The Presbyterian Church (USA) & same-sex
unions, from 1991 to GA preparations in 2001

"the moral for Christians ought not be marriage, but rather justice-love...Where there is justice- love, sexual expression has ethical integrity. That moral principle applies to single, as well as to married, persons, to gay, lesbian and bisexual persons, as well as to heterosexual persons."

A minority found that Scripture condemned homosexuality as immoral. One source reports that, by a lopsided vote of 501 to 7, the General Assembly voted to reject the majority report and accept the minority report. They declared that God's intention is that sexual activity be confined to one woman and one man within a marriage; offered compassion and forgiveness for gays and lesbians who cannot follow that path; and confirmed that no openly homosexual persons can be ordained. However, General Assembly documents indicate that no decision was made on either report; neither the majority nor the minority position was accepted.

In 1999-JAN, following a study of the complaint, the< Presbytery voted 107 to 35 to allow ministers to perform same-sex union rituals. ₁ They also stated that this action "reflects our understanding at this time that these ceremonies do not constitute marriage as defined by 'The Book of Order.'" ₂ Steve Geckeler of the Presbyterian Church in White Places, NY, said: "I think that God's tears are a lot less every time we affirm monogamy over promiscuity."

This action will probably trigger some action by the Church on union ceremonies. This could take the form of a complaint against the presbytery or session or minister. It could trigger an amendment to the The Book of Order which would totally prohibit such rituals. The 1994 General Assembly passed such an amendment, but it was rejected by the presbyteries in 1995. More details

"In a case that is now under appeal to the General Assembly's Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC; the church's highest court), lower courts have ruled that amending the church's constitution to flatly prohibit same-sex unions is a better way of resolving the issue than depending on court cases. At least three presbyteries (district governing bodies) have submitted overtures to that effect." ₃

2000-JAN-11: NY, VT, NJ: According to PCUSA NEWS, three judicial cases from the Synod of the Northeast have been appealed to the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC). In the Hudson River Presbytery's case, the synod PJC ruled that same-sex union ceremonies are not marriages and are thus permitted in churches.

"In his arguments...Gordon Fish, who represented the complainants, argued that the synod PJC's ruling that same-sex unions do not constitute marriage is a 'case of semantic hair-splitting' and a 'sham.' He urged the court to overturn it. ... Blessing what the church historically has considered sinful, Fish said, is unconstitutional. He claimed that that view is supported by both the scriptures and the confessions. ₄ [The gay couple] didn't talk about being holy-unioned, but about being married...They didn't order a holy union cake, but a wedding cake."