June 20, 2014

Beloved in Christ,

By now, you will have heard through the media of the votes taken yesterday on marriage. Following a lengthy debate, the assembly voted 61% to 39% to adopt an "authoritative interpretation" of the Constitution, permitting same sex weddings by pastors and in churches where it is permitted by state law, even though marriage is currently described in our Constitution as being between a man and a woman. This permission takes effect immediately. The assembly then voted 71% to 29% to recommend rewriting the Book of Order section W-4.900 (where marriage is described as between "a man and a woman"). The new language being proposed for presbytery ratification posits marriage as "a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and to support each other for the rest of their lives." After several other provisions, it concludes with this important qualification: "Nothing herein shall compel a teaching elder to perform, or compel a session to authorize the use of property for, a marriage service [that they believe contrary to] the Word of God." This proposed change to the Book of Order will require ratification by a majority of presbyteries, so we will vote on it sometime within the next year. The full text for both resolutions can be found here:  http://www.pghpresbytery.org/news/pdfs/GA_actions_on_marriage_061914.pdf 

            After the vote tally was announced, Moderator Heath Rada (http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/6/15/rada-elected-moderator-221st-general-assembly-firs/) led us in an impromptu sung prayer, as we faced the breadth of raw emotions in the room, ranging from exultation to sorrow. It is important to underscore that the assembly's action was intended to permit pastoral latitude, and not to require any pastor or church to celebrate a marriage against their conscience. A clear majority of the assembly believes that people of good faith, honest confession of Jesus as Lord, and commitment to Scripture and our Confessions can in good conscience have varying convictions on same sex marriage, so the church ought to make room for those variations.

Council will gather us together in July to hear in greater detail about the actions of this assembly; details will follow on Tuesday of next week.  We realize that this news will impact each one of differently.  We urge both love and forbearance as we heed God's missional call.  May we never forget that together we members of the body of Christ and individually members of Christ's body.  

Yours in Christ,

Dries Coetzee

Andy Gerhart

Yvonne Williams

Attachments:

Pastoral Letter on Marriage from the 221st GA

FAQs on Same-Gender Marriage