Prairie Presbyterian Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Approved by Session - April 2022
For the past several decades, The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) has studied and discussed questions related to sexuality, particularly questions related to same-sex marriage and the roles of LGBTQI people in ministry. In 2021, the PCC made changes to its theology and practice regarding marriage and ordination. Before outlining these changes, it is important to emphasize a few things.
The Church is to be a place of welcome and love for all, but often churches have been places of hurt, alienation, and sometimes abuse or violence for those who do not identify as heterosexual. In 2017, the General Assembly of the PCC directed that a letter of repentance be written to the LGBTQI community. It is worth reading the entire letter, but we quote three points here:
“For the ways our congregations judge and exclude others based on restrictive gender definitions, we are sorry, and we repent. No one should ever be harmed for naming their sexual identity.”
“The church by its actions and inaction, speaking and silence, creates hurt, fear and distrust among LGBTQI persons who are part of the church. Deaf to the cries of hurt, fear, and distrust, the church dismisses the pain experienced by LGBTQI persons. For our unwillingness to recognize the hurt and fear our actions and attitudes have caused, we are sorry, and we repent.”
“The church too often puts more emphasis on a person’s sexual identity than on their identity in Christ. When the church ignores the gifts present within the body of Christ, it fails to appreciate all that God has for the church and fails to see God’s glory revealed in all people.”
As far back as 1994, the PCC clearly stated that someone’s sexual orientation cannot be a sin. Since then, the debate has centred around practice, particularly the question of same-sex marriage.
At Prairie, we affirm that all people are God’s children, regardless of ones gender identity or sexual orientation. We will continue to strive to be a congregation that is free from any hurt, offensive language, bullying, condemnation, or anything that creates a climate of hostility toward LGBTQI persons.
How Beliefs Work in the Presbyterian Church in Canada
We are a community centred around Jesus Christ, and there is a core set of beliefs that we hold to as a community of faith within a broad Reformed Tradition. This core of faith is encapsulated in the Apostles’ Creed, which is itself based on Scripture. To be a member of a Presbyterian Church, the only criteria is that one must assent to the Apostles’ Creed.
Besides this core, there is a broad spectrum of interpretations, opinions, theological nuances, and sometimes disagreements within our denomination, and also within the broader Christian tradition. The Christian Church has existed for thousands of years even with deep division around a host of varying understandings on a large number of topics.
Of course, there are streams of Reformed Theology and particular Presbyterian distinctives, but it must be emphasized that the best of our tradition seeks mutual understanding, and engages in respectful and loving dialogue.
This means that within our denomination, and indeed within our congregation, there will be varying viewpoints on a number of things, including whether same-sex marriage ought to be permitted and whether LGBTQI people can be ordained as ministers or elders.
We wish to stress that these viewpoints are not part of the core of beliefs as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed. Two people can wholeheartedly follow Jesus and hold completely different viewpoints on “non essentials.”
Current Beliefs and Practices Concerning Marriage and Ordination for LGBTQI Persons in the PCC
As of 2021, The Presbyterian Church in Canada holds two parallel definitions of marriage and recognizes that faithful, Holy Spirit filled, Christ centred, God honouring people can understand marriage as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman or as a covenant relationship between two adult persons. Additionally, ministers may choose for themselves whether or not to conduct same-sex marriages and a session may choose whether or not to permit same-sex marriages within their church buildings.
As of 2021, congregations and presbyteries may call and ordain as ministers and elect and ordain as ruling elders LGBTQI persons (married or single). Additionally, ministers and elders can choose whether or not to agree with or participate in ordinations, inductions, and installations.
Special LGBTQI Listening Committee of the PCC
In 2017, the General Assembly appointed a special committee called the Rainbow Communion that was empowered to invite LGBTQI people and others to tell stories of harm done to them within and by the church, and to share their stories of God’s grace experienced by them in Christian ministry. They presented their extensive final report in 2021. All of their recommendations were adopted by the 2021 General Assembly. Some highlights:
The Presbyterian Church in Canada affirms that all people whatever their sexual orientation or gender identity are equally beloved by God.
Identifying as LGBTQI and/or being in a same-sex marriage is not grounds for discipline and censure in The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada will offer a public confession to all individuals and congregations harmed by the church through exclusion and marginalization, seeking forgiveness from God and from all those affected.
Resources will be created in the coming years to equip an inclusive church and a fund will be established to support psychotherapy/counselling for those who have experienced harm done by homophobia, hypocrisy, transphobia and heterosexism in the denomination.
More Resources
Much more can be found on the Presbyterian Church in Canada Website
Rainbow Communion Full Report and Video Report
Letter of Repentance
More on Gender, Sexuality, and Inclusion
Social Justice in the PCC
The PCC is concerned about Social Justice. There are many resources, statements, and summaries of the position of the Church under a host of headings, such as Indigenous Justice, Climate Justice, Anti Racism, Ecological Justice, Peacemaking, and more.
Visit the PCC’s social action hub
Official Beliefs of the PCC
Curious about the Official Beliefs of the Presbyterian Church in Canada?
Visit the What We Believe Webpage
What This Means for Prairie Presbyterian Church
First, all are welcome in the life of the Church. We believe this is fundamental to Christian life for anyone of any gender identity or sexual orientation. It is also true for those who hold differing theological views on a variety of subjects, including sexuality.
Secondly, the Session of Prairie Presbyterian Church believes that part of being a loving Church is being open to the giftedness of each person as God has created them. Service, leadership, and eldership are open to those whom God calls and we believe that this is not restricted by someone’s gender identity or sexuality. We abide by the position of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and believe there is space for people to hold either definition of marriage. We are supportive of persons who choose to live out their faith with either understanding, either as strictly between a man and a woman, or defined as between two adult persons.
Third, we must remember that this is about people. Our aim at Prairie is always to help people focus on God and follow Jesus Christ. We do our best to care for one another and to love one another.
