Presbyterian Church U.S.A. to allow gay and lesbian clergy
May 11, 2011 -- Updated 0310 GMT (1110 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The deciding vote was cast by the Twin Cities presbytery
- The change will take effect starting July 10
- "Feelings on both sides run deep," denominational leaders say in a letter
The church put the vote to its 173 presbyteries, or governing bodies, nationwide.
On Tuesday, the Twin Citites Area presbytery, which covers Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, became the 87th presbytery -- and the deciding vote -- to approve an amendment that will remove the constitutional requirement that all ministers, elders and deacons live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness."
The change, which opens up the possibility that people in same-sex relationships can be considered for ordination, is expected to take effect starting on July 10. It is the latest move by a Protestant denomination toward the inclusion of gay and lesbian clergy.
"I see this as an opportunity to build a stronger church. Faithful and qualified lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Presbyterians will be able to openly serve the church with energy, intelligence, imagination and love," said Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards, a Presbyterian minister in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, soon after the vote.
Denominational leaders sent a letter to all congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which compared the debate around ordination standards to a "Presbyterian family struggle." According to the church's website, it has 2.3 million members in 50 states and Puerto Rico.
"Reactions to this change will span a wide spectrum. Some will rejoice, while others will weep," the letter said. "Those who rejoice will see the change as an action, long in coming, that makes the PC(USA) an inclusive church that recognizes and receives the gifts for ministry of all those who feel called to ordained office. Those who weep will consider this change one that compromises biblical authority and acquiesces to present culture. The feelings on both sides run deep."
An organization called Presbyterians for Renewal spoke out against the possible change earlier this month, calling it a "source of unspeakably deep grief."
"While in some ways this vote is just another step in the ongoing disintegration of a denomination we have known and loved, this particular vote verifies the deep and unquestionable divisions among us -- and consummates a significant institutional departure from the Christian faith we have been called to pro-claim," it said.
Last year, the Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly lesbian bishop -- the Rev. Mary Glasspool of Los Angeles -- in the face of objections from some conservative Anglicans. Her consecration drew opposition from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who said Glasspool's ordination would deepen rifts in the church.
Glasspool
was the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church since Gene
Robinson took office in New Hampshire in 2004. Episcopalians instituted a
temporary ban on gay bishops after Robinson's ordination but later
revoked that ban.
Dear
Viewer: The Presbyterian Church along with other reformed churches,
i.e. Lutheran, Episcopalian have embraced the abomination of
homosexuality within their camp(see video above). They believe and
practice same sex marriage, accept homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgenders as members of their churches, as well as ordaining them to
the ministry! Over the centuries they have boasted of being impeccable
and flawless in their theological views, But these claims obviously has
backfired on them and proven to be false. They have been one of the
chief critics and opponents of Charismatic Christians on a global scale.
This is the fruit that has been produced by them as a direct result of
their Calvinistic and Cessationist heresies. These reformed churches
have fallen into APOSTASY. They are by biblical definition corrupt and
their abominations are a stench in God's nostrils. And keep in mind that
these individuals are raising little children that will eventually
become corrupted as they are, sending these kids into eternal damnation
when they are old enough to be accountable before God for their own
sins. We are indeed living in the last days.
In Matthew 24 and Luke 17, Jesus gave us a clear warning and indication of what this world would be like near the time of His second coming. Looking forward to the time just before His return, Christ saw the scene of this world and it was a mirror of what it was like back in both Noah's and Lot's day.
Matthew 24:37-39 ...'But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.'
Luke 17:28-30 ...'Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.'
So what we need to find out now is what was it like back in the days of Noah and Lot.
IN NOAH's DAY - Genesis 6:5,11,12 ...'And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.'
IN LOT's DAY - Jude 1:7 ...'Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.'
As we can see, the world in Noah's day was full of wickedness with the thoughts of men continually evil. The earth was corrupt and FILLED with violence. Love had surely 'waxed cold' in Noah's day. Also, we can see from Jude that in Lot's day, sexual immorality and homosexuality had taken control of the people of Sodom. And Jesus tells us that these things would be COMBINED and all happening at once during the last days before His return. So does the day we live in fit with this description? YES!
Not only is this world today full of violence and sexual immorality, including homosexuality. These evils have now been turned into ENTERTAINMENT!! This world is now ENTERTAINED by the very things that God DESTROYED the old world and Sodom for in Noah's and Lot's day!
Let's take homosexuality as an example, or 'going after strange flesh' like they did in Sodom. Since 2001, 14 countries have fully legalized homosexual marriage - Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, Uraguay, France, with parts of North and South America doing the same. And the list is growing all the time.
2 Peter 2:4-6 ...'For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly.'
Do you see what the LORD is telling us here? He made an example of the wicked people in Noah's day who were filled with evil and showed violence to one another by destroying them with the flood. And He made an example of the sexually immoral people in Lot's day who practiced homosexuality by destroying them with fire. It is a warning to us that we should not follow in their footsteps by practicing the same sins. Otherwise, we will be destroyed too when Jesus returns.
In Matthew 24 and Luke 17, Jesus gave us a clear warning and indication of what this world would be like near the time of His second coming. Looking forward to the time just before His return, Christ saw the scene of this world and it was a mirror of what it was like back in both Noah's and Lot's day.
Matthew 24:37-39 ...'But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.'
Luke 17:28-30 ...'Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.'
So what we need to find out now is what was it like back in the days of Noah and Lot.
IN NOAH's DAY - Genesis 6:5,11,12 ...'And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.'
IN LOT's DAY - Jude 1:7 ...'Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.'
As we can see, the world in Noah's day was full of wickedness with the thoughts of men continually evil. The earth was corrupt and FILLED with violence. Love had surely 'waxed cold' in Noah's day. Also, we can see from Jude that in Lot's day, sexual immorality and homosexuality had taken control of the people of Sodom. And Jesus tells us that these things would be COMBINED and all happening at once during the last days before His return. So does the day we live in fit with this description? YES!
Not only is this world today full of violence and sexual immorality, including homosexuality. These evils have now been turned into ENTERTAINMENT!! This world is now ENTERTAINED by the very things that God DESTROYED the old world and Sodom for in Noah's and Lot's day!
Let's take homosexuality as an example, or 'going after strange flesh' like they did in Sodom. Since 2001, 14 countries have fully legalized homosexual marriage - Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, Uraguay, France, with parts of North and South America doing the same. And the list is growing all the time.
2 Peter 2:4-6 ...'For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly.'
Do you see what the LORD is telling us here? He made an example of the wicked people in Noah's day who were filled with evil and showed violence to one another by destroying them with the flood. And He made an example of the sexually immoral people in Lot's day who practiced homosexuality by destroying them with fire. It is a warning to us that we should not follow in their footsteps by practicing the same sins. Otherwise, we will be destroyed too when Jesus returns.
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