SAN FRANCISCO (BP)--The California Supreme Court turned back pro-family groups June 4 by refusing to delay its "gay marriage" decision from going into effect, giving the green light for same-sex couples statewide to get "married" June 17.

The 4-3 margin ruling -- identical to its earlier decision -- came without comment and was a serious blow to social conservatives who had hoped the justices would stay their ruling until citizens consider a proposed constitutional marriage amendment on the November ballot. Some amendment opponents believe they have a greater chance of defeating the amendment if "gay marriages" already are taking place, a scenario which now will be the case.

Two Christian legal groups, the Alliance Defense Fund and Liberty Counsel, had filed legal briefs requesting the delay.

California now will become the second state, after Massachusetts, to legalize "marriage" between homosexuals. The amendment promoted by the group ProtectMarriage.com would reverse the court's ruling, although there will be some legal debate as to what happens to the licenses if the amendment in fact passes.

Glen Lavy, Alliance Defense Fund senior counsel, said in a news release that the original decision, handed down May 15, was "the most egregious case of judicial activism in modern American history."

"The refusal to wait for the people to decide by the constitutional process confirms that," Lavy said.

Liberty Counsel's Mathew D. Staver agreed.

"Denying a stay in light of the certification of the Marriage Protection Act for the November ballot reveals the political agenda of a handful of judges," Staver said in a news release. "Judges acting as judges and not as legislators would have granted the stay. The battle over marriage is far from over and will not be decided by four judges. The people will decide in November."
--30--
Compiled by Michael Foust, an assistant editor for Baptist Press. For more information about the proposed constitutional marriage amendment in California, visit www.ProtectMarriage.com. Contributions to the campaign can be made by clicking on "contribute." There is no limit on contributions and people outside of California are eligible to give.

© Copyright 2008 Baptist Press. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use.

DENVER, /Christian Newswire/ -- For the first time in US history, the issue of personhood will be decided in the public forum by a constitutional amendment. Colorado for Equal Rights has been notified on May 29, 2008 by the Colorado Secretary of State's Office that enough valid signatures were submitted to put the Every Human is a Person amendment on the November 2008 ballot. The Secretary of State's Office's random sampling indicated that there were 103,377 valid signatures, surpassing the 76,047 valid signatures that were required.

Colorado for Equal Rights is a statewide grassroots organization of concerned citizens who value human life. Colorado for Equal Rights is sponsoring the Human Life Amendment to the Colorado constitution: "The term 'Person' or 'Persons' shall include any human from the time of fertilization."

"The people of Colorado have spoken, the Secretary of State's Office has certified our signatures, and our equal rights amendment will be on November's ballot," stated Kristi Burton,This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it initiative sponsor. "All humans should be protected by love and by law, and this amendment is a historic effort to ensure equal rights for every person."

Colorado for Equal Rights has demonstrated an unparalleled grassroots effort thus far, with likely more volunteer circulators than any other ballot initiative in the State's history. The grassroots initiative had over 1,300 volunteer petition circulators.

"We at Colorado for Equal Rights are incredibly thankful for our many volunteers who worked so hard for each signature we delivered to the Secretary of State's Office and the churches who stood behind us and supported us," Burton continued. "This victory is the voice of the people and all credit goes our Creator"

The 36th General Assembly Presbyterian Church in America will be meeting in Dallas, Texas June 10-13, 2008. Four of the nineteen overtures coming before the GA regard the question of whether women can and should be ordained as deacons.

Overture 9 from Philadelphia Presbytery requests GA to create a committee to study the "Scriptural teaching bearing on women’s eligibility for election and ordination to the office of deacon." Overture 15 from Western Canada makes the same request. Overture 17 from Rocky Mountain Presbytery asks that if a study committee is erected that its mandate also include providing parameters for the role of women in the church.

Overture 19 from Central Georgia Presbytery takes a contrary position in opposition to erecting a study committee: "We hereby express our decided opposition to these overtures, both substantively and procedurally such that we urge the General Assembly to decline to appoint the requested study committee, to decline to amend the BCO, to decline to authorize a new process of “commissioning of females as deacons,” and to reaffirm its commitment to but two biblically authorized ordinary and perpetual classes of office in the church, that of elder and of deacon, both to be held only by men."

Here are summaries of the four overtures on this matter:

Overture 9 from Philadelphia Presbytery
Philadelphia Presbytery overtures the 36th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America to create an ad interim study committee whose members are representative of various positions within the PCA with respect to women’s involvement in Diaconal ministry, to study and report back to the 37th General Assembly, on the following:

1) Scriptural teaching bearing on women’s eligibility for election and ordination to the office of deacon and recommending, if necessary, changes to the BCO in keeping with any findings proceeding from the study of Scripture; and

2) Should no changes to the BCO be deemed necessary, clarifying an appropriate range of practices for the involvement of women in diaconal ministry and giving guidance regarding current differences in practice among PCA churches including but not limited to the following: (a) may churches choose not to ordain any male deacons? (b) may churches choose to commission but not to ordain male deacons? (c) may women be commissioned as deaconesses without ordaining them as deacons? (d) may the same constitutional questions, or similar questions, used to ordain deacons be used to commission deacons or deaconesses who are not ordained? (e) may Presbyteries license and ordain men who submit themselves to the BCO but who also believe that women should serve as ordained deacons? (f) may churches elect ordained men and commissioned women to serve together in the diaconate? and (g) may churches use the title Deaconess for an elected position of ministry in the church or selected to serve according to BCO 9-7?

