My Hopes as Presbyterians Vote for Inclusion

UPDATE: Amendment 10a passed the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, 205 in favor, 56 against, 3 abstentions. Robert Austell is building a great list of responses, but here are a few of note:

• Letter from Denominational Leadership - PCUSA
• Video Message from the Moderator of the PCUSA - Cindy Bolbach
• There are more links on the original posting.

Today, the Presbyterian Church (USA) will most likely cross the threshold on a vote to change language in our constitution that, for more than a decade, has required ordained leadership in our church to hold a position of fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness. The battle over this part of our constitution has been going on for years and, regardless of what people have tried to say, this has always been about homosexuality and whether or not we will recognize LGBT folks as being called into ordained leadership in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Over the years, I have been very clear about my position on LGBT ordination, knowing that I have the luxury of staying, serving and speaking out in the denomination. Like so many, I have felt called to persevere on behalf of so many who are forced to live in secret, have left the church altogether and/or have been harmed by the rhetoric and actions that have been part of our theological and ideological battles.

Today, or soon after, this will change for the Presbyterian Church (USA) and I am joyful at the core of my soul.

I also know that there are many who will see this move as one more example of a church that is falling further away from God's intentions for humanity. Some will leave our denomination, some will stay and fight and others will simply find a way to live in the midst of disagreement. Anger will be spoken, sadness will be felt and many of our brothers and sisters will be in pain.

My hope for the Presbyterian Church -- my family -- is this: no matter where we land on the other side of this vote, we rise above any language or actions that would tear down the dignity of the other, Whether righteous indignation or jubilant relief, I hope that graciousness will reign, for if we cannot sit in both joy and despair without having to resort to destroying one another, then we dishonor the Body of Christ of which we are all a part.

So this day, I will rejoice with many and I will weep with joy for friends long yearning for this day; but, I will be gracious to those for whom there will be no joy during this time in the life of our denomination for they too are my brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you would like to track the most up-to-date results of voting you can follow me on Twitter and or follow the Twitter hashtags: #10a or #pcusa. The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area meeting where the threshold vote may take place around 3:00pst can be tracked at #ptca.

If you are from the outside looking in or have great investment in the outcome of this vote, please lift all members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in your prayers this day and into the future.

This post originally appeared on my Patheos blog.

 

Follow Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/breyeschow

Comments

[Elizabeth Jurenovich]

04:12 PM on 05/11/2011

Whatever happened to fidelity and chastity? When did those become bad words in the PC(USA)? Why have we forgotten so easily the debacle that resulted from the Catholic Church's lack of standards regarding sexual misconduct among its clergy? Certainly, Christ tells us to "love thy neighbor" and Presbyterians historically have sought to hate the sin but love the sinner... yet the words "anything goes" never appear in the Holy Scriptures. This is a tragic misstep by the Presbyterian Church which threatens to further sink a denomination already mired in cultural abdication of its Biblical moorings.

[JeremiahA]

01:02 PM on 05/11/2011

I hope that the Presbyterian Church will once again, someday, view Jesus of Nazareth as authoritative...

[Brandon Parks]

12:35 PM on 05/11/2011

Thank you Bruce. I agree that this is a huge step forward and I am grateful that more and more acceptance is coming to the LGBT community. When we look at the group of people Jesus lifted into the leadership (men and women and those seen in his culture as "sinful") I see no reason why gays should not be allowed into Church leadership. As a matter of fact, I posted my own feelings on the topic at http://whatjesusdiddo.blogspot.com/2011/05/gays-in-church-leadership.html
Blessings,
-Brandon

[Optionjohn]

10:30 AM on 05/11/2011

I am a Presbyterian and any church that has a LGBT I will not attend. That is my choice.

[morgandavis]

03:44 PM on 05/11/2011

Just out of curiosity, would you attend a church led by a pastor who had been divorced? Jesus, while never once mentioning homosexuality during his ministry, spoke out several times against divorce. It's interesting how we choose to accept some practices condemned in scripture (divorce, women leaders, eating shellfish) while renouncing others. How do we decide which of these practices are to become focal points and which are not to be concerned with as they are obsolete?