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Verbum et Ecclesia
On-line version ISSN 2074-7705
Print version ISSN 1609-9982
Verbum Eccles. (Online) vol.31 n.1 Pretoria 2010
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ve.v31i1.51
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The polity debate regarding gay and lesbian ordination and/or installation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Roché F. Vermaak
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Brentwood Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, USA
ABSTRACT
The paper summarises the formation process of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s (PC(USA)) polity regarding the ordination and/or installation of partnered gays and lesbians as officers, i.e. deacons, elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament, in light of General Assemblies' decisions and General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commissions' ecclesiastical rulings since the 1970s.
Keywords: 'definitive guidance'; gay/lesbian ordination; General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission; The Book of Confessions; the Book of Order
Full text available only in PDF format.
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Correspondence:
Roché Vermaak
2512, 28th Street, Apt 101
Santa Monica
CA, 90405
USA
Email: vermaak@verizon.net
Received: 09 July 2009
Accepted: 10 May 2010
Published: 23 Sept. 2010