The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s 220th General Assembly will once again deal with the issue of ordination at its biannual meeting to be held June 30-July 7, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

With the passage of Amendment 10A from the prior GA meeting in 2010, the PCUSA joined the United Church

In October, Scott Anderson an openly gay man, was ordained as teaching elder in Wisconsin under the PCUSA’s new standard.

As of Dec. 1, five overtures have been submitted by presbyteries hoping to restore the “fidelity and chastity” standard. Overtures on social justice issues and changing the standing rules of the GA have also been submitted. The overtures are:

Ordination
Overture 005 from Stockton Presbytery asks the GA to approve an amendment to Book of Order that would change the new requirements for ordination that went into effect this past July. The overture requests the following changes be made in G-2.0104b [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“b. Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (F-1.02). These standards are found in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as interpreted by the confessions of the church and include the commitment to live a chaste and disciplined life, whether in holy marriage between a man and a woman or in single life (The Book of Confessions, 4.108).The council responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.2.0402; G-2.0607; G-3.0306) shall examine each candidate’s commitment to these standards, calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of ordered ministry. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Councils shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates. Only those who affirm a desire to adhere to the standards for ordained service and who make an affirmative answer to the constitutional questions shall be ordained or installed.”

“This amendment gives necessary definition to terms used in the Form of Government and removes ambiguity in the present wording that is causing grievous disruption to the peace, unity, purity, and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA),” states the overture’s rationale.

Overture 004 from Kiskiminetas Presbytery also seeks to change the new ordination standard. The overture seeks to strengthen the last line of G-2.0104b [above] to read, “When examining those being presented for ordination and or installation, the council shall do so in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture and guided by our confessions.” Currently the ordination requirement states that “Councils shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.”

The presbytery’s rationale concludes by stating, “We propose the above amendment to make the language internally consistent by reiterating the authority of Scripture over our confessions.”

Overture 012 from Washington Presbytery, completely strikes the text of G-2.0104b [above] and re-inserts what was known as G-6.0106b in the former Book of Order. The new text would read:

“Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, ruling elders, or teaching elders.”

The rationale urges the assembly to “change back to the historical language not only based on our individual consciences, but more importantly upon the timeless truth found in Scripture – our only infallible rule of faith and practice. Both the Old and New Testaments proclaim clearly that practiced homosexuality is outside God’s design laid out both in Creation as well as in the moral Law. As part of the moral law, these expectations are affirmed by Christ who came “not to abolish but to fulfill [the law]” (Mt. 5:17). … We make these assertions not out of a spirit of exclusion or prejudice, but a conviction to remain true to the spirit of Scripture as well as to the letter. We are all sinners saved by grace, but we are still called to recognize what is outside God’s law and to respond in obedience.”

Overture 006 from Central Florida Presbytery also attempts to change the new ordination standards, by re-inserting some of the words that the 2010 GA and a majority of PCUSA presbyteries voted to delete. The overture would insert the words “including living either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness” into G-2.0104a so that it would read:

“To those called to exercise special functions in the church – deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders – God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world, including living either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. They must have the approval of God’s people and the concurring judgment of a council of the church.”

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