Presbyterians Discuss Task Force Report on Sexuality
Hours of talk between the largest reformed group within the PC(USA) and the church’s official Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity revealed enduring differences of opinion over homosexuality in the denomination.
Hours of talk between the largest reformed group within the PC(USA) and the church’s official Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity revealed enduring differences of opinion over homosexuality in the denomination.
The May 10 meeting between members of the Presbyterian Coalition and the Theological Task Force produced no new insight to the thorny issue that has threatened the unity of the church body. Instead, it reinforced the core differences that had caused evangelical leaders to criticize the task force’s report on homosexuality since it was released last year.
According to the Presbyterian News Service, the daylong gathering in Chicago was “arguably the most in-depth opportunity” the task force had allowed for people to ask questions about the intent and impact of their report.
“We are proposing an experiment,” said Mark Achtemeier, one of twenty TTF members. Achtemeier explained that the task force was never meant to bring a solution to the decades-long battle over homosexuality. Instead, he said, the task force’s goal was to find ways for the church to move together in unity, despite having a large minority disagreeing with the denomination’s current policy on gay ordinations and marriage ceremonies.
The PC(USA), like most mainline churches, has been embroiled in a fierce battle over scriptural authority and homosexuality.
Last year, the Theological Task Force released a years-long report that recommended the PC(USA) keep its current standards prohibiting the ordination of gay individuals. However, the task force also gave a window for some pastors to violate the standards as long as the minister keeps to other “essentials” of faith.
One question asked during the Chicago meeting surrounded how these “essentials” should be determined.
Jerry Andrews, the Coalition’s co-moderator, suggested that the church as a whole should determine the standards in regards to the ordination of gay and lesbians.
However, Milton “Joe” Coalter, library director at Union Theological Seminary, said if such decisions of enforcement are made, the church do so in other areas of “sins” as well. He gave the example of some pastors neglecting to observe the Sabbath as a day of worship and rest despite biblical mandates.
He asked people to “recognize the heterogeneity” of beliefs already in the denomination, not just on gay ordinations but other issues as well.
The task force’s report will be further discussed and may be approved by the denomination at the upcoming biennial meeting in Birmingham, Ala.
