Cascades Presbytery has approved an overture (Ovt. 021) that completely re-writes the Book of Order’s section on marriage – W4.9000, to “to allow marriage between ‘two people’ rather than limiting marriage to ‘between one man and one woman’ and to allow PCUSA church officials to perform marriage ceremonies between same sex couples,” according to the overture’s rationale.

While the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is still seven months away, business for it to consider when the assembly does convenes is beginning to accumulate.

As of Nov. 19, 21 overtures have been submitted  [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.] to the Office of the General Assembly, and two of those concern one of the major issues facing the denomination: Same-sex marriage.

This fall, two organizations that support same-sex marriage both in the PCUSA and the nation laid out their political plans for getting their agenda accomplished at the 2014 General Assembly.

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians and More Light Presbyterians have agreed to jointly pursue an Authoritative Interpretation (AI) of the PCUSA constitution and an amendment to the constitution in support of same-sex marriage. Those are two things “that this assembly must pass,” said Brian Ellison, executive director of the Covenant Network, in an address to the More Light Presbyterian’s national conference.

According to More Light and Covenant Network representatives, if passed by the General Assembly, an AI would go into effect immediately, while the overture, which they say would “enshrine marriage equality in the Book of Order, if passed by the assembly would have to be ratified by a majority of the PCUSA’s 172 presbyteries.

The overtures that initiate those plans have been put into motion and if approved by the General Assembly will allow same-sex marriage in the PCUSA by June 21, 2014.

Overture to change marriage

Cascades Presbytery has approved an overture (Ovt. 021) that completely re-writes the Book of Order’s section on marriage – W4.9000, to “to allow marriage between ‘two people’ rather than limiting marriage to ‘between one man and one woman’ and to allow PCUSA church officials to perform marriage ceremonies between same sex couples,” according to the overture’s rationale.

If approved by the assembly and a majority of the presbyteries in the PCUSA, the new definition of marriage for the PCUSA would read:

Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the well-being of the entire human family. Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people to love and support each other for the rest of their lives. The sacrificial love that unites the couple sustains them as faithful and responsible members of the church and the wider community.

In civil law, marriage is a contract that recognizes the rights and obligations of the married couple in society. In the Reformed tradition, marriage is also a covenant in which God has an active part, and which the community of faith publicly witnesses and acknowledges.

If they meet the requirements of the civil jurisdiction in which they intend to marry, a couple may request that a service of Christian marriage be conducted by a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), who is authorized, though not required, to act as an agent of the civil jurisdiction in recording the marriage contract. A couple requesting a service of Christian marriage shall receive instruction from the teaching elder, who shall agree to the couple’s request only if, in the judgment of the teaching elder, the couple demonstrate sufficient understanding of the nature of the marriage covenant and commitment to living their lives together according to its values. In making this decision the teaching elder may seek the counsel of the session, which has authority to permit or deny the use of church property for a marriage service.

The marriage service shall be conducted in a manner appropriate to this covenant and to the forms of Reformed worship, under the direction of the teaching elder and the supervision of the session (W-1.4004-.4006). In a service of marriage, the couple marry each other by exchanging mutual promises. The teaching elder witnesses the couple’s promises and pronounces God’s blessing upon their union. The community of faith pledges to support the couple in upholding their promises; prayers may be offered for the couple, for the communities which support them, and for all who seek to live in faithfulness.

A service of worship recognizing a civil marriage and confirming it in the community of faith may be appropriate when requested by the couple. The service will be similar to the marriage service except that the statements made shall reflect the fact that the couple are already married to one another according to the laws of the civil jurisdiction.

“Cascades Presbytery stands with those in the PCUSA who believe that the teachings of Jesus call for radical inclusion of all people and that the actions of Jesus, passed down in scripture, showed unconditional love and equality for all people. We believe that God created each of us with many differences, including sexual preferences, and that those differences are to be celebrated as part of the creative plan of God,” states the overture’s rationale. “Support of marriage equality is consistent with our faith tradition. The covenant of marriage requires love and commitment; qualities which are in no way gender specific.”

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