This just passed by apparently a wide margin. 767-375-12.
Which some may take as a straw poll of sorts, indicating that if they press for ordination of women as deacons, it will probably pass. Incrementalism is surely in play here, and the trajectory (despite all the protests to the contrary) is all too familiar (i.e. PCUSA).
I'm not sure I read that the same way. While I don't deny it's a possibility, given some of the arguments (some of which seemed to be the decisive ones), imagine that half of those who voted for the study committee are actually opposed to women's ordination but wanted clarity on other practical issues (women on Covenant College board, what types of directorship positions, etc, etc). If they voted against ordination, it would be a landslide.
Perhaps I'm wrong, perhaps there really are 700 men who will vote for women's ordination. But I would be surprised.
I still think confessionalists should put an emphasis on working hard to be better communicators, speaking with an overabundance of grace and humility. If the stereotype of confessionalists is harsh, negative, proud, etc--and even if that stereotype is 100% wrong--it stands to reason that confessionalists should work overtime to communicate in a way that would leave it very hard to charge them with that, even by those already so inclined.