Dispute Over Gays May Lead to Special Assembly
Despite a heated dispute over ordination of gays and lesbians, the Presbyterian Church (USA) is not in a “full-blown constitutional crisis” and needs no special assembly to settle internal conflicts, church leaders said.
Church officials hope to quell a petition drive for an unprecedented special assembly to deal with pastors and churches who have openly defied a church law that bans the ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians.
Alex Metherell, a church elder from Laguna Beach, said the assembly is needed because denominational leaders have turned a blind eye to open defiance of the church constitution. Such defiance represents “a clear and present danger to our constitution. A constitution that is not enforced is no constitution at all,” Metherell wrote in his petition.
A special assembly can be called by 25 ministers and 25 elders from at least 15 regional presbyteries.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
