MLP General Assembly Legislative Summary, July 9

A motion to reconsider last nights General Assembly marriage vote was defeated by 275 to 407. The General Assembly had voted to make Overture 12-12, The Final Report of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage to the 219th General Assembly (2010) Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the answer to all marriage overtures from Committee 12. This had ended discussion of all other pro-LGBT overtures.

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Overture 18-06 On Directing the Board of Pensions to Extend Benefits to Same-Gender Spouses and Domestic Partners passed by 366 to 287 with 9 abstentions. The minority report failed by 295 to 379 with 9 abstentions.

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Overture 19-05, Becoming an HIV and AIDS Competent Church: Prophetic Witness and Compassionate Action, passed by consensus. Overture 19-02, On Encouraging all Presbyterians to Know Their HIV Status, was answered by 19-05.

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MLP General Assembly Legislative Summary, July 8

Overture 06-09 On Amending G-6.0106b to include LGBT persons in ordination passed 373 to 323 with four abstaining. The minority report was defeated by a vote of 259 to 437 (The minority report sought to pass Overture 06-04 on “Restoring to full force and effect the interpretive statements concerning ordained service of homosexual church members by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and the 191st General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States and all subsequent affirmations including the Bush v. Pittsburgh Presbytery (218-10) General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission decision.”).

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The General Assembly approved Overture 12-12, The Final Report of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage to the 219th General Assembly (2010) Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) by a vote of 439 to 208 with 12 abstentions.

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The General Assembly voted to make Overture 12-12, The Final Report of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage to the 219th General Assembly (2010) Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the answer to all marriage overtures from Committee 12. The vote was 348 to 324 with 6 abstentions. The General Assembly will not consider Overtures changing the definition of marriage from "a man and a woman" to "two people" or giving pastors the discretion to marry LGBT people in States that provide civil unions.

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MLP General Assembly Legislative Summary, July 7

The Board of Pensions, Foundation, and Presbyterian Publishing Committee was called back today because of a contradictory vote between Overtures 18-06 and 18-01. Both Overtures directed the Board of Pensions to Extend Benefits to Same-Gender Spouses and Domestic Partners. The committee action today was to approve an alternate pro-LGBT resolution with comment by 39 to 6. Here is the text of the alternate resolution with comment:

Alternate Resolution: That the 219th General Assembly (2010): 1. Urge the Board of Pensions to adopt amendments to the Benefits Plan to extend eligibility for spousal and dependent benefits under the Plan to Benefits Plan members, their same-gender domestic partners, and the children of their same-gender domestic partners, on the same basis as, and equivalent to, benefits made available to Benefits Plan members, their spouses, and the children of their spouses. 2. Approve an increase in dues for the Benefits Plan of up to 1 percent, effective January 1, 2012, to be allocated among the plans of the Board of Pensions, including but not limited to the Pension Plan, as the Board, in its sole discretion, deems necessary to fund the cost of the additional benefits. Should the Board not implement these benefits for any reason, approval of the increase in dues is rescinded. Comment: That the Board of Pensions be highly urged to provide relief of conscience, to be implemented simultaneously with these actions, for those congregations for whom these actions cause a moral dilemma. (Action on Comment was separate: 39 affirmative; 6 negative; 0 abstention)

The General Assembly Special Committee on the Heidelberg Catechism's Overture 16-11 passed in the General Assembly by voice vote. It recommends that the General Assembly appoint the present committee to present a new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism to the 220th General Assembly. For more information on the significance of this Overture, read MLP's paper on Restoring the Heidelberg Catechism or the FAQs.

Overture 16-12 from the Special Committee on the Belhar Confession recommending its inclusion of the The Book of Confessions passed in the General Assembly by 525 to 150 with 3 abstentions. The confession is the South African churches' response to apartheid and it addresses racial justice and reconciliation. Overture 16-01 sought to end the process on the Belhar Confession entering the Book of Confessions because it was thought to champion liberation theology and press other issues such as full equality for LGBT persons.

MLP General Assembly Legislative Summary, July 6

Pro-LGBT ordination Overture 06-09 from Western Reserve Presbytery On Amending G-6.0106b passed in the Church Orders & Ministry Committee by 36 to 16 with one abstention.

The Civil Unions & Marriage Issues Committee passed a number of different pro-LGBT marriage Overtures:

• An Overtures that amend the language in W-4.9000 from "a man and a woman" to "two persons". See Overture 12-04 (12-02, 12-03, 12-10 were answered by 12-04).
• An Overture that allows Ministers of the Word and Sacrament and Sessions to exercise pastoral discretion in marrying same-sex couples with civil marriage licenses. See Overture 12-06 (12-07, 12-08, 12-09 were answered by 12-06).

The General Assembly Special Committee on the Heidelberg Catechism's overture 16-11 passed in committee. It recommends that the General Assembly appoint the present committee to present a new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism to the 220th General Assembly.

Overture 16-12 from the Special Committee on the Belhar Confession recommending its inclusion of the The Book of Confessions passed in committee.

MLP General Assembly Legislative Summary, July 5

The vote on the Overture 18-01 On Directing the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to Extend Benefits to Same-gender Spouses and Domestic Partners was to recommend against advancing it to the Plenary. It failed 22 to 20 with two abstentions. MLP has not heard if there will be a minority report (See July 6 Legislative Summary Update).

The Church Orders & Ministry Committee heard from overture advocates and witnesses on a variety of subjects related to ordination overtures. The testimony was followed by small group discussions among members of the committee. The small group discussions concerning postponement of action on ordination overtures seemed to be strongly in favor of moving forward. The small group discussions concerning the ordination overtures themselves were hard to assess for the potential progress of the pro-LGBT overtures.

The Civil Union and Marriage Issues Committee heard witnesses for and against Overture 12-12 The Final Report of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage. The committee spent most today perfecting the majority report and the minority report. In a final vote, The Final Report of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage was sent to the Plenary. The vote was 47 to 8 with 2 abstentions.