. . . a diaconate (synonymous with the expression “Board of Deacons” [see BCO 19-15 and 24-10]) may only include men who are elected, ordained, and installed; and that the practice in question denies qualified men their constitutional and biblical right to be considered for this office (M38GA, 270). – from PCA Constitution Business Committee

TE Sam Wheatley’s paper advocating women deacons in the PCA has provoked much discussion. This issue has been hotly debated since at least 2007. As an aid to the current discussion, here is an overview of what the PCA has done on this issue since that time.

1. 35th General Assembly (June 2007) — The General Assembly takes exception to the Minutes of Northern California Presbytery for including women on a diaconate of a new church and commissioning without ordaining the deacons in the church (M35GA, 198).

2. 35th General Assembly (June 2007) — The General Assembly takes exception to Philadelphia Presbytery: “Diaconate of new church includes 4 Deaconesses commissioned contrary to BCO 9-3” (M35GA, 209).

3. Spring 2008 — Philadelphia Presbytery overtures (Overture 9) the 36th General Assembly to erect a study committee on the issue of deaconesses.

4. Spring 2008 — Western Canada Presbytery overtures 36th GA to approve Philadelphia Presbytery’s overture. Central Georgia overtures GA to reject it.

5. 36th General Assembly (June 2008) — The General Assembly rejects the request of Philadelphia Presbytery to erect a study committee on deaconesses (See M36GA, 205ff.; read an account here). [Editors note: the original URL (link) referenced in this article is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

6. 36th General Assembly (June 2008) — GA finds the responses of Northern California Presbytery and Philadelphia Presbytery to the 35th GA’s exception on deaconesses unsatisfactory (M36GA, 252, 261).

7. Spring 2009 — The Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA rules that Philadelphia Presbytery did not err in licensing a man who believed that women could be ordained to the office of deacon but agreed to abide by the BCO.(M37GA, 176–186).

8. Spring 2009 — Susquehanna Valley Presbytery and James River Presbytery overture the 37th General Assembly to erect a study committee on “the role of women in the church” (read it here).

9. Spring 2009 — Metro Atlanta Presbytery, Metro New York Presbytery, Philadelphia Presbytery, and Northern California Presbytery adopt a policy on deaconesses.

10. 37th General Assembly (June 2009) — Review of Presbytery Records votes to send Northern California and Philadelphia Presbyteries’ response to the exceptions from the 35th GA to the Committee on Constitutional Business (CCB) (M37GA, 77).

11. 37th General Assembly (June 2009) — GA rejects the overture to erect a study committee to study the role of women in the church (M37GA, 295–301).

12. September 2009 — Metro New York hears a complaint against its deaconess policy and rescinds the policy (read more here).

13. Fall 2009 & Spring 2010 — Central Carolina, Eastern Carolina, Evangel, and Westminster Presbyteries overture the 38th GA to amend the BCO to strengthen its opposition to the ordination of women as deacons.

14. Spring 2010 — Northern California overtures the 38th GA to amend the BCO “to appoint unordained men and women to carry out diaconal ministry.”

15. Spring 2010 — Tennessee Valley Presbytery overtures the 38th GA to “affirm unordained deaconesses.”

16. Spring 2010 — CCB gives its advice on the exceptions referred to it by the Review of Presbytery Records at the 37th GA. CCB states that the response of Philadelphia Presbytery was satisfactory and that the response of Northern California was unsatisfactory:

. . . it failed to address the issues raised by the exceptions—namely, that a diaconate (synonymous with the expression “Board of Deacons” [see BCO 19-15 and 24-10]) may only include men who are elected, ordained, and installed; and that the practice in question denies qualified men their constitutional and biblical right to be considered for this office (M38GA, 270).

17. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — GA finds Northern California Presbytery’s response to the exception of the 35th General Assembly unsatisfactory and notes:

In addition, this practice, coupled with the minister’s expressed view that he intends not to ordain deacons “until the BCO is amended,” denies qualified men their constitutional and biblical right to be considered for this office (M38GA, 105–106).

18. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — Philadelphia Presbytery acknowledged that it was in error in saying that deaconesses were members of a “diaconate,” and GA finds this a satisfactory response to the exception of the 35th GA to Philadelphia Presbytery’s minutes (M38GA, 109–110).

19. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — GA finds parts of Metro Atlanta’s deaconess policy (adopted in the spring of 2009) unsatisfactory.

20. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — GA approves the following amendment toBCO 9-7: “These individuals who assist the deacons, selected by means determined by each Session, are not subjects for ordination” and answers all overtures on this topic except Northern California’s with reference to this amendment (M38GA, 379–393).

21. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — GA also rejects an overture from Northwest Georgia requesting that GA make a statement on the issue of “The role of men and women to office in the church” (M38GA, 394–397).

22. 38th General Assembly (June 2010) — GA rejects Northern California’s amendment “to appoint unordained men and women to carry out diaconal ministry.”

23. October 2010 — The Standing Judicial Commission overturns Northern California’s deaconess policy by sustaining a complaint against that policy.

24. 2010–2011 — The Presbyteries approve the amendment to the BCO approved by the 38th GA by a 59–2 margin: “These individuals who assist the deacons, selected by means determined by each Session, are not subjects for ordination.”

25. 39th General Assembly (June 2011) — GA finds Metro Atlanta’s response to the 38th GA’s exception to its deaconess policy unsatisfactory citing specific aspects of the policy that were out of accord with the BCO (Read them here).

26. 39th General Assembly (June 2011) — GA approve the amendment to the BCO approved by the 38th GA and the Presbyteries: “These individuals who assist the deacons, selected by means determined by each Session, are not subjects for ordination.”

27. September 2011 — Metro Atlanta Presbytery votes without dissent to rescind its deaconess policy.

Wes White is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He is currently serving as the Pastor of New Covenant Spearfish Presbyterian Church, Spearfish, South Dakota. This article originally appeared on his web site and is used with permission.

[Editor’s note: Original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]