Truth Wins Out praised the Presbyterian Church for ratifying an amendment to its constitution allowing the ordination of openly gay people in same-sex relationships. After decades of debate, that church’s national assembly approved the change last summer, and last night the Presbytery of the Twin Cities (MN) cast the decisive 87th vote required to give the amendment the support of a majority of church presbyteries, or local governing bodies. “We applaud the Presbyterian Church for taking this historic step,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “It is our hope that other religious leaders and faith communities will choose to follow their example.”
With this vote, the Presbyterian Church joins other mainline Protestant denominations including the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the United Church of Christ in accepting openly gay clergy members.
The last time the Presbyterian Church voted on the issue, in 2009, a majority of presbyteries voted against the change. According to the New York Times, 19 out of the church’s 173 presbyteries switched their vote this time around. “This rapid shift in favor of openness, inclusivity, and acceptance within the Presbyterian Church mirrors the trend in American society at large,” said Truth Wins Out Director of Communications and Development John Becker. “We are confident that the walls of religion-based bigotry will continue tumbling down.”
