Presbyteries will
vote
for 4th time on sex issues
The Layman
Online
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updated 4/17 |
The vote by presbyteries this year and early next year will be
the fourth national referendum in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since
1996-97 on Biblical sexual ethics.
The current issue is known as Amendment 01-A, signifying its date
(2001) and its place on the ballot (first). The proposed amendment calls
for extracting the “fidelity/chastity” constitutional standard
required for the ordination of church officers and ending the
denomination’s historic Biblical theology that says homosexual
activity is sinful.
The chart below shows how presbyteries have voted on similar issues
since 1996.
‘Amendment B’
In 1996-97, 171 presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted
97-74 to place a constitutional provision in the Book of Order.
Before its adoption, that proposal was known as “Amendment B.”
It is now G-6.0106b, which requires candidates for minister, elder and
deacon to practice fidelity in their marriages or chastity in their
singleness. In other words, it prohibits the ordination of
self-affirming, practicing adulterers and homosexuals.
‘Amendment A’
In 1997-98, the presbyteries voted nearly two-to-one against a proposed
amendment that would have replaced G-6.0106b. That proposed change,
known as “Amendment A,” would have eliminated the
constitutional prohibition against the ordination of adulterers and
homosexuals.
‘Amendment O’
This year, 173 presbyteries voted on a proposal called “Amendment
O,” which would have prohibited Presbyterian ministers from
conducting so-called “same-sex” unions. The presbyteries voted
73-99, with one tie vote, not to prohibit local sessions from
determining whether to allow their pastors to conduct same-sex unions
within the local congregation’s buildings. Many believed that the
issue was more about the rights and duties of sessions and ministers
than it was about whether same-sex unions are morally acceptable.
|
Vote on B |
Vote on A |
Vote on O |
Vote on A |
| Presbytery |
96/97 |
97/98 |
00/01 |
01/02 |
| Abingdon |
73 - 4 |
4 - 54 |
yes |
No |
| Alaska |
19 - 21 |
13 - 32 |
no |
No (15 - 24) |
| Albany |
27 - 105 |
92- 44 |
19 - 80 |
Yes (74 - 28) |
| Arkansas |
91 - 115 |
52 - 81 |
74 - 94 |
No (92 - 96) |
| Atlantic Korean |
|
|
yes |
No (0 - 32) |
| Baltimore |
52 - 119 |
100 - 43 |
33 - 120 |
Yes (106-56) |
| Beaver-Butler |
127 - 23 |
31 - 105 |
86 - 27 |
No |
| Blackhawk |
105 - 76 |
