Presbyterian Church may back gay marriage

Presbyterian Church (USA) committee issued a recommendation Tuesday suggesting that the church support same-sex marriages, the Courier Journal reported.
Send / ShareAdd CommentIn a weeklong gathering of the church’s General Assembly, the committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues suggested that the church’s definition of marriage be changed to include gay and lesbian couples. Rather than label marriage as a union between “a man and a woman,” the new definition would describe it a covenant between “two people.” The group voted 34 – 18 in favor of the amendment.
“[This] would recognize committed, lifelong relationships that are already being lived out by our members,” the committee said in a statement.
If the recommendation is approved by the General Assembly and survives a rigorous ratification process, the church would become the largest Christian denomination in the US to perform same-sex unions.
Another legislative committee has also proposed that the church begin to ordain non-celibate gay clergy. The Committee on Clergy voted 36 – 16 in favor of the proposal, UPI reported.
The Episcopal Church currently allows same-sex unions and ordains gay clergy members.