Posted on 03/17/2015 6:09:07 PM PDT by Citizen Zed
After three decades of debate over its stance on homosexuality, members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted on Tuesday to change the definition of marriage in the churchs constitution to include same-sex marriage.
The final approval by a majority of the churchs 171 regional bodies, known as presbyteries, enshrines a change recommended last year by the churchs General Assembly. The vote amends the churchs constitution to broaden marriage from being between a man and a woman to two people, traditionally a man and a woman.
The Presbytery of the Palisades, meeting in Fair Lawn, N.J., put the ratification count over the top on Tuesday on a voice vote. With many presbyteries still left to vote, the tally early Tuesday evening stood at 86 presbyteries in favor and 41 against and one tied.
Finally, the church in its constitutional documents fully recognizes that the love of gays and lesbian couples is worth celebrating in the faith community, said the Rev. Brian D. Ellison, executive director of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, which advocates gay inclusion in the church. There is still disagreement, and I dont mean to minimize that, but I think we are learning that we can disagree and still be church together.
The church, with about 1.8 million members, is the largest of the nations Presbyterian denominations, but it has been losing congregations and individual members as it has moved to the left theologically over the past several years. There was a wave of departures in and after 2011, when the presbyteries ratified a decision to ordain gays and lesbians as pastors, elders and deacons, and that may have cleared the way for Tuesdays vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at mobile.nytimes.com ...
The disciples of Christ denomination has chosen to commit spiritual suicide also?
Altar boys.
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