Homosexual "marriage" will be on the agenda as the Presbyterian Church USA begins its biennial meeting this weekend in California, where same-sex weddings became legal this week.
Delegates to the General Assembly will be asked to rewrite the church's Book of Order to allow Presbyterian ministers to conduct wedding services for homosexual couples. The church constitution currently defines marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman.
Pastor Parker Williamson, a leader of conservative Presbyterians, says homosexual rights get more support from the denomination's leaders than from people in the pews. "That support from within the staff infrastructure of the denomination really does give it quite a megaphone," says Williamson, adding that he would "not be at all surprised" to see pro-homosexual demonstrations during the meeting. "After all, we're going to be in San Jose, an area that's very gay-lesbian friendly," he remarks.
In April, the denomination's highest court found that a lesbian minister who officiated at weddings for two lesbian couples was guilty of misconduct, but gave her the lightest possible punishment.
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