Ordination standard upheld in two judicial cases By John H. Adams The Presbyterian Layman Volume 32, Number 5 Posted November 11, 1999 BEDFORD, N.H. – The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast upheld the “fidelity/chastity” ordination standard of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in two rulings in October. The commission ruled 8-3 against a session that had approved the installation of an elder who acknowledged that he was homosexual and living in a “committed gay relationship” but declined to say whether that relationship was sexual. It ruled 11-0 against a congregation that had adopted a resolution against complying with the provisions of the ordination standard, which is G-6.0106b in the Book of Order. (See story) Session, presbytery erred The synod commission said the session of First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, Conn., failed to question Wayne Osborne sufficiently to determine if Osborne should be installed. It also said the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Southern New England erred by approving the session’s decision to install the elder. Osborne told the elders of the Stamford congregation that he was living in a gay relationship, but he declined to answer whether that relationship was sexually active. Saying that some of the denomination’s 11 confessions listed sins that he did not consider sins, Osborne declared that he was “chaste in God’s eyes.” The session of the Stamford congregation did not question him further and approved his installation. Ruling on a complaint filed by elders in the presbytery, the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Southern New England upheld the decision by the Stamford elders. Commission’s order But the synod commission ordered the following: • The session of First Presbyterian Church in Stamford must “re-open and complete the examination.” • The presbytery’s permanent judicial commission “shall complete their consideration of compliance” with the PCUSA’s ordination standard “with the information received from the re-examination of Osborne.” • The stay of Osborne’s installation continues until the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Southern New England finally decides the case. The synod commission found “three deficiencies in the session’s examination” of Osborne: • It failed to determine what Osborne meant by his expression “chaste in God’s eyes.” • “Osborne’s indication that ‘there are many “sins” mentioned in the confessions that I believe are outdated or out of step with current beliefs and teachings’ opens an area of further question that session cannot let stand without further information …” • Osborne’s response, “I decline to answer this question,” when asked if he and his friend were sexually active, “leaves the issue in limbo. Session at this point had an obligation to ask Osborne to explain his response.”

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