Overture 4

<typohead type="2">Sexual Morality and the Ministry</typohead>

At St Andrew's Church Te Puke, on 8 June 2004, the Presbytery of Bay of Plenty met and was constituted.

<typohead type="3">Among other things:</typohead>

The Presbytery agreed unanimously to adopt and transmit the following overture to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand appointed to meet in Christchurch at St Andrew's College on 19 September to 24 September 2004.

Whereas (1) the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is constitutionally and legally bound to order its life in accordance with the Word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments as interpreted by the Subordinate Standards (Reg.1, Reg. 475)

And whereas (2) various resolutions of the 1974, 1985 and 1991 General Assembly expressed the mind of the Presbyterian Church on matters of sexual ethics, including the statements that "homosexual acts are sinful", and that "God´s intention for sexual relationships, as affirmed by Jesus Christ, is loving, mutual and faithful marriage between a man and woman, and that intimate sexual expression outside of that context fall short of God´s standard" – and these statements have neither been rescinded nor superseded

And whereas (3) A previous Judicial Commission reporting in November 1994 ruled that "The decisions of the General Assembly have no ?limited shelf life´ or ?use by´ date. They do not need to be reaffirmed year by year to remain binding on the Church. They continue speaking until the Assembly itself decides to amend, modify, or fall from them using the powers and procedures laid down for doing so in the Book of Order"

And whereas (4) It is completely erroneous (in view of long-established and widely-held Christian ethics, the Standards, and previous Assembly statements) to assume that the absence of explicit regulation or legislation enacted under the Barrier Act means that the church has no "policy" or "doctrine" on a matter

And whereas (5) to accept into ordained ministry of persons openly involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage is clearly an innovation

And whereas (6) approval under the Barrier Act (1697) is required for any major change in doctrine or life, "for preventing any sudden alteration or innovation, or other prejudice to the Church, in either doctrine or worship, or discipline"

And whereas (7) the surprise ruling of the Judicial Commission (October 2003) that there is no legal barrier to practising homosexuals being licensed, ordained, inducted, or accepted for ministry training is controversial in the extreme, and a severe threat to the peace and unity of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

And whereas (8) what appears to most Presbyterians as a major shift of policy should be decided by General Assembly, representative of the whole church, and through the normal processes, rather than by five persons meeting in a Judicial Commission

And whereas (9) it is essential for the survival and health of the denomination that this matter now be settled, rather than have it drag on for many more years, with a continuing debilitating effect on the church´s morale, unity, finances, reputation, and mission

<typohead type="3">It is hereby overtured:</typohead>

That General Assembly now rule, in accordance with the Supreme and Subordinate Standards the Church, and with previous Assembly decisions, that this church may not accept for training, license, ordain, or induct anyone involved in a sexual relationship outside of faithful marriage between a man and a woman.

That this ruling be passed down under the Barrier Act to Presbyteries/Union District Councils.

That this ruling be adopted ad interim.

That the Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group be asked to prepare appropriate amendments to the Book of Order for the 2006 Assembly.

</typolist>

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

The Presbytery appointed the Rev Martin Macaulay and the Rev Keith Hooker to support the overture before the Assembly.

Extracted from the records of the Presbytery by

Phil Aiken
Presbytery Clerk.