Over the top: Amendment O has been defeated
by Hans Cornelder, editor

Today the 87th Presbytery voted "no" on Amendment 00-O. According to our unofficial tally, the Amendment has been defeated.

The rejection of Amendment O by the presbyteries means that the Book of Order remains unchanged and that the current situation in the PC(USA) continues as is: Same-sex marriages are forbidden in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

There appears to be a widespread sense in the church that not many people have changed their minds about ordination of practicing homosexuals or even that a majority is in favor of same-sex marriages. The co-moderators of the Covenant Network, Rev. Deborah A. Block and Rev. Laird J. Stuart, wrote in their March 2001 newsletter: "The negative response to Amendment O does not necessarily translate into an endorsement of same-sex unions..." Leslie Scanlon of The Presbyterian Outlook has written in a February 16 article that the result of the vote on O does not necessarily indicate a change in stance on homosexuality. The Presbyterians Together task force, formed by the Presbyterian Coalition and Presbyterian Renewal Network "in support of Christian marriage and Amendment O" says in a statement issued today: "We are encouraged by the fact that, in the debates surrounding the amendment, we continue to hear very few voices supporting the blessing of gay unions." And the Presbyterian News Service wrote March 2 that according to a recent Presbyterian Panel poll a majority of Presbyterians favors a ban on same-sex ceremonies.

The claim of people who were behind the failed attempt to write an explicit prohibition of the blessing of same-sex unions in the Book of Order of the PC(USA), was that ceremonies of blessing of same-sex unions have been held in our church that in their view were marriage ceremonies in every respect except that the name marriage was not used. They started their drive after the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly (GA-PJC), the highest court of the church, in a May 22, 2000 decision, did not rule against this practice. Apparently, the majority of presbyteries is of the opinion that the current prohibition of same-sex marriage ceremonies in the Constitution of the PC(USA), as interpreted by the GA-PJC, is sufficient, and the more explicit wording of Amendment O is not needed.

Leslie Scanlon of The Presbyterian Outlook has written in a February 16 article that the result of the vote on O does not necessarily indicate a change in stance on homosexuality. We might soon have the opportunity to put her assessment to the test. Many overtures have already been sent to the upcoming General Assembly proposing to lift the ban on the ordination of practicing homosexuals. GA could either vote no on that proposal, or send it as a proposed amendment to the presbyteries for their vote.

And don't rule out another amendment dealing with same-sex union ceremonies.

Better keep our vote chart handy...

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