Commissioners’ opinions were varied on the season of study.
For the past two years, presbyteries have been wrapped up in discussions about changes to ordination standards and a new Form of Government, both of which were approved by the 219th General Assembly (2010), said Allen Foster, a teaching elder from Glacier Presbytery. They need this time to focus on studying marriage, he said.
But other commissioners saw the study as a way to delay action.
“While we are thrilled with yet another study, it doesn’t give any relief to those of us in states where same-sex marriage is legal,” said Karen Bartel, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of East Iowa.
It seems the PCUSA, like TEC, will continue to do “‘serious study and discernment’ on marriage” until they have studied and discerned themselves right out of what God’s word says clearly and unambigously enough for a child to understand. Jesus thought “one man, one woman for life” was stated clearly enough in Genesis. But I guess we know better now.
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.