Presbyterians Vote on Gay Clergy

The leaders of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) once again take up the issue of the ordaining of gay people in relationships. Currently the church policy limits ordination to people in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between and a man and a woman or chastity in singleness."

In July 2010, the church's national assembly voted to eliminate that requirement from the church constitution. The decision must be ratified by a majority of the presbyteries, the regional governing bodies of the church, regional to take effect. So far, 106 of 173 presbyteries had voted. The issue has been voted on three times since 1997, failing each time, though the margin has narrowed each time.

The York Daily Record reports, "for ratification, a net total of at least nine presbyteries would need to switch from opposing gay ordination to favoring it. Thirteen have already done so, while one presbytery switched the other way."