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Home/Featured/November 2023 BCO Amendments Update

November 2023 BCO Amendments Update

Nearly half of the presbyteries have offered advice and consent regarding these three proposed (and recommended) constitutional changes.

Written by Scott Edburg | Thursday, November 30, 2023

Overture 23 (Item 2) on officers conforming to the biblical requirement for chastity has garnered favorable support from almost all the presbyteries that have considered it. This item is likely the final amendment in response to the Revoice Conference and corresponding movement promoting so-called Side-B Christianity. Of the 40 presbyteries which have voted so far, 39 have affirmed this amendment and only 1 has rejected it. This means that this amendment needs the consent of just 20 of the remaining 48 presbyteries to vote on this item. The raw tally for this item is 1499-81 (95%-5%).

 

As fall fades to winter, 40 presbyteries have taken up the three proposed amendments to the Book of Church Order (BCO) initially approved and passed down by the 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Nearly half of the presbyteries have offered advice and consent regarding these three proposed (and recommended) constitutional changes. As a general reminder, for a BCO amendment to be ratified, there is a three-step process:

  1. The General Assembly must approve it by a simple majority.
  2. Then it must pass 2/3rds (currently 59) of the PCA’s 88 presbyteries by a simple majority (in each presbytery).
  3. If an amendment achieves 2/3 of the presbyteries’ support, it must then be approved by the next Assembly for final ratification.

Overture 26 (Item 1)

Overture 26 (Item 1) on the usage of officer titles continues to see widespread support throughout the denomination. If approved, this amendment would forbid the improper usage of titles associated with ordained office.

Read More

Related Posts:

  • January 2024 BCO Amendments Update
  • An Update on Presbytery Votes to Proposed BCO Changes
  • Two BCO Amendments Voted Down by PCA Presbyteries
  • So It Begins: PCA Presbyteries to Vote on BCO Amendments
  • Hammering Out Item 1

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