We do however believe that this attempt to extend benefits is being done to declare same gender domestic partners de facto the same as spouses within a marriage of one man and one woman, and is part of a larger attempt to get the church to accept what God in the Scriptures has clearly stated is sin.

It took three months for the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Board of Pensions (BOP) to outline a process for churches to object to the board’s extension of spousal and child health benefits to same-sex domestic partners.

It took less than two weeks for objections to begin.

Since the BOP sent a letter on June 6 outlining the process by which sessions and other employing agencies can formally declare their objections, at least three churches have passed and sent resolutions as of June 19.

First Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville, N.C., Mount Pisgah Presbyterian Church in Roslyn, Wash., and Big Creek Presbyterian Church in Rensselaer, Mo. have all sent resolutions to the BOP.

The session of the 497-member First Presbyterian, Hendersonville, passed the following resolution last week:

“The session of FPCH objects in the strongest possible terms to the Board of Pensions providing benefits to same-sex partners. This is contrary to both Scripture and the confessions. We sent our first objections to this policy in a letter to the BOP after the [2010 General Assembly], and we continue to maintain these objections. The only possible recourse we see is a relief of conscience, but even then only if there is a clear demarcation of funds.”

On Tuesday, the session of Mount Pisgah Presbyterian Church in Roslyn, Wash., also passed a resolution opposing the BOP plan.

The resolution objects specifically to:

“Any subsidizing of immoral sexual relations through the provision of benefits to illicit sexual partners of plan members, and to their dependents;

“The compulsion that this congregation or any congregation must use tithes and offerings to pay compulsory dues to the Board of Pensions, part of which will be used to subsidize those participating in same-sex sexual relations, thus violating the consciences of our members, ruling elders, and teaching elder;

“The existence of any period of time, even if brief, during which no provision for relief of conscience will be provided to objecting congregations, thus forcing all objectors to violate their consciences, despite their substantial objections; and

“The normalization of and accommodation to sexual behaviors that the Bible explicitly calls sin, thus leading Christians astray, offering the world at large a false witness, and treating God’s Word as irrelevant.”

On June 6, the session of Big Creek Presbyterian passed the following resolution:

The Session of the Big Creek Presbyterian Church objects to the General Assembly and the Board of Pensions declaring same gender domestic partners being de facto the same as spouses within a marriage of one man and one woman. We believe that the Bible and the confessions of our church clearly state that marriage is between one man and one woman.

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