PCUSA Presbytery Rescinds Decision to Support Gay Marriage

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)’s presbytery of Baltimore rescinded its vote to support an amicus curiae brief favoring same-sex marriages in Maryland, on January 13, 2004.

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, January 15, 2005

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)’s presbytery of Baltimore rescinded its vote to support an amicus curiae brief favoring same-sex marriages in Maryland, on January 13, 2004.

According to the Presbyterian Layman, Thursday’s vote was made in response to a complaint that charged the Presbytery of going against the policies of the larger denomination.

The PC(USA), similar to most major protestant denominations, does not support the legalization of same-sex “marriages” both in the civil court and in the church pews. During the denomination’s annual (now biennial) meeting last June, the delegates voted to keep the laws that define marriage as between one man and one woman only.

The law states:

Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the wellbeing of the entire human family. Marriage is a civil contract between a woman and a man. For Christians marriage is a covenant through which a man and a woman are called to live out together before God their lives of discipleship. In a service of Christian marriage a lifelong commitment is made by a woman and a man to each other, publicly witnessed and acknowledged by the community of faith.

Despite the establishment of such a definition of marriage, the Presbytery of Baltimore voted last November to approve three statements involving same-sex marriage.

The statements, according to the Layman, stated:

-- "That the Presbytery of Baltimore goes on record … in support of the recognition of 'Civil Marriage' for same-gender couples as an appropriate means for securing access to the rights, benefits, privileges, and responsibilities of marriage in our society."

-- "That the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery is directed to subscribe the Presbytery of Baltimore to the Amicus Brief being filed in the case of Deane and Polyak vs. Conaway on behalf of religious organizations and individuals in Maryland, provided that a review of the brief by the Stated Clerk determines that it is consistent with this and all other policy statements of the Presbytery."

-- "That the Peace and Justice Committee be directed to include in its advocacy opposition to legislation and constitutional amendments which further prohibit civil marriage."

Gitanjali Deane and Lisa Polyak is a lesbian couple who filed a civil action suit against Frank Conaway, Baltimore city’s circuit court clerk, when they were refused an opportunity to apply for a marriage license. The two lesbians are congregants of Brown Memorial Park Presbyterian Church, one of the churches in the Baltimore Presbytery.

Brown Memorial affirmed in their overture that they believe “the State of Maryland has no compelling interest in restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples, with the result that gay and lesbian couples are denied the privileges, benefits, and responsibilities of marriage."

Following the Presbytery’s acceptance of the overture, two clergymen - the Rev. Joseph Condro of Churchville Presbyterian Church in Churchville, Md., and the Rev. David Wilson, pastor of Grove Presyterian Church in Aberdeen, Md. – filed a complaint claming three parts:

-- The [November] action of the presbytery was contradictory to the Constitution. The Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church recognizes marriage as a union only of a man and woman, whether the marriage is conducted in a church or in a civil ceremony.

-- The presbytery was required to tell the overturing sessions that they were in error in supporting a position contrary to the Constitution.

-- The presbytery does not have the authority to sign onto an amicus brief.

The vote was 86-71.