# Women's Ordination Legitimate Exception?



## WarrenInSC (Nov 12, 2008)

This question is for a PCA context.
If a candidate for the office of elder (ruling in this case) believes in and supports the ordination of women for the office of both teaching and ruling elder (including open admiration and approval of a women asst. pastor in a nearby local PCUSA church) and thus is declaring an 'exception' to 'approving the form and gov't of the PCA', is declaring this 'exception' something that should qualify or disqualify him for the office of ruling elder? If disqualifying, what is the proper procedure for challenging within the church and, if necessary, appealing to Presbytery if the Session supports him?

Thanks for your insight!


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## OPC'n (Nov 12, 2008)

He needs to be disqualified as being an Elder because the elders are to subscribe to the Confession without objection. If your session, won't deal properly with this matter then it needs to go to Presbytery, and if they won't deal properly with it, then it needs to go to the General assembly. If you start allowing elders who hold to this type of sin, your church will start crumbling.


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## N. Eshelman (Nov 12, 2008)

It is acceptable if the PCA wants to return to a church like the one it left. If each elder coming on had that exception, the decision against the ordination of women could be over turned. 

See Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Won the Presbyterian Church (or something to that effect).


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## fredtgreco (Nov 12, 2008)

WarrenInSC said:


> This question is for a PCA context.
> If a candidate for the office of elder (ruling in this case) believes in and supports the ordination of women for the office of both teaching and ruling elder (including open admiration and approval of a women asst. pastor in a nearby local PCUSA church) and thus is declaring an 'exception' to 'approving the form and gov't of the PCA', is declaring this 'exception' something that should qualify or disqualify him for the office of ruling elder? If disqualifying, what is the proper procedure for challenging within the church and, if necessary, appealing to Presbytery if the Session supports him?
> 
> Thanks for your insight!



The exception should be declared out of accord with the fundamentals of our system and not allowed. I can't imagine a Presbytery or the GA permitting such an exception for women TEs (or REs for that matter).

Depending on how hard you want to approach this, you could:



Speak to the examining body (the Session) and ask them to explain to you why _they _think it is a permissible exception.
If the Session insists on going forward, tell them that you feel bound by your conscience to speak to the matter on the floor of the congregational meeting (my guess is that if this was out publicly, it would create such doubt and a firestorm that the Session would not want to go forward). You do not need to be obnoxious, just say that you plan on publicly asking the man to state his view to the congregation. Honestly, you probably won't have to speak to it once that is done.
If the Session still goes forward, and the congregation votes the man in, have your negative vote recorded in the congregational minutes. If the clerk refuses to do that, publicly state in front of two or three reliable witnesses your intention to have it recorded.
Within 30 days, file a complaint with the Session. (BCO 43-2)
If the Session denies the Complaint, file an Appeal within 30 days of denial with the Clerk of Presbytery.
If the Session denies the Appeal, file an Appeal with the GA (through the SJC).
That is the sum of your possible recourse.


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