Scott Anderson, the only openly gay member of the former Task Force on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church, has been enrolled as an Inquirer under the care of the John Knox Presbytery after a unanimous vote of the presbytery on Nov. 14.
Inquiry is the initial phase in the process for seeking ordination as a Minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Anderson previously set aside his ordination in 1990, acknowledging that he is gay. Existing church policy opposes the ordination of openly practicing gay and lesbian persons. However, many believe that actions taken by the 2006 General Assembly of the PC(USA) give presbyteries more latitude in making ordination decisions.
John Knox Presbytery is a PC(USA) regional governing body that includes 61 congregations and more than 110 ministers in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest and south central Wisconsin. The presbytery provides care and oversight for its ministers and churches. It has responsibility for overseeing the ordination process for ministers.
Scott Anderson is a member of Covenant Church in Madison, Wis. He has been endorsed as an Inquirer by the Session (governing board) of Covenant Church. He currently serves as executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, a statewide ecumenical organization. He previously held a similar position in California.
