[MLPnews] Judicial Ruling Reaffirms Need for Constitutional Change

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    Judicial Ruling Reaffirms Need for Constitutional Change

	   
Monday, February 18 2008 @ 01:55 PM
MLP Logo <http://www.mlp.org/>

More Light Presbyterians
Board of Directors
Unanimously Adopted
February 18^th , 2008


In the Bush decision, Remedial Case 218-10 
<http://www.pcusa.org/gapjc/decisions/pjc21810.pdf>, the General 
Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) stated unequivocally that 
the freedom of conscience granted in G-6.0108 "does not permit departure 
from the 'fidelity and chastity' requirement found in G-6.0106b." While 
candidates may express disagreement or a "scruple" regarding a 
constitution provision, a governing body may not grant an exception to 
any mandatory church-wide ordination standard. The GAPJC went on to say 
"The fidelity and chastity provision may only be changed by 
constitutional amendment. Until that occurs, individual candidates, 
officers, examining and governing bodies must adhere to it." This 
decision makes even more evident the urgency to delete G-6.0106b.

More Light Presbyterians (MLP) celebrates and affirms the actions of 
nine Presbyteries that have sent overtures 
<http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=GA2008Overtures> to the 218^th 
General Assembly urging the removal of the discriminatory ban on 
ordaining lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons. It is 
time for Presbyterians to end the discrimination against their LGBT 
sisters and brothers and to honor their calls to ordained office. This 
judicial ruling further entrenches the unjust ordination standard in 
G-6.0106b. MLP hopes that this ruling will also stop what we now know to 
be futile and divisive attempts to interpret or seek ways around what 
really must be removed. Since 1997, MLP has consistently maintained that 
the only response to the unacceptable and impossible choices imposed on 
LGBT persons is to change our constitution. It's about time!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
/More Light Presbyterians ~ Together we're creating a church for ALL 
God's People ~ www.mlp.org <http://www.mlp.org/>/


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