59 - 99 |
94 - 72 |
No (48 - 90) |
| Boise |
22 - 29 |
21 - 27 |
12 - 27 |
No (20-20) |
| Boston |
54 - 67 |
58 - 33 |
33 - 44 |
Yes (59 - 42) |
| Carlisle |
82 - 67 |
57 - 84 |
66 - 71 |
No (58 - 81) |
| Cascades |
185 - 223 |
177 - 159 |
145 - 189 |
Yes (179 - 112) |
| Cayuga-Syracuse |
26 - 78 |
70 - 26 |
15 - 50 |
Yes (54 - 21) |
| Central Florida |
131 - 38 |
53 - 157 |
114 - 44 |
No (74 - 225) |
| Central Neb. |
44 - 33 |
32 - 42 |
12 - 36 |
No (24 - 39) |
| Central Wash. |
71 - 29 |
19 - 87 |
63 - 23 |
No (16 - 70) |
| Charleston-Atl. |
64 - 23 |
20 - 65 |
66-20 |
No (22 - 93) |
| Charlotte |
208 - 123 |
98 - 212 |
167 - 124 |
No |
| Cherokee |
62 - 21 |
no |
81 - 32 |
No |
| Chicago |
167 - 325 |
257 - 163 |
89-169 |
Yes (247 - 170) |
| Cimarron |
19 - 20 |
14 - 18 |
21 - 14 |
No (16 - 20) |
| Cincinnati |
100 - 112 |
81 - 112 |
105 - 123 |
No (95 - 113) |
| Coastal Carolina |
206 - 84 |
72 - 202 |
126-86 |
No (84 - 247) |
| Dakota |
12 - 00 |
00 - 15 |
2 - 10 |
No (1 - 20) |
| de Cristo |
67 - 62 |
58 - 74 |
48 - 63 |
Yes (70 - 55) |
| Denver |
41 - 97 |
87 - 35 |
no |
Yes (115 - 69) |
| Des Moines |
50 - 71 |
60 - 39 |
38 - 63 |
Yes (69 - 46) |
| Detroit |
103 - 153 |
152 - 74 |
no |
No (102 - 111) |
| Donegal |
114 - 89 |
78 - 127 |
92 - 83 |
No (77 - 118) |
| East Iowa |
90 - 122 |
88 - 85 |
37 - 87 |
Yes (78 - 69) |
| E. Tennessee |
125 - 65 |
58 - 122 |
99 - 89 |
No |
| Eastern Korean |
26 - 00 |
00 - 34 |
yes |
No (0 - 48) |
| Eastern Oklahoma |
53 - 62 |
59 - 56 |
63 - 49 |
No (43 - 86) |
| Eastern Oregon |
6 - 18 |
yes |
8 -15 |
Yes (17 - 14) |
| E. Virginia |
84 - 76 |
62 - 97 |
58 - 92 |
No (70 - 98) |
| Eastminster |
50 - 83 |
43 - 68 |
55 - 56 |
No (54 - 65) |
| Elizabeth |
56 - 91 |
no |
39 - 52 |
Yes (70 - 58) |
| Flint River |
64 - 18 |
18 - 68 |
39 - 29 |
No (20 - 71) |
| Florida |
58 - 50 |
39 - 48 |
38 - 45 |
No (42 - 66) |
| Foothills |
103 - 52 |
36 - 122 |
108 - 57 |
No (41 - 132) |
| Genesee Valley |
34 - 122 |
95 - 35 |
no |
Yes (89 - 61) |
| Geneva |
34 - 76 |
67 - 29 |
19 - 66 |
Yes (65 - 35) |
| Giddings Lovejoy |
103 - 154 |
103 - 89 |
55 - 116 |
Yes (115 - 106) |
| Glacier |
22 - 13 |
10 - 24 |
20 -13 |
No (11 - 21) |
| Grace |
238 - 217 |
179 - 213 |
204 - 206 |
No (109 - 154) |
| Grand Canyon |
110 - 92 |
81 - 114 |
104 - 103 |
Yes (122 - 96) |
| Great Rivers |
102 - 105 |
77 - 122 |
112 - 79 |
No (99 - 108) |
| Greater Atl. |
274 - 226 |
219 - 271 |
225 - 256 |
No (235 - 283) |
| Hanmi |
51 - 1 |
no (00 - 50) |
yes |
No (0 - 70) |
| Heartland |
