Presbyterians won’t reconsider gay marriage debate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Presbyterian leaders meeting in Minneapolis won’t revisit their decision against redefining marriage to include same-sex couples, at least for now.

Delegates to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) general assembly defeated a motion today to reconsider the previous night’s shelving of a measure to redefine marriage as between “two people.”

Gay rights supporters must now wait two years until the next general assembly to try again.

Church leaders said Thursday it appeared delegates weren’t ready to redefine marriage without further study.

Delegates earlier voted to allow non-celibate gay people to serve as Presbyterian clergy if they are in committed relationships. To become official church policy the measure must be approved by a majority of 173 U.S. presbyteries.