In May 2011, a majority of the districts in my denomination (Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.) voted to remove from its constitution the requirement that church leaders "live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." Individual congregations and presbyteries still have the freedom to adhere to that earlier standard. Indeed, the Session of my own church passed a resolution affirming it shortly after its adoption by the PC(USA) in1996. But the more recent vote now makes it possible for persons in same-sex relationships to be considered for ordination to the offices of elder, deacon, or minister in churches and presbyteries that are open to it. Score another point, it would seem, for the view that same-sex attraction is biologically fixed, so the desire to act on it should not be constrained by literalist readings of ancient texts.
