Presbyterian church gay rights
Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Same-Sex Marriage
In recent years, same-sex marriage has been a contentious subject within many religious groups in the U.S. Here is an overview of where 16 religious groups verb on this issue.
American Baptist Churches USA
In , the governing body of the American Baptist Churches USA affirmed that &#;God&#;s design for sexual intimacy places it within the context of marriage between one man and one woman&#; and that &#;homosexuality is incompatible with Biblical teaching.&#; In , the church&#;s Pacific Southwest regional board (which includes churches in California, Hawaii, Nevada and Arizona) split from the denomination because the denomination’s national leadership declined to penalize congregations that welcomed openly gay members.
Buddhism
There is no universal Buddhist position on same-sex marriage. According to some interpretations of the Buddha&#;s teachings, one of the 10 non-virtuous deeds that lead to suffering is &#;sexual misconduct.&#; This term is generally understood to refer primarily to adultery. However, some Buddhist
Presbyterian church accused of singling out LGBT people
BBC News NI education correspondent
The Presbyterian Church has been accused of an "obsessive preoccupation" with sexual identity and of singling out LGBT people.
The claim was made after a Presbyterian minister resigned after being investigated for attending the Pride parade in Dublin.
Reverend Dr Katherine Meyer was ruled by a church court to have failed to "yield submission in the Lord to the courts of the Church".
A Presbyterian Church spokesperson said the resignation of anyone from the Church was "a matter of regret".
'One of the most painful decisions of my life'
In a statement to BBC News NI, Rev Dr Meyer said resigning from her ministry was "one of the most painful decisions of my life".
"Like any intelligent woman of my generation, I possess worked a lifetime in historically patriarchal institutions," she said.
Rev Dr Meyer also said that she had faced complaints because of "my pastoral support for members of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) Considers Forcing LGBTQ Affirmation
An increasingly revisionist Presbyterian Church (USA) will take up legislation at its th General Assembly June 25 &#; July 4 in Salt Lake City barring ordination of candidates who are not LGBTQ-affirming.
Designated OVT, the proposal, known as an overture in Presbyterian parlance, would change two sections of the PCUSA Book of Order. The first alter alters section F, “Unity in Diversity,” to interpret (changes in brackets):
“The unity of believers in Christ is reflected in the rich diversity of the Church’s membership. In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, God unites persons through baptism, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, [gender identity, sexual orientation,] disability, geography, or theological conviction. There is therefore no place in the life of the Church for discrimination against any person. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) shall guarantee occupied participation and representation in its worship, governance, and emerging life to all persons or groups within its membership. No member shall be In its prospectus for examine prepared by the Advisory Council on Church and Society and accepted by the task force at its first meeting, the group's purpose was described this way:
The Church and Homosexuality
1. Identify and evaluate various theological and biblical perspectives on homosexuality, giving attention to specific biblical texts and themes. Give attention to confessional stands and specific attention to the positions taken by the nd General Assembly ().
2. Survey general studies and research, and assess theories and assumptions about homosexuality in brightness of biblical and theological perspectives and current understandings about homosexuality in the social and behavioral sciences, in homophile groups, and in society at large.
3. Identify and evaluate areas of ethical concern, with particular emphasis on personal freedom, personal responsibility, and human rights, and discriminatory practices, both in the church and in society generally.
4. Suggest guidelines for faithful Christian response to the conflicts between values, rights, and human communities manifest i