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Verbum et Ecclesia
versión On-line ISSN 2074-7705
versión impresa ISSN 1609-9982
Verbum Eccles. (Online) vol.31 no.1 Pretoria 2010
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ve.v31i1.52
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The polity debate regarding same-gender blessings and marriages in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Roché F. Vermaak
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Brentwood Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, USA
ABSTRACT
This paper will examine how the decision made by the Presbyterian Church in 1927 - to use polity rather than theology to solve its theological issues - has guided the same-gender blessing and marriage debate since the 1980s. The paper summarises the formation process of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s polity regarding same-gender blessing and marriage ceremonies in light of General Assemblies' decisions and General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commissions' ecclesiastical rulings.
Keywords: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); General Assembly; General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission; same-gender blessing and marriage; W-4.9001, the Book of Order; Special Commission of 1925
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: 23 Apr. 2010
Published: 23 Sept. 2010