What is