So far, 85 presbyteries have voted to support Amendment 10-A, which would delete from the PC(USA) constitution the requirement that candidates for ordination practice \u201cfidelity in marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.\u201d\u009d Instead it affirms in more general terms that \u201c[s]tandards for ordained service reflect the church\u2019s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life\u201d\u009d and that \u201c[g]overning bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Sixty-two (62) presbyteries have disapproved the amendment.<\/p>\n
Compared to the last round (in 2008-09) of voting on that proposed change, eighteen (18) presbyteries have now switched from opposition to support, while just three (3) presbyteries have withdrawn their support.
\nPassage of the amendment requires 87 affirmative votes, including a minimum of net nine presbyteries to switch from opposition to support, so the net change so far of 15 presbytery votes indicates an almost unstoppable trend toward passage, which is likely to occur within the next week.<\/p>\n