Overture 15 from Western Canada
Western Canada Presbytery also overtures the 36th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America to create an ad interim study committee with respect to women’s involvement in Diaconal ministry and to study and report back to the 37th General Assembly regarding the following:

1) Scriptural teaching bearing on women’s eligibility for election and ordination to the office of deacon and recommending, if necessary, changes to the BCO in keeping with any findings proceeding from the study of Scripture; and

2) Should no changes to the BCO be deemed necessary, clarifying an appropriate range of practices for the involvement of women in diaconal ministry and giving guidance regarding current differences in practice among PCA churches.

Overture 17 from Rocky Mountain Presbytery

If the 36th General Assembly answers either Overture 9 and/or Overture 15 in the affirmative and erects a study committee on the role of women, that this study committee’s mandate be expanded to include: the Scriptural teaching on the role of women in the church touching on matters such as the following:

• the ordination of women to the office of deacon, stating clearly and positively, as well as negatively,
• where women may and may not serve in the life of the church,
• and establishing parameters or guidelines as to the breadth and boundary Scripture deems legitimate for women to teach men and be a part of leading in various parts of public worship.

Overture 19 from Central Georgia Presbytery

We hereby express our decided opposition to these overtures, both substantively and procedurally such that we urge the General Assembly to decline to appoint the requested study committee, to decline to amend the BCO, to decline to authorize a new process of “commissioning of females as deacons,” and to reaffirm its commitment to but two biblically authorized ordinary and perpetual classes of office in the church, that of elder and of deacon, both to be held only by men.

1. That there is no legitimate theological dispute concerning who may be ordained as a deacon inasmuch as 1 Timothy 3:12-13, and other passages, plainly provide that the office is limited by God to men only; and

2. That there is no biblical warrant for establishing a process of “commissioning” people to perform the duties of an ordained deacon, or elder, so as to side step the plain limits the scripture places on who may hold such offices; and

3. That it has long been the policy of the PCA that “No one who holds office in the Church ought to usurp authority therein, or receive any official title of spiritual preeminence, except such as are employed in the Scriptures” BCO 7-3; and

4. That we regard the overtures of Philadelphia and West Canada Presbyteries a clear challenge to a vital provision of the Westminster Standards which ought to be resisted and rejected without appointment of any study committee; and

5. That we hereby express our decided opposition to these overtures, both substantively and procedurally such that we urge the General Assembly to decline to appoint the requested study committee, to decline to amend the BCO, to decline to authorize a new process of “commissioning of females as deacons,” and to reaffirm its commitment to but two biblically authorized ordinary and perpetual classes of office in the church, that of elder and of deacon, both to be held only by men.

6. That nothing in this Resolution is intended to oppose the authority of a Session to select and appoint godly men and women of a congregation to assist the Diaconate in caring for the sick, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, and others who may be in any distress or need, all as currently provided by BCO 9-7.

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 8 PM EDT: Israel Wayne will be our guest as we talk with him about Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview. This should be an interesting conversation and is based on his book from the same name. You may also order the book from the Apologia Book Shoppe.

If you have comments or questions related to this broadcast please leave them in the Covenant Radio forum.

TBD: Bruce Sonnenberg will be our guest as we discuss a most controversial issue but one that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs to face head on. The topic of conversation will be HIV/AIDS and how the local church can minister in this area. Mr. Sonnenberg is the President and Executive Director of He Intends Victory which is a Christian ministry to those affected by AIDS. Begun in 1990 in Irvine, California by Bruce A. Sonnenberg, pastor of the Village Church of Irvine and Herbert Hall, a person living with AIDS. He Intends Victory had circled the globe with the hope that only Jesus Christ offers. Providing a free information packet including our book He Intends Victory by Dan Wooding, phone counseling, support grooups and AIDS education with AIDS educators who are also HIV+.

In addition to talking with Mr. Sonnenberg we will also be talking with a few Christians who have been helped by this ministry. We will be hearing their own life account of their experience with HIV/AIDS and what Christ has done for them.

We do expect this broadcast to take place sometime in April and we will let you know as soon as we know the exact date and time. If you have comments or questions related to this broadcast please leave them in the Covenant Radio forum.

May 1, 2008, 8 PM EDT: David Barrett, and his twenty-one year old daughter, Elysse, want to see Christian families be all that God designed for them to be...and it starts with the restoration of a father's heart towards his daughter and a daughter towards her father! (Malachi 4:6). Therefore, we will be hosting them on our program to discuss a book they co-wrote together called Fathers and Daughters: Raising Polished Cornerstones. This book is also available at the Apologia Book Shoppe. This should be an interesting discussion.

If you have comments or questions related to this broadcast please leave them in the Covenant Radio forum.

Rev. Brian Schwertley joins the hosts of Covenant Radio to dicuss the Regulative Principle of Worship.

 Listen Now

RUNNING TIME: 1 HR 18 MIN
SUBJECT: The Regulative Principle of Worship
CATEGORY: Covenant Worship