Though veiled in language, the Maumee Valley Presbytery gave tacit
approval on Tuesday to an amendment which would essentially allow for
the ordination of gays and lesbians within the Presbyterian Church
U.S.A.
The local assembly met at First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green to
vote as one of 173 regional presbyteries in the national organization.
The vote is now forwarded which requires a two-thirds majority approval
of all 173 bodies. If that is achieved, then the proposals will be
brought for final approval at a national convention.
In addition to the approval on Amendment 10-A of the Book of Order, the local group also approved The
Belhar Confession.
The 10-A amendment would replace a section of the national body’s Book
of Order which allows “ordination only to those who are chaste in
singleness or are in a marriage between a man and a woman.”
Many consider this change as one which would allow the ordination of
gays and lesbians. The new wording does not specifically address sexual
preference, but rather calls for a requirement to “examine each
candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation and suitability for the
responsibilities of office.”
Further the proposed amendment states “Governing bodies shall be guided
by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual
candidates.”
According to Dean McGormley, the stated clerk for the local presbytery,
the assembly spent very little time on these matters, and much of its
time on other matters of the church and its work.
The vote was 67-39 in favor of passing the amendment after roughly a
half-hour of discussion. The clerk said there was also one blank ballot
which could be considered an abstention.
“That was not nearly as much (discussion) as in years past,” McGormley said.
The amendment would mark a return to the practices of the church’s
Adopting Act of 1729, which established a unified Presbyterian church in
America.
Some churches across the country, have left the denomination over this matter.
Despite the focus on the sexuality portions of the amendment, the clerk said it really goes much deeper.

“The word gay and lesbian does not appear in the wording of the
amendment,” he said. “This has a lot to do with ordination standards.
There is a whole plethora of standards and goes way beyond a single
issue.”
When questioned about the sexual orientation aspect of the amendment, he
replied “some might interpret it that way, but it is still a matter for
each local presbytery.”
Most do consider the passage of this amendment would open the door for
gay and lesbian ordination without specifically addressing the issue.
A notice from the Bowling Green church reads, “An entire class of people
as defined by their sexual orientation, which many faithful
Presbyterians consider God-given, will no longer be excluded on that
basis.”
In a telephone conversation, the clerk expressed his frustration at the media’s focus on one issue.
“We’re much more than one issue. The church spends hundreds and hundreds
of hours in the service of Jesus Christ. There’s a lot more to religion
than that issue,” McGormley said.
He noted that in all his years of service the only time he has been
asked for comments about presbytery business is on issues of gay
marriage or ordination.
“This is a comment about the press not the issue,” he said.
McGormley said the gathering only spent 10 minutes of discussion on the
Belhar Confession before it approved adoption by a vote of 29-26, again
with one blank ballot.
This confession is a statement of faith which comes out of apartheid in
Africa and speaks against unjust actions. It speaks to the Christian
belief in justice everywhere.