Many, both conservative and liberal, widely assumed that the nearly 3 million member Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) inevitably would follow the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ in formally renouncing traditional Christian teachings about sex.
Liberal Presbyterian activists had urged deleting the church’s expectation of “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.” It’s important to remember that liberal activists do not simply want to legitimize same-sex “marriage.” They also want Christianity to abandon its concept of chastity.
Nearly all the local presbyteries of that denomination have voted, and a majority have now rejected the liberal initiative. The church’s expectation of fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness will formally continue.
Read it all here.
Alan Wisdom, Institute on Religion and Democracy’s Vice President for Research and Programs and Director of its Presbyterian Action committee, commented:
This is fourth time in 12 years that PCUSA presbyteries have voted on sexuality standards. Each time they have upheld “fidelity and chastity.” If ever there were a case when the church had made up its mind on an issue, this is it. Faithful Presbyterians ask the proponents of non-marital relationships to stop forcing this divisive issue and instead endeavor to live within the church’s constitution.
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