Frequently Asked Questions About Ordination and Church Unity
The Covenant Network of Presbyterians

1)Is it true that there are now no standards for ordained office in the PCUSA?

No. The Book of Order discusses “Gifts and Qualifications” for ordered ministry in G-2.0104:

G-2.0104 Gifts and Qualifications

a. To those called to exercise special functions in the church—deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders—God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world. They must have the approval of God’s people and the concurringjudgment of a council of the church.

b. Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submitjoyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (F-1.02). The councilresponsible for ordination and/or installation (G.2.0402; G-2.0607; G-3.0306) shallexamine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilitiesof ordered ministry. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, adetermination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirementsas expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Councils shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standardsto individual candidates.

Amendment 10-A removed the specific reference to “fidelity and chastity” which singled out sexuality as a primary focus, and affirms that Christ’s Lordship extends to “all aspects of life.”

2)Is it true that a presbytery will not allow a congregation to call a pastor if s/he doesn’t support gay ordination? Is it true that every elder in the PCUSA must support gay ordination now?

No. Amendment 10-A removed the prohibition on ordaining/installing persons in same-gender relationships, but it did not substitute a requirement. Ordaining and installing councils decide whether individual candidates for office meet the standards. Because our Constitution also requires that “freedom of conscience with respect to the interpretation of Scripture is to be maintained,” [G-2.0105]diversity in conviction is to be expected.

3)Is it true that a session cannot reject a gay candidate for elder or deacon?

No. A council may not establish a policy that pre-judges any category of person, but in examining all individual elders- and deacons-elect, each member of the session is charged to assess whether those who were elected by the congregation meet the ordination standards, and to vote to approve (or not) the examination, according to his or her own conscience. A candidate’s sexuality is one of many factors that might be considered.

4)Is it true that the PCUSA does not affirm the authority of Scripture?

No. There are numerous affirmations of the Presbyterian commitment to the authority of Scripture in the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order – including these two constitutional questions (W-4.003), which all officers are required to answer in the affirmative (G-2.0104b):

b. Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testamentsto be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritativewitness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Wordto you?

d. Will you fulfill your ministryin obedience to Jesus Christ,under the authority of Scripture, and be continually guided byour confessions?

As is noted in the General Assembly Position Statement Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture (link):

One issue is that of the authority of the Bible. Itconcerns what kind of a rule for faith and life Scripture is taken to be. For example, is Scripture a rule thatgoverns every possible issue of truth, whether it be religious, moral, or scientific? Again, are the words ofthe direct revelation of God, or are these words the revelation of God that actually occurred prior to itsbeing recorded in Scripture? It is important to note that to answer these questions in opposite ways is notto choose for or against the authority of Scripture; it is rather to choose one or another conception of theauthority of Scripture. Whichever way one answers, the authority of Scripture is being affirmed, albeit indifferent forms.

The second, closely related issue present in this range of opinion is that of that of the right interpretation ofthe Bible…

In coming togrips with the differences among Presbyterians, it is important to note that while the problem is oftenvoiced as one of authority, the more basic and pressing issue may be one of interpretation.

5)Is it true that the PCUSA does not affirm the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

No. There are numerous affirmations of the Lordship of Christ in our Constitution, including G-2.0104b itself and the ordination questions it references:

a. Do you trust in Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledgehim Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believein one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

d. Will you fulfill your ministry in obedience to Jesus Christ,under the authority of Scripture, and be continually guided byour confessions?

f. Will you in your own life seek to follow the Lord JesusChrist, love your neighbors, and work for the reconciliation of theworld?

When a question arose about the understanding of Christ’s Lordship and our salvation, the General Assembly responded by overwhelming approval of the statement Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, (link) which includes this affirmation:

Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and all peopleeverywhere are called to place their faith, hope, and lovein him. No one is saved by virtue of inherent goodness oradmirable living, for “by grace you have been savedthrough faith, and this is not your own doing; it is thegift of God” [Ephesians 2:8]. No one is saved apart fromGod’s gracious redemption in Jesus Christ. Yet we do notpresume to limit the sovereign freedom of “God ourSavior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come tothe knowledge of the truth” [1 Timothy 2:4]. Thus, weneither restrict the grace of God to those who professexplicit faith in Christ nor assume that all people aresaved regardless of faith. Grace, love, and communionbelong to God, and are not ours to determine.

6)It is true that the PCUSA has abandoned belief in the Trinity?

No. There are numerous affirmations of the Trinity in our Constitution; most of the confessions are structured around our witness to the Triune God, and (again) the ordination questions highlight this belief:

a. Do you trust in Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledgehim Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believein one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

7)What is the process for a congregation that is unhappy with the PCUSA?

It is inevitable that Presbyterians will disagree about how to be faithful to Jesus Christ. The leaders of a congregation where some are unhappy should be in conversation with their presbytery; the same is true for members who are concerned about the direction of the leadership. Sometimes accurate information and respectful conversations can reassure those who are concerned.

Individuals who disagree with the decisions of the body have several options, as indicated in this footnote to G-2.0105:

Very early in the history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, even before the General Assembly was established, the plan of reunion of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia contained the following sentences: ‘That when any matter is determined by a majority vote, every member shall either actively concur with or passively submit to such determination; or if his conscience permit him to do neither, he shall, after sufficient liberty modestly to reason and remonstrate, peaceable withdraw from our communion without attempting to make any schism. Provided always that this shall be understood to extend only to such determination as the body shall judge indispensable in doctrine or Presbyterian government.’ (Hist. Dig. (P) p. 1310.) (Plan of Union of 1758, par. II.)[emphasis added]

In violation of this responsibility to avoid schism, some leaders are seeking to convince whole congregations to break ties with the PCUSA. To deal with these situations, some presbyteries have adopted policies, others have guidelines, and some address concerns on a case-by-case basis as they arise. However, in every case it is the decision of the presbytery whether to dismiss a congregation to another denomination, and if so under what terms, consistent with the Book of Order.

Here are some of the criteria:

  • A congregation may be dismissed only to another Reformed body, and may not be dismissed to independent status; therefore the presbytery must determine whether the receiving body is sufficiently permanent, as well as Reformed.
  • The dismissing presbytery must determine whether the receiving body's organization is conformed to the doctrines and order of PC(USA).

Among the issues that arise when congregations seek to break ties is the disposition of the property. The Book of Order’s “trust clause” provides that:

All property held by or for a congregation, a presbytery, a synod, the General Assembly, or the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), whether legal title is lodged in a corporation, a trustee or trustees, or an unincorporated association, and whether the property is used in programs of a congregation or of a higher council or retained for the production of income, is held in trust nevertheless for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). (G-4.0203)

The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission has recently issued a decision affirming that it is the fiduciary responsibility of the presbytery to consider the value of property held in trust, when considering the dismissal request of a congregation [Tom et al. v. Presbytery of San Francisco,

Under the fiduciary obligations inherent in the Trust Clause, a presbytery must take into consideration the PC(U.S.A.)’s use and benefit of the property in every decision concerning its disposition. To comply with the Trust Clause, the presbytery must consider the interest of PC(U.S.A.) as a beneficiary of the property. Payments for per capita or mission obligations are not satisfactory substitutes for valuations of the property held in trust. (G-4.0203)

The Trust Clause reflects our understanding of the church as a communion of saints across time, with responsibilities both to those who came before and those who will follow. When a congregation seeks to leave the PC(U.S.A.), it is breaking what is often a significant historic relationship; it is also departing from a fellowship in which its officers have participated, by whose polity they have pledged to be governed, and with which many members may feel bonds of affection.

For further information or to discuss your situation, contact National Organizer Tricia Dykers Koenig, or 216-658-1770.