Preparing to Defeat Amendment B in Your Presbytery

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Preparing to Defeat Amendment B in Your
Presbytery

• Terry Schlossberg
• The Presbyterian Coalition
• 703-680-4571 Terry_at_presbycoalition.org
• Sue Cyre
• Presbyterians for Faith, Family and Ministry
• 540-898-4244 scyre_at_swva.net
• With appreciation to the ministry of OneByOne
  (www.oneby1.org),
• and to Presbyterians for Renewal (www.
  pfrenewal.org) for encouraging this series

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Preparing to Defeat the New Amendment Bin Your
Presbytery

• Section 5
• Talking Points
• See Resource Packet, pages 51-59

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Your contribution to the debate

• Choose the point that would persuade you if you
  were wavering

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The purpose of your debate speech

• Clarity, reason and rationale
• Help presbyters think through the matter on
  which they will vote

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Study the current and proposed language

• Side by side comparison in Resource Packet on
  pages 9-10
• Session 2 of the power point
• Amendment packet sent to
• presbyteries

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Arguments in opposition to Amendment B

• Consult resources in the Resource Packet and on
  the Coalition website at http//www.presbycoalitio
  n.org/campaign.cfm
• Biblical and theological arguments
• Justice
• Review of current literature on scientific
  evidence
• Testimonies of lives transformed
• Eight pages of talking points

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1. Hierarchy of authorities

• Scripture cannot be made to support the
  amendment it must be supplanted
• The historical Jesus is transmuted into a
  concept defined apart from Scripture
• Scripture must be demoted to a relative,
  non-essential authority
• Denies sola Scriptura, an essential Reformation
  doctrine

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Theology Matters

• November/December 2008
• Contact Sue Cyre
• 540-898-4244
• scyre_at_swva.net

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2. The proposed amendment removes a requirement
for fidelity and chastity

• Standard for governing bodies decisions would be
  removed
• Reference for court decisions would be removed

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The GA court requires specificity

• It would be an obstruction of constitutional
  governance to permit examining bodies to ignore
  or waive a specific standard that has been
  adopted by the whole church, such as the
  fidelity and chastity portion of G-6.0106b.
• (GAPJC in Bush, Feb. 2008)

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3. Super Sin argument

• Presbytery of New York City in 1976
• Definitive Guidance response by GA in 1978
• See more on the history in email of 12/2/08 on
  Coalition website at http//www.presbycoalition.or
  g/December2021.pdf

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4. Is homosexuality innate?

• Articles by Dr. Christopher Rosik, Resource
  Packet, pp 59-63
• No science to support a gay gene
• Testimonies to changed orientation and practices,
  Resource Packet, pp 69-82

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Arguments should show the harm of Amendment B
to the churchandThe benefits to the church of
the current G-6.0106b
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Arguments in support of the current G-6.0106b

• G-6.0106b is faithful to Reformed faith and
  politysola Scriptura.
• Scripture reveals Christ to us
• the one Word of God

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2. Examination of candidates

• Confusion over judgments in decision-making and
  standards by which judgments are measured

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Presbytery (or session) examines

• Judgment of fitness is based on measurements
  against churchwide standards in the Book of Order

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3. Witness to the societys shift in sexual
standards

• The courage of the Church to maintain its
  biblical standards as a faithful witness to the
  culture
• The benefits to marriage and family life
• The blessing of committed marriage and sexually
  abstinent single life

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The physical body matters

• Temples of the Holy Spirit
• Belong to God and not to selves
• Scripture and the Church throughout the ages and
  around the world oppose sexual relationships
  outside the bonds of marriage

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ResourcesTalking Points

• Find resources for Talking Points on the
  Coalition website at
• http//www.presbycoalition.org/campaign.cfm

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Elements of an effective speech

• Aim to affect the atmosphere of the debate rather
  than to be affected by it

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Elements of an effective speech

• Aim to persuade
• Aim to make a witness in a spirit of love and
  caring, as a defense of the Gospel
• Christian faith is about transformation

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Elements of an effective speech

• Be mindful of your demeanor Come prepared,
  ready, confident, and calm

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Elements of an effective speech

• Plan to make only one point in your speech
• Work with others to be sure someone is ready with
  each of the key points
• Prepare a second speech with another single point
  in case your first speech is made by someone else

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Elements of an effective speech

• Write out your speech
• Time it

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Elements of an effective speech

• For more help on preparing your short speech for
  the debate, look under Resources on the Coalition
  Campaign web page. The specific link is
• http//www.presbycoalition.org/The20Two-Minute2
  0Speech-08B.doc

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Take courageGive leadershipDo not be
terrified do not be discouraged, for the LORD
your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 19
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Preparing to Defeat Amendment B in Your
Presbytery

• Terry Schlossberg
• The Presbyterian Coalition
• 703-680-4571 Terry_at_presbycoalition.org
• Sue Cyre
• Presbyterians for Faith, Family and Ministry
• 540-898-4244 scyre_at_swva.net
• With appreciation to the ministry of OneByOne
  (www.oneby1.org),
• and to Presbyterians for Renewal (www.
  pfrenewal.org) for encouraging this series