Presbyterian Church Votes To Allow Gay Marriages

[hrmjustin]

Jaweed Kaleem

In a monumental move, the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination voted Thursday to change its definition of marriage and allow its pastors to officiate same-sex ceremonies in states where gay marriage is legal.

By a vote of 429-175, leaders of the 1.76 million-member Presbyterian Church (USA) voted during the biennial General Assembly in Detroit to change the denomination's Book of Order to describe marriage as being between "two people."

The decision opens a path toward gay marriage across the denomination's 10,000 churches.

A majority of the church's 172 regional bodies, called Presbyteries, must now approve the decision before it's official, a process that can take up to a year. But after years of failed efforts to get the church to approve gay marriages, LGBT activists and pastors said they were optimistic.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/presbyterian-church-gay-marriage_n_5512756.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

[kentauros]

1. 429-175!

That's quite the margin! Yay Presbyterians!

I don't feel the Baptists will jump on the bandwagon anytime soon. But that's okay. It's like we're approaching a critical mass, and they'll just be left behind, like on so many other issues, their power draining away...

[hrmjustin]

2. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

I did not think it had that much suppor within the Presbyterians Church. But there are several branches of the Presbyterians Church.

[kentauros]

3. I have to admit that I don't know all the different groups

or even the different types of Christianity out there. Maybe someone has a flowchart or branching chart to help those of us not in any particular religion keep it all straight (so to speak)

[okasha]

4. I'm not sure how the Presbies sort out either.

But good on the ones that have endorsed marriage equality.

Poor old John Calvin and John Knox have got to be spinning in their graves.

[NCarolinawoman]

5. Presbyterian Church (USA) is the much more liberal one.

The conservative one is Presbyterian Church of America. Very similar in name but quite a difference.

I learned about this in a funny way. After attending Presbyterian Church (USA) in North Carolina , I went to Philadelphia to continue my schooling and to later find employment.
I was looking for a Church in Center Philadelphia and walked into a Presbyterian Church of America and wondered what in the heck was going on. The whole tenner was different . Couldn't figure it out. Tried out another Presbyterian Church (USA)and felt at home immediately. I, a Presbyterian , had to have someone explain the difference to me. I actually think there are many Presbyterians who don't know the difference
until they have the experience that I did.

I am back in NC, living in a different part of Raleigh, and now attend one of the United Methodist Churches here--church I was raised in.

Many of the clergy Presbyterian (USA) and Methodist churches are involved in the Moral Monday movement here in NC. Along with the liberal branches of the Baptist churches--
They really do exist! There was a Baptist schism back in the 1970's, 80's. A whole lot of people wanted no part of Jerry Falwell and his crowd.

[okasha]

6. Thanks for sorting that out.