By Heidi Hall, The Tennessean
An amendment changing the church’s definition of marriage squeaked through a Presbytery of Middle Tennessee vote on Saturday, as local Presbyterians became some of the first in the nation to help decide the issue.
Only 23 of 171 presbyteries — what the denomination calls its regional bodies — have voted on an amendment to change the definition from a “civil contract between a man and a woman” to a “unique commitment between two people.” Middle Tennessee’s outcome was 92 yes, 84 no, a tally celebrated by many but causing consternation in some corners.
The result has no immediate effect in Tennessee, where same-sex marriage remains unrecognized by the state. Should a majority of presbyteries nationwide approve the amendment — a result that likely won’t be known until the end of May — Tennessee pastors could perform religious ceremonies in churches if they chose to do so.
“The immediate reaction to the announcement was one of respect and understanding across the aisle,” said Rev. Warner Durnell, the local executive presbyter.
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For the record, Holston Presbytery in East Tennessee voted overwhelmingly against this amendment which gives man’s blessing to sodomy in the church. Mr. Durnell (in the article above) writes that the immediate reaction was one of respect and understanding “across the aisle”. First of all, we do not have an aisle with two political parties on either side like congress. I think he and others will quickly realize that the decision will not be respected and that many will be leaving the PCUSA. As far as understanding, I would say that most of the people “across the aisle”, as he says, as well as the majority of the members of our churches, do understand very well what is going on. Many ministers no longer believe in the authority of Scripture and choose to make their own moral laws, replacing truth with error. Perhaps Mr. Durnell’s “across the aisle” lingo reflects the thinking of many, that these judicatories are no more than a congressional meeting with two parties, one of which is that fundamentalist party which believes in the authority of Scripture.
Pray for those voting to redefine marriage, that God will open their eyes with wisdom
Exactly, Bill. Mr. Durnell’s “across the aisle” rhetoric is an appeal to an imaginary unity grounded in little more than the assertion of one’s own opinions, disconnected from Scripture and church tradition.
LORD have mercy on PCUSA! I was reading from the Book of REVELATION this morning – PCUSA is now a mixture of THYATIRA and SARDIS Churches. Both are dead.