Rev Bill

The Presbyterian Church (USA) — and many other denominations — is struggling with the issues around ordination standards. Our Book of Order is pretty clear about ordination, stating that:

Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament. (Book Of Order, Presbyterian Church, USA, G-6.0106b)

.

These standards have been contested several times, with the passage above being contested at least 3 times at General Assembly and individual Presbytery levels. This years General Assembly will take up the issue once again. While I am against changing the standards for odination, I did have to chuckle when I saw this post at Monastic Mumblings about the controversy over the newest member of The Village People:

For the first time in their three decades of existence, the disco band The Village People have inducted an openly Episcopal man, igniting a controversy that threatens to tear the fabled group asunder. Holding a press conference in New York City today, The Construction Worker, a prominent member of The Village People since its inception in the 1970′s, urged “tolerance and understanding” for its latest member, The Episcopal Guy, who joined the group over the weekend.

“From the start, The Village People have been all about inclusiveness,” The Construction Worker said. “And introducing The Episcopal Guy as our latest member is part of that tradition.”

While The Indian Chief and The Fireman were reportedly in agreement with The Construction Worker about including The Episcopal Guy in the band, The Policeman, The Cowboy, and the Leather-clad Guy were reportedly opposed,creating speculation that The Village People might split up into two smaller, somewhat less influential disco bands

It’s good to laugh at serious issues sometimes!

I’ll post more seriously about my feelings on the issue later.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.