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GA 2010: Pre-GA conversation explores civil unions, Christian marriage report

Six members of the General Assembly Special Committee on Civil Union and Christian Marriage – two of whom were authors of a minority report from that committee – presented the special committee’s findings and fielded questions from a group of 150 commissioners and advisory delegates on July 3, at one of the Riverside Conversations that preceeded the formal opening of the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Many of those who attended the session were Young Adult Advisory Delegates.

The General Assembly in 2008 created the committee and charged it with exploring a variety of issues surrounding marriage and civil unions, within the context of the current legal definition of marriage. Committee members described the fear that surrounds conversations on divisive issues, and emphasized their commitment to stay in this conversation together.

“It became very clear early on that we weren’t going to come to agreement,” said Clayton Allard, a minister from Texas and a member of the committee. “We do not have a silver bullet. I hope one of the great gifts that we bring to the denomination is the covenant.”

That covenant, “Those Whom God Has Joined Together, Let No One Separate,” was drafted by the committee and guided its work, and the committee recommended the covenant to all governing bodies who meet together to discuss divisive issues.

Jim Szeyller, a pastor from North Carolina who has served as moderator of the committee, also expressed hope that the church will find a way to stay in conversation despite disagreements, saying, “What then are we to do? Our solution is to draw near to the one who saves us: Jesus Christ. We have not always fought fair and we have not always fought well. Our duty as a church is to find a more excellent way.”

Szeyller later added, “We cannot keep retreating to our theological bunkers and lobbing hand grenades. We have got to find a way to gather around the table of Jesus Christ and work these questions out. I am naïve enough to believe that people can gather around Jesus Christ.”

Many of the questions from commissioners and advisory delegates were actually comments reflecting the theological diversity within the PC(USA) on this issue.

“As individuals, we know what God is calling us to do and be,” said David Hampton, a commissioner from Cascades Presbytery. “As a church, we do not know that yet. It takes a bit of humility to realize that God is still teaching us, and we haven’t gotten the word yet.”

Katie Pate is pastor of Milwaukie Church, just outside of Portland, Oregon.

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