Making theology matter : Power, polity, and the theological debate over homosexual ordination in the Presbyterian church (U.S.A.)

The conflict over homosexuality is fundamentally over religious authority, whether PC(USA) unity should be based pri- marily on theology or polity. As these realms function in the Church, they have served as two contrasting strategies of defining and shap- ing doctrinal debates. Since 1927, the Church has allowed disagreement by not defining doctrine nationally, preferring "polity," with local governing bodies deciding "essential" theological tenets. This functioned adequately in maintaining theological peace until the 1960s, when serious conflict emerged, lead- ing to theological confusion, drift and mem- bership decline. Two developments, the Book of Confes- sions in 1967 and tighter ordination vows after reunion in 1983, changed the theological context, creating a possible middle way be- tween authoritarianism and anarchic individu- alism. This made the Confessions a public, consensual and reformable "authoritative in- terpretation" of religious truth, allowing for a "progressive orthodoxy," although few in the sexuality debate realized this. Amendment B was in part designed to encourage a process of theological unity. The history of theological debate demonstrates that only by making the- ology primary, by working through the Con- fessional texts, can the PC(U.S.A.) avoid polar- ization and create a theological center based on civility and conviction.