99-152 |
120 - 100 |
116-127 |
Yes (150 - 139) |
| Holston |
68 - 24 |
23 - 60 |
53 - 29 |
No (22 - 74) |
| Homestead |
65 - 52 |
33 - 66 |
29 - 50 |
No (46 - 62) |
| Hudson River |
32 - 160 |
154 - 24 |
15 - 101 |
Yes (103 - 28) |
| Huntingdon |
57 - 31 |
30 - 52 |
47-40 |
No (26 - 62) |
| Indian Nations |
58 - 50 |
34 - 62 |
46 - 67 |
No (52 - 52) |
| Inland Northwest |
61 - 48 |
32 - 70 |
73 - 36 |
No (22 - 112) |
| James |
160 - 137 |
74 - 203 |
133 - 173 |
No (130 - 190) |
| John Calvin |
81 - 27 |
34 - 62 |
53 - 49 |
No (16 - 76) |
| John Knox |
55 - 83 |
86 - 54 |
57 - 67 |
Yes (66 - 62) |
| Kendall |
17-10 |
5 - 23 |
16 -12 |
No (8 - 22) |
| Kiskiminetas |
64 - 76 |
59 - 89 |
89 - 59 |
No (35 - 76) |
| Lackawanna |
45 - 53 |
45 - 29 |
32 - 47 |
No (26 - 49) |
| Lake Erie |
56 - 49 |
46 - 74 |
66 - 42 |
No (37 - 65) |
| Lake Huron |
47 - 64 |
46 - 48 |
21 - 59 |
No (42 - 64) |
| Lake Michigan |
70 - 116 |
83 - 63 |
55 - 92 |
Yes (82 - 59) |
| Lehigh |
no action |
39 - 57 |
51 - 54 |
No (50 - 62) |
| Long Island |
33 - 111 |
82 - 32 |
no |
Yes ( 87 - 28 ) |
| Los Ranchos |
131 - 66 |
40 - 138 |
140 - 67 |
No (53 - 159) |
| Mackinac |
36 - 36 |
35 - 25 |
24 - 53 |
No |
| Maumee Valley |
60 - 80 |
68 - 58 |
34 - 84 |
No (51 - 70) |
| Memphis |
89 - 58 |
48 - 89 |
62 - 70 |
No (59 - 99) |
| Miami |
61 - 109 |
79 - 57 |
56 - 91 |
Yes (86 - 53) |
| Middle Tenn. |
74 - 120 |
67 - 111 |
91 - 112 |
No (95 - 118) |
| Mid-Kentucky |
55 - 119 |
108 - 50 |
22 - 125 |
Yes (113 - 63) |
| MW Hanmi |
35 - 00 |
no (00 - 50) |
51 - 0 |
No (0 - 44) |
| Milwaukee |
27 - 82 |
yes |
23 - 80 |
Yes (68 - 35) |
| Minnesota Valleys |
53 - 61 |
61 - 54 |
49-51 |
No (44 - 60) |
| Mission |
163 - 203 |
153 - 181 |
179 - 209 |
No (164 - 235) |
| Mississippi |
53-15 |
10 - 57 |
52 - 15 |
No (9 - 55) |
| Missouri River Valley |
78 - 59 |
62 - 76 |
53 - 59 |
No (65 - 68) |
| Missouri Union |
60 - 58 |
40 - 69 |
49 - 42 |
No (34 - 46) |
| Monmouth |
51 - 81 |
56 - 60 |
45 - 76 |
Yes (68 - 47) |
| Muskingum Valley |
99 - 70 |
67 - 95 |
70 - 65 |
No (51 - 117) |
| National Capital |
105 - 226 |
212 - 71 |
89 - 223 |
Yes (220 - 116) |
| Nevada |
37 - 25 |
22 - 47 |
41 - 18 |
No (20 - 41) |
| New Brunswick |
no |
112 - 60 |
54 - 128 |
Yes (113 - 50) |
| New Castle |
43 - 89 |
74 - 33 |
30 - 90 |
Yes (65 - 55) |
| New Covenant |
149 - 173 |
140 -165 |
143 - 141 |
No (120 - 214) |
| New Harmony |
101 - 35 |
no |
yes |
No |
| New Hope |
140 - 172 |
124 - 128 |
122 - 174 |
No (153 - 159) |
| New York City |
53 - 154 |
76 - 11 |
22 - 93 |
Yes (61 - 31) |
| Newark |
26 - 61 |
48 - 25 |
36 - 57 |
No (34 - 40) |
| Newton |
22 - 107 |
92 - 22 |
19 - 95 |
Yes (82 - 34) |
| Noroeste |
yes |
no (00 - 61) |
yes |
No |
| North Alabama |
60 - 18 |
26 - 45 |
37 - 34 |
No |
| North Central Iowa |
57 - 51 |
51 - 46 |
37 - 56 |
No (46 - 65) |
| N. Puget Sd. |
57 - 46 |
44 - 60 |
64 - 54 |
No (39 - 73) |
| Northeast Georgia |
78 - 39 |
33 - 68 |
65 - 61 |
No (44 - 101) |
| Northern Kan. |
21 - 97 |
79 - 46 |
39 - 78 |
Yes (73 - 49) |
| Northern New England |
66 - 66 |
70 - 52 |
27 - 68 |
Yes (75 - 40) |
| Northern New York |
13 - 47 |
44 - 10 |
no |
Yes (42 - 19) |
| North. Plains |
46 - 18 |
45 - 39 |
33 - 36 |
No (35 - 51) |
| Northern Waters |
23 - 44 |
29 - 35 |
25 - 57 |
Yes (41 - 30) |
| Northumberland |
46 - 26 |
22 - 47 |
37 - 36 |
No (28 - 51) |
| Ohio Valley |
40 - 69 |
74 - 71 |
37-55 |
No (74 - 90) |
| Olympia |
92 - 41 |
32 - 75 |
81 - 29 |
No (32 - 110) |
| Pacific |
97 - 95 |
75 - 103 |
87 - 100 |
No (99 - 100) |
| Palisades |
31 - 67 |
71 - 21 |
25 - 67 |
Yes (59 - 33) |
| Palo Duro |
70 - 54 |
42 - 73 |
46 -56 |
No (36 - 64) |
| Peace River |
85 - 57 |
48 - 84 |
79 - 51 |
No (37 - 105) |
| Peaks |
139 - 86 |
68 - 163 |
134 - 88 |
No (77 - 166) |
| Philadelphia |
255 - 197 |
155 - 246 |
218 - 221 |
No (176 - 221) |
| Pines |
68 - 51 |
22 - 58 |
29 - 41 |
No (31 - 45) |
| Pittsburgh |
277 - 160 |
120 - 267 |
224 - 119 |
No (130 - 280) |
| Plains & Peaks |
68 - 87 |
65 - 73 |
69 - 63 |
No (60 - 91) |
| Prospect Hill |
62 - 49 |
30 - 67 |
52 - 26 |
No (24 - 62) |
| Providence |
60 - 30 |
47 - 56 |
20 - 80 |
No (38 - 63) |
| Pueblo |
48 - 36 |
36 - 53 |
43 - 38 |
No (25 - 77) |
| Redstone |
94-52 |
27 - 70 |
69 - 67 |
No (33 - 85) |
| Redwoods |
39 - 147 |
86 - 49 |
30 - 90 |
Yes (102 - 49) |
| Riverside |
86 - 55 |
34 - 94 |
yes |
No (18 - 94) |
| Sacramento |
101 - 73 |
66 - 62 |
72 - 85 |
No (69 - 106) |
| Salem |
153 - 143 |
141 - 156 |
158 - 167 |
No (160 - 187) |
| San Diego |
89 - 44 |
37 - 81 |
93 - 27 |
No (37 - 102) |
| San Fernando |
79 - 63 |
29 - 76 |
60 - 47 |
No (35 - 92) |
| San Francisco |
179 - 214 |
207 - 167 |
158-272 |
Yes (216 - 186) |
| San Gabriel |
184 - 100 |
89 - 162 |
163 - 113 |
No (97 - 181) |
| San Joaquin |
96 - 13 |
5 - 95 |
yes |
No (3 - 79) |
| San Jose |
62 - 85 |
70 - 59 |
59 - 67 |
Yes (86 - 75) |
| San Juan |
66 - 00 |
no (00-47) |
yes |
No |
| Santa Barbara |
84 - 52 |
40 - 94 |
81 - 40 |
No 39 - 101) |
| Santa Fe |
48 - 111 |
101 - 43 |
21 - 108 |
Yes (108 - 42) |
| Savannah |
54 - 9 |
14 - 45 |
yes |
No (20 - 54) |
| Scioto Valley |
101 - 128 |
112 - 91 |
81 - 104 |
No (103 - 105) |
| Seattle |
159 - 118 |
102 - 133 |
138 -103 |
No (109 - 188) |
| Shenandoah |
124 - 87 |
89 - 120 |
no |
No (77 - 146) |
| Shenango |
86 - 15 |
no |
yes |
No |
| Shep. & Lap. |
89 - 59 |
52 - 98 |
49 - 61 |
No (59 - 109) |
| Sierra Blanca |
21-34 |
24 - 21 |
15 - 19 |
Yes ( 18 - 17 ) |
| South Alabama |
47 - 19 |
15 - 47 |
34 - 13 |
No (18 - 49) |
| S. Dakota |
42 - 33 |
no |
43 - 27 |
No (22 - 66) |
| South Louisiana |
79 - 70 |
69 - 75 |
63 - 77 |
No (51 - 71) |
| SE Illinois |
83 - 81 |
77 - 74 |
71 - 67 |
No (69 - 77) |
| Southern Kansas |
84 - 70 |
47 - 82 |
71 - 58 |
No (42 - 94) |
| Southern New England |
85 - 106 |
104 - 68 |
47 - 92 |
Yes (109 - 72) |
| St. Andrew |
68 - 32 |
no |
54 - 36 |
No (11 - 86) |
| St. Augustine |
110 - 88 |
93 - 102 |
85 - 87 |
No (66 - 105) |
| Stockton |
42 - 30 |
15 - 42 |
35 - 20 |
No (14 - 44) |
| Suroeste |
yes |
6 - 27 |
5 - 10 |
No |
| Susquehanna Valley |
37 - 60 |
57 - 34 |
15 - 55 |
Yes (43 - 27) |
| Tampa Bay |
188 - 82 |
84 - 161 |
140 - 100 |
No (63 - 142) |
| Transylvania |
91 - 75 |
49 - 73 |
62 - 64 |
No (50 - 83) |
| Tres Rios |
42 - 32 |
26 - 31 |
42 -48 |
No (17 - 54) |
| Trinity |
110 - 35 |
35 - 105 |
no |
No (42 - 114) |
| Tropical Fla. |
112 - 69 |
no |
79 - 49 |
No (55 - 116) |
| Twin Cities Area |
71 - 194 |
188 - 65 |
80 - 168 |
Yes (197 - 112) |
| Up. Ohio Val. |
74 - 42 |
21 - 91 |
64 - 24 |
No (18 - 80) |
| Utah |
17 - 27 |
29 - 21 |
no |
No (21 - 32) |
| Utica |
10 - 51 |
46 - 11 |
no |
Yes (24 - 8) |
| Wabash Val. |
116 - 100 |
76 - 125 |
84 - 93 |
No (83 - 102) |
| Washington |
81 - 40 |
35 - 65 |
51 - 45 |
No (27 - 82) |
| West Jersey |
77 - 108 |
78 - 79 |
68 - 81 |
No (80 - 83) |
| West Virginia |
86 - 98 |
73 - 89 |
77-87 |
No (92 - 114) |
| Western Colorado |
34 - 12 |
9 - 34 |
yes |
No (6 - 33) |
| Western Ky. |
20 - 29 |
38 - 29 |
23-23 |
No (16 - 52) |
| Western N.Y. |
60 - 88 |
91 - 71 |
38 - 75 |
No action |
| Western N.C. |
187 - 100 |
106 - 144 |
136 - 97 |
No (100 - 167) |
| Western Reserve |
51 - 153 |
120 - 50 |
52 - 110 |
Yes (131 - 73) |
| Whitewater Valley |
83 - 84 |
90 - 105 |
83 - 94 |
No (95 - 151) |
| Winnebago |
25 - 54 |
53 - 20 |
11 - 54 |
Yes (50 - 20) |
| Wyoming |
18 - 39 |
36 - 27 |
no |
No |
| Yellowstone |
30 - 20 |
18 - 25 |
31 - 21 |
No (29 - 37) |
| Yukon |
50 - 15 |
19 - 35 |
24 - 23 |
No (12 - 40) |
| Totals |
97 - 74 |
57 - 114 |
73 - 99 |
46 (yes) - 127 (no) |
|