(RNS) — Stt Barber, chair of the Overtur Commtee, told the elrs votg on the overture that s tent is not to exclu Christians who are gay but rema celibate. Still, that’s not the way many opponents of the overture received s approval.
Contents:
- THE GAY FUTURE OF THE PRBYTERIAN CHURCH AMERI
- PRBYTERIAN CHURCH AMERI LEARS SAY THOSE WHO INTIFY AS GAY ARE NOT QUALIFIED FOR ORDATN
- PRBYTERIANS NTUE TO BE DIVID OVER GAYS AS LEARS SPL ON 2 GAY-IENDLY MEASUR
THE GAY FUTURE OF THE PRBYTERIAN CHURCH AMERI
Wh an timated 3.1 ln members, the Prbyterian Church (USA) is very supportive of gay, lbian and bisexual people. * presbyterian church gay friendly *
Gay Activist. 1968 November A Brooklyn Heights Prbyterian church holds a “two-hour worship service and symposium on the subject of homosexualy, ” which clus a performance of part of the gay themed off-Broadway play “The Boys the Band.
PRBYTERIAN CHURCH AMERI LEARS SAY THOSE WHO INTIFY AS GAY ARE NOT QUALIFIED FOR ORDATN
We are an LGBTQ, gay iendly church, welg all people to the church regardls of race, age, sexual orientatn, or sexual inty. * presbyterian church gay friendly *
1970 Undated The General Assembly of the Uned Prbyterian Church releas a statement entled “Sexualy and the Human Communy” which ntas a brief sectn on homosexualy. While the stat of homosexualy as a “s” is mataed, the Assembly also approv a remendatn that lls for the “elimatn of laws erng the private sexual behavr of nsentg adults.
David Bailey Sdt begs the Prbyterian Gay Cc, which later be Prbyterians for Lbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC), by holdg a sign at the General Assembly that asks “Is anyone else out there gay? 1975 May The Prbyterian Gay Cc is nied “unofficial anizatn” stat by the General Assembly who “appreciat the reprentativ as Christian persons, ” but “do not ndone their sexual orientatn and life-style.
1976 Undated Bill Silver bee the first openly gay ndidate for mistry the Prbyterian Church, which opens a lengthy bate wh the church over the ordatn of homosexuals. 1977 May The rults of a qutnnaire sent by the 1976 task force to UPCUSA members and pastors dit that the overwhelmg majory would not accept a homosexual pastor and believe that “homosexual activi are not ‘normal and nsistent wh God’s orr.
PRBYTERIANS NTUE TO BE DIVID OVER GAYS AS LEARS SPL ON 2 GAY-IENDLY MEASUR
* presbyterian church gay friendly *
June The UPCUSA General Assembly rejects a proposals to prevent the future ordatn of gay misters, to end the task force tablished to study homosexualy, and to refer to homosexualy as a “not ‘ndoned as a life-style, ’” and also stat “the need of the Church to stand for the jt treatment of homosexual persons… regard to their civil liberti, equal rights, and protectn unr the law om social and enomic discrimatn. 1978 January The UPCUSA task force studyg homosexualy releas a report which the majory of the group remends that open homosexuals should not be prevented om ordatn or other learship rol the church.
The study, which also stat that homosexual relatnships are pable of beg “ethilly sound, ” mt go before the General Assembly for approval, and stantly opens the church’s ‘most ser ntroversy sce the Civil War. May The UPCUSA General Assembly “overwhelmgly adopts a report” prohibg the ordatn of open homosexuals, but “strongly endorsg” gay civil rights. The report leav up to dividual clergy the cisn to orda a gays or lbians who take a vow of celibacy and also officially wel gays and lbians as church members.