46th General Assembly
Voter’s Guide to the AIC Report

By the Editorial Board, Presbyterian Plumb Line

The Office of the General Assembly (OGA) has announced that the Ad Interim Committee on Same Sex Attraction and Ordination (AIC) report will come to the floor on Thursday, June 18. The AIC’s proposed amendments to the Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality and the Position Paper on Human Sexuality will be presented in the morning business session. The AIC’s proposed Book of Government Amendment (46-28) will be presented at the beginning of the afternoon session.

Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality

Motion GA46-27 recommends amending the EPC’s Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality to open the door to the ordination of celibate homosexuals.

Recommendation: Vote against this recommendation; Vote NO to GA46-27.

Position Paper on Human Sexuality

Motion GA46-26 recommends amending the EPC Position Paper on Human Sexuality so that the position of the EPC opens the door to the ordination of celibate homosexuals. Approving the AIC amendment to Position Paper on Human Sexuality will also revise and replace the current Position Papers on Homosexuality and on the Sanctity of Marriage

Recommendation: Vote against this recommendation; Vote NO to GA46-26.

Book of Government

Motions GA46-28 and GA46-30 recommend amending sections 9.3.A. and 9.3.B., and 12.2, 12.3, and 12.6 (respectively) of the EPC’s Book of Government.

Recommendation: Vote against the approval of both GA46-28 and GA46-30; Vote NO.

Explanation and Procedure to accomplish this result:

• EXPLANATION: Five Presbyteries’ overtures amending Book of Government 9-3.A. to close the door on the ordination of celibate homosexuals are GA46-41, GA46-43, GA46-45, GA46-47, and GA46-49.
• PROCEDURE: When GA46-28 is presented (the AIC amendment to Book of Government 9-3), GA46-41 will be moved as a substitute motion.

Recommendations:

1. Vote to approve an unamended GA46-41 (or any unamended consolidation of GA46-41, GA46-43, GA46-45 and GA46-47). Vote YES to GA46-41.
2. Should any unfriendly substitution or amendment be attached to GA46-41, vote against that substitute or amendment.
3. In the event that GA46-41 is not approved, Vote against the approval of GA46-28; Vote NO to GA46-28.

Recommendation: Vote against the approval of AIC Amendment to Book of Government 12, GA46-30; Vote NO to GA46-30.

Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC) Rulings Against the Five Overtures

Note that the PJC report may come to the floor before the AIC report.

The PJC will ask the GA to consider its Majority Report finding that the five overtures to amend BoG 9-3A (GA46-41, GA46-43, GA46-45, GA46-47 and GA46-49) are not constitutional in that they do not pass the “3 C’s test” of clarity, consistency, and compatibility.

Recommendations: Support the PJC Minority report that will be moved as a substitute when the PJC report is presented to the floor. The PJC Minority report finds that the five overtures are constitutional and do pass the “3 C’s test.” Vote YES to the PJC Minority Report that begins on page 15 within GA 46-40.

Recommendations: Should the Minority report not be approved, Vote against approval of the PJC Majority reports (GA46-40, GA46-42, GA46-44, GA46-46 and GA 46-48); Vote NO to the PJC Majority Reports concerning G.9-3A.

Position Papers on Homosexuality and The Sanctity of Marriage

Motion GA46-32 is the overture from Pacific Northwest Presbytery to re-affirm the Position Papers on Homosexuality and on the Sanctity of Marriage and restore them on the EPC website.

Recommendation: Vote to approve Ascending Overture (GA46-32); Vote YES.