c. 1997 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ The General Assembly of the 2.7 million-member Presbyterian Church (USA), in a startling reversal, has adopted a new proposed amendment to its rule book that would significantly weaken a restrictive ban on gays and lesbians in the church’s ordained leadership.

In a 328-217 vote, commissioners, as delegates are called, to the church’s 209th General Assembly approved a proposed amendment to the church’s Book of Order that would require church officers _ elders, deacons and clergy _ to demonstrate”fidelity and integrity in marriage or singleness.” That language would replace a requirement that church officers live”in fidelity within the covenant of marriage of a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.”That so-called Amendment B or”fidelity and chastity”rule was adopted by last year’s General Assembly and ratified by the denomination’s presbyteries _ local clusters of congregations _ earlier this spring.

The denomination has been debating the issue of the role of gays in the church for 20 years and speakers during the long, dignified but passionate debate Friday (June 20) at the Syracuse meeting indicated the new proposal is also unlikely to bring closure to the volatile issue.

Supporters of the new amendment argued that the”fidelity and chastity”rule, passed by last year’s General Assembly by a 57-43 percent margin and ratified by the 172 presbyteries this spring in a 97-74-1 vote, was creating turmoil in the denomination and causing it to lose members. The new amendment passed by a slightly larger margin _ 60-40 percent.

A small but growing number of congregations and some presbyteries have vowed to defy the”fidelity and chastity”rule’s ban on the ordination of non-celibate gays.”Out of what we he have heard came our conclusion that something needs to be done,”said the the Rev. Laird Stuart of the San Francisco Presbytery, who chaired the assembly committee on the Book of Order that presented the”integrity,”or”Amendment B plus”proposal to the assembly.”The turmoil and discord (following the passage of”fidelity and chastity”) is not going to go away and our only way of forward is to find something more healing and reconciling.” The Rev. Christine Chakoian of Chicago Presbytery echoed Stuart.”I had hoped that Amendment B would settle the issue, but it has only deepened the turmoil,”she said.

Opponents of the new amendment, however, predicted it, too, will not bring peace.”Do we trust our presbyteries?”asked Robert Hammock, a theological student advisory delegate from Princeton Theological Seminary.”There will be greater division in our church if we don’t respect the vote (on”fidelity and chastity).” Like Amendment B, the new amendment also goes to the presbyteries for their approval.

In addition to substituting”integrity”for”chastity,”the new amendment also:

_ Requires church officers to”lead a life in obedience to Jesus Christ under the authority of scripture”rather than Amendment B’s”in obedience to scripture.” _ Requires church officers to”be instructed by the historic confessional standards of the church”rather than Amendment B’s”in conformity”to them.

During the June 14-21 meeting, the delegates also:

_ Approved a proposal to enter”full communion”with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ allowing for the interchange of ministers and permission for members to take Holy Communion in any of the four churches.

_ Rejected an effort to have the denomination withdraw from the Consultation on Church Union, the three-decade old effort by nine Protestant denominations to forge closer bonds.

_ Urged increased aid from the U.S. government to meet the needs of famine-stricken North Korea.

_ Called for Presbyterians to mark the Sunday before Epiphany (Jan. 6) as a day of prayer for those persecuted because of their faith.

_ Offered a”word of counsel”to the church and culture on the controversial late-term abortion procedure known by its opponents as”partial-birth”abortion. The”counsel”said the procedure is of”grave concern”and should only be considered if the mother’s physical life is endangered by the pregnancy.

_ Called for repeal of the Helms-Burton Act, passed by the U.S. Congress last year to strengthen the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.

_ Opposed a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would outlaw flag burning.

_ Voiced support for a television ratings system that would provide content descriptions of violence, language and sexual content.

AMB END ANDERSON