» Print Version

Memorial 1

About the effect of all rulings and binding decisions of the General Assembly 1985 - 2000 on the matter of presentation of gay people as candidates for ordination studies.

At Tawa Union Church on 18 June 2002 on the Presbytery of Wellington met and was constituted.

Among other things it was moved, seconded, and carried that the Presbytery of Wellington adopt and transmit the following memorial to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand appointed to meet in Wellington on 22 September 2002.

This Memorial

seeks clarity on the capacity of Presbyteries to forward gay persons as candidates for ordination studies;

notes that a number and variety of decisions have been made by the General Assembly 1985-2000 on the position of gay persons within the church;

notes that the one potential ruling decision on gay people and ordination sent down under the Barrier Act from the 1996 General Assembly when subsequently presented to the 1998 General Assembly failed to carry sufficient support to be ratified;

notes that the Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group has given advice that "neither the National Assessment Work Group nor a Presbytery ought to accept for training a student who has declared that he or she is a practising homosexual", this advice having been based on an opinion of the Reference Group given to the Commission on Diversity in 1999, reported to the 1999 General Assembly, and referring to decisions made by the Assembly in 1985 and 1991.

notes that there is ambiguity over the status of the above matters

and notes the Presbytery of Wellington has carried a recommendation supporting a gay person as a candidate for ordination

By way of this Memorial the Presbytery of Wellington requests the General Assembly to:

(1) Appoint a Sessional Committee or pre-Assembly Commission to give consideration to all relevant conclusions of the General Assembly in the period 1985-2000 relating to the ordination of gay people

(2) Instruct the Sessional Committee or pre-Assembly Commission to consult with such person/s as it sees fit.

(3) Ask the Sessional Committee or pre-Assembly Commission to report to the General Assembly with a specific recommendation concerning any restrictions on the presentation of gay persons for ordination studies.

(4) Ask the Sessional Committee or pre-Assembly Commission to report to this General Assembly as to whether, on the basis of prior conclusions of the General Assembly in the period 1985 to 2000, there is any restriction on the presentation of gay persons for ordination studies, and subsequent licensing and ordination.

Or that the General Assembly determine otherwise as in its wisdom it shall consider best.

The Presbytery appointed the Rev. C. Nichol and the Rev. Dr M. Mayman to support the memorial before the Assembly.

Extracted from the records of the Presbytery by

Jill Taylor

Presbytery Clerk

[ Previous | Next ]

home page   |   email the webmaster   |   A to Z Index   |   return to top