Inch by Inch

This has been an important polity week for Protestant Christians. The eyes of all the faithful around the world have been on the U.S. meetings of the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians where important decisions on the direction of these bodies have been made this week.

Here is the latest press update from the floor of General Assembly which came out over the listserv More Light Presbyterians:

"By RICHARD N. OSTLING AP Religion WriterJune 20,2006 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) nationalassembly voted Tuesday to create some leeway for gay clergy and layofficers to serve local congregations, despite a denominational ban on partnered gay ministers. A measure approved 298-221 by a Presbyterian national assembly keeps in place a church law that says clergy and lay elders and deacons must limit sexual relations to man-woman marriage. But the new legislation says local congregations and regional presbyteries can exercise some flexibility when choosing clergy and lay officers of local congregations if sexual orientation or other issues arise. The decision concluded a hard-fought struggle lasting years between liberals and conservatives in the 2.3-million member denomination. Ten conservative caucuses allied to fight any change, and conservatives lost two last-ditch efforts to kill or delay the measure.The Presbyterian establishment, including all seminary presidents and many officials, promoted the flexibility plan, which was devised by a special task force. The idea is to grant modest change to liberals but mollify conservatives by keeping the sexual law on the books."

By RICHARD N. OSTLING AP Religion WriterJune 20,2006 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) nationalassembly voted Tuesday to create some leeway for gay clergy and layofficers to serve local congregations, despite a denominational ban onpartnered gay ministers.A measure approved 298-221 by a Presbyterian national assembly keeps inplace a church law that says clergy and lay elders and deacons must limitsexual relations to man-woman marriage. But the new legislation says localcongregations and regional presbyteries can exercise some flexibility whenchoosing clergy and lay officers of local congregations if sexualorientation or other issues arise.The decision concluded a hard-fought struggle lasting years betweenliberals and conservatives in the 2.3-million member denomination. Tenconservative caucuses allied to fight any change, and conservatives losttwo last-ditch efforts to kill or delay the measure.The Presbyterian establishment, including all seminary presidents and manyofficials, promoted the flexibility plan, which was devised by a specialtask force. The idea is to grant modest change to liberals but mollifyconservatives by keeping the sexual law on the books.

I disagree that this decision by this body concludes anything in the Presbyterian denomination on this important issue. It may seem like a snails pace to those individuals who have suffered, unable to fully serve the church or reveal their true identity to remain in service, (and to their loved ones and friends) but at least the movement is in the direction of inclusiveness in the Presbyterian and Episcopalian denominations--not the case in some of the other denominations around our country.