PCUSA Approves Gay/Lesbian Ordination - Timeline Event
Time Period
07-08-2010
Description
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) had debated the ordination of LGBTQ members for decades prior to 2010. They were welcomed as members, and non-practicing LGBTQ members could serve as ministers, but it remained controversial to ordain "openly"/partnered gay members.
As explicit standards on blocking homosexual ordination starting to disappear, the General Assembly finally voted to approve of the ordination of "openly"/partner gays and lesbians on July 8, 2010 by a vote of 373 to 323. This new amendment was ratified on May 10, 2011. Approximately 19 presbyteries that voted against the issue in 2008-2009 switched to "yes" votes, including conservative areas, like northern Alabama. Some that resisted the issue in the past felt that gay/lesbian ordination was "inevitable" in any case.
The approval of gay/lesbian ordination upset conservative members, with some leaving to join more conservative denominations, like the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, which formed less than year after the new amendment was ratified.
As explicit standards on blocking homosexual ordination starting to disappear, the General Assembly finally voted to approve of the ordination of "openly"/partner gays and lesbians on July 8, 2010 by a vote of 373 to 323. This new amendment was ratified on May 10, 2011. Approximately 19 presbyteries that voted against the issue in 2008-2009 switched to "yes" votes, including conservative areas, like northern Alabama. Some that resisted the issue in the past felt that gay/lesbian ordination was "inevitable" in any case.
The approval of gay/lesbian ordination upset conservative members, with some leaving to join more conservative denominations, like the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, which formed less than year after the new amendment was ratified.
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Presbyterian-Reformed Family: Other ARDA LinksPresbyterian-Reformed Family: Religious Family Tree
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Presbyterian-Reformed FamilyPhotographs
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Presbyterian General Assembly 2010- Flickr- photo by Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
