After a long and complicated debate Friday afternoon and evening of General Assembly, the gathered commissioners chose to maintain the Biblical definition of marriage. They voted down overtures to redefine marriage and to issue an authoritative interpretation to allow teaching elders to conduct marriages for same sex couples in states where that is legal. Instead, the assembly approved a two-year “season of serious study and discernment” for presbyteries and congregations regarding the meaning of Christian marriage.
Commissioner Bill Thro remarked, “This is a Gideon moment ”“ a victory that never would have happened. I think God saved the PCUSA from schism tonight. I am humbled that God called my colleagues and me to play a role in this drama.” Thro was a member of the Civil Unions and Marriage Committee and presented one of the minority reports.
I was so pleased (and shocked!) reading this -just to be pulled up short when I got to “PCUSA” and realized this is NOT General Convention, but General Assy (as is clearly stated).
The waters of the Spirit of the Age are rising everywhere, but may God guide our brothers and sisters such that they may learn from our example.
Way too early to celebrate a 30-some vote margin out of some 630 votes to reject same-sex marriage, for now. The reasserters see a victory for God’s truth, the reappraisers (just as they did in TEC) see incremental progress toward their goal with victory in sight. All they need do is continue to flout and disobey their book of order or discipline and erode, erode, erode until reasserters tire of the struggle. The Great Apostasy continues apace.