Christian Marriage and Civil Union

Several overtures are coming to the 2012 General Assembly that, if approved by the Assembly and a majority of presbyteries, would allow pastors to conduct same-sex marriages, and/or to use church property for such.  These can be accessed under the Explorer tab of pc-biz.  Please join us in praying and working for these overtures to be defeated.

 

Other overtures, which would lift up the biblical definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, are also in the works.  They can be found on our overture page.  If your presbytery will be meeting before the March 2nd overture deadline, we hope you will consider asking your presbytery to concur with one of these.

 
A special committee to study Civil Unions and Christian Marriage presented majority and minority reports to the 2010 General Assembly. The G.A. voted to send both reports to the presbyteries for study.

The Majority Report from the Special Committee to the General Assembly.

 

The Minority Report, which we support.

2010 Advisory from the Presbyterian Renewal Network

 

The PC(USA) Constitution on Marriage

What the Book of Order Says About Marriage
What the Book of Confessions Says About Marriage

 

Commentary on the Work of the Special Committee

One Committee, Two Reports
A report on the committee's final meeting, by Alan Wisdom.
An Open Letter
from the Presbyterian Coalition, addressing some of the weaknesses of the report.
The Elephant in the Room

that no one really wanted to confront.

It's Not Easy to Describe an Elephant
much less to confront it.
The Committee's June 2009 Meeting
Middle Way or Co-Existence?
The Committee's September 2009 Meeting

The Politics of Consensus.

Following the Lead of the Lutherans

by ignoring confessional teachings.

 

Resources on Marriage

Short Video Testimonies

Get a glimpse of how the church can become a place of healing and transformation for persons struggling with same-sex attraction.

Short Videos on Transformation

Get a glimpse of how the church can become a place of healing and transformation for persons struggling with same-sex attraction.

Paul and Homosexual Practice
A 50-minute presentation made by Dr. Robert Gagnon at the Ruth Institute (a project of the National Organization for Marriage) in August, 2009.
Marriage: The First of Institutions
by Gilbert Meilaender
Marriage and the Public Good: 10 Principles
Theology Matters, May/June 2009
Is Marriage Worth Defending?
by Alan Wisdom, Director of Presbyterian Action
Is the Gay Marriage Debate Over?
by Mark Galli, Christianity Today
Revelation and Homosexual Experience
by Wolfhart Pannenberg
This Isn't Tolerance
Alan Wisdom comments on the effects on whole communities of laws that change the definition of marriage. In every case the laws have been enacted without the consent of the governed.

 

Some Responses to the Committee

A Letter
from the Session of Vienna Presbyterian Church; Vienna VA
A Response
from the Presbytery of Mississippi
A Letter
from Jim Berkley, pastor and member of the Coalition board
A Letter
from Alan Wisdom, Director of Presbyterian Action
A Letter
from Mark Brewer, pastor and member of the Coalition Board