a trial before the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast. The presbytery was on trial for authorizing sessions to permit their ministers to conduct the so-called "holy unions" and to use church property for the ceremonies. The presbytery's decision included a statement that holy unions were not marriages – and therefore not specifically prohibited by the denomination's constitution. The other theologian testifying in the case was Dr. Stephen Noll, an Episcopal scholar who is the author of a book titled Two Sexes and One Flesh: Why the Church Cannot Bless Same-Sex Marriage. In his testimony, Burgess reviewed sections of the Book of Order, including its Directory of Worship, and the Book of Confessions. He said the Directory of Worship clearly defines a wedding as a service of worship and as a union between a man and a woman, not people of the same sex. Also, Burgess said, presbyteries are required to instruct ministers and sessions about proper worship. "There is nothing in Scripture, the Book of Confessions or the Book of Order that states that God calls a church to celebrate a holy union between members of the same sex," he said. Union, marriage are synonyms To the contrary, Burgess said, union is a word that is used in the Presbyterian constitution as a synonym for marriage and marriage is defined only as a union between a man and a woman. "Services of holy union between members of the same sex are not listed [in Scripture, the Book of Order or the Book of Confessions]," Burgess said, "nor are they implied … Nowhere is a same-sex union established as an appropriate, faithful option for Christians." Burgess cited several passages from the confessions dealing specifically with the use of the word union as a synonym for marriage and said, "To use union for a same-sex relationship is to obscure and confuse our definition of marriage. The term holy union can only refer to marriage. It cannot be applied to same-sex marriage." Burgess also testified that the "fidelity/chastity" ordination standard in the Book of Order is a moral standard for members as well as candidates for office, even though homosexual activity is not listed as a reason to exclude someone from membership. Counsel disagrees with witness Sharon Davidson, counsel for the Hudson River Presbytery, disagreed strongly with Burgess' testimony that the "fidelity/chastity" clause – G-6.0106b in the Book of Order – established a moral requirement for members. "Where do you come to the opinion that this [G-60106b] has anything to do with holy unions?" Inclusion of the "fidelity/chastity'' clause in the constitution established sexual activity between people of the same gender as unacceptable, Burgess said. To honor that activity through a ceremony of "holy union" violates the rules of worship, Burgess said, citing a Directory of Worship injunction against "careless or disorderly worship [that is] both an offense to God and an offense to others." Davidson sought to prohibit Noll's testimony because he was not a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and was not an expert in PCUSA polity. But Fred Denson, the moderator of the synod commission, allowed the testimony. The subtitle of Noll's book, Why the Church Cannot Bless Same-Sex Marriage, summarized one of his major points. That is, the Bible defines marriage as a union between only a man and a woman; therefore, a same-sex ceremony cannot be blessed, even if the pastor and the couple go through the motions. Alternatives posed in mainline church "I concluded from my study that marriage by the eternal ordinance is two sexes becoming one flesh," Noll said. Noll said this is the historic Biblical teaching about marriage and that it's only among the mainline denominations where people are talking about such alternatives as "committed relationships" and "holy unions." Noll said the people who speak of "holy unions" as if they are not marriages are ignoring overwhelming perception to the contrary. "I did a word search on Amazon.com for holy unions" with no results, he said. "I did the same with same-sex marriage with a large number of responses. "What has given rise to this celebration of same-sex conjugal relationships is part of a wider quest by the gay rights movement to gain church sanction," Noll said. Davidson objcted before Noll could continue, but she was overruled. Noll added, "In order to achieve that sanction, it is necessary for the advocates of the homosexual effort to detach that blessing from an exclusive relationship within heterosexual marriage. "I do not believe you can avoid the issue by changing the terminology," Noll said. "Regardless of the terminology we use, we're talking about marriage. It is theologically impossible for same-sex unions to be holy or receive the blessing of the Church."

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