Central Carolina Presbytery voted on August 27, 2022 to approve the three amendments to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Book of Church Order (BCO) dealing with biblical sexual ethics and it application to qualifications for church office. The PCA General Assembly voted to send the presbyteries eleven items containing amendments to the BCO. Three of these amendments provide guidance to the church on the qualifications for ordained church office. Two-thirds of the eighty-eight presbyteries must vote to approve each overture, which would be fifty-nine presbyteries.
Here is how Central Carolina Presbytery voted on the three overtures dealing with qualifications for church office.
Item 1 would amend BCO 7 to disqualify from office men describing themselves as homosexual. This was Overture 15 before the General Assembly, which proposes that a new paragraph BCO 7-4 be added to the BCO. If approved BCO 7-4 would provide:
Men who describe themselves as homosexual, even those who describe themselves as homosexual and claim to practice celibacy by refraining from homosexual conduct, are disqualified from holding office in the Presbyterian Church in America
Central Carolina Presbytery approved Overture 15: 41-11-1.
Item 4 would amend BCO 16 by adding 16-4 regarding qualifications for church office. This was Overture 29 before the General Assembly. If approved BCO 16-4 would provide:
Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America must be above reproach in their walk and Christlike in their character. While office bearers will see spiritual perfection only in glory, they will continue in this life to confess and to mortify remaining sins in light of God’s work of progressive sanctification. Therefore, to be qualified for office, they must affirm the sinfulness of fallen desires, the reality and hope of progressive sanctification, and be committed to the pursuit of Spirit-empowered victory over their sinful temptations, inclinations, and actions.
Central Carolina Presbytery approved Overture 29: 50-0.
Item 5: would amend BCO 21-4 and 24-1, which was Overture 31 before the General Assembly, by adding the following paragraphs regarding requirements for ordination, BCO 21-4 and 24-1 would provide:
21-4. Ordination Requirements and Procedures
e. In the examination of the candidate’s personal character, the presbytery shall give specific attention to potential notorious concerns. Careful attention must be given to his practical struggle against sinful actions, as well as to persistent sinful desires. The candidate must give clear testimony of reliance upon his union with Christ and the benefits thereof by the Holy Spirit, depending on this work of grace to make progress over sin (Psalm 103:2-5, Romans 8:29) and to bear fruit (Psalm 1:3, Gal. 5:22-23). While imperfection will remain, when confessing sins and sinful temptations publicly, the candidate must exercise great care not to diminish the seriousness of those sins in the eyes of the congregation, as though they were matters of little consequence, but rather should testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in his progress in holiness (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
24-1. (following 24-1.a-e) In the examination of the nominee’s personal character, the Session shall give specific attention to potential notorious concerns. Careful attention must be given to his practical struggle against sinful actions, as well as to persistent sinful desires. The nominee must give clear testimony of reliance upon his union with Christ and the benefits thereof by the Holy Spirit, depending on this work of grace to make progress over sin (Psalm 103:2-5, Romans 8:29) and to bear fruit (Psalm 1:3, Gal. 5:22-23). While imperfection will remain, when confessing sins and sinful temptations publicly, the nominee must exercise great care not to diminish the seriousness of those sins in the eyes of the congregation, as though they were matters of little consequence, but rather should testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in his progress in holiness (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Central Carolina Presbytery approved Overture 31: 52-0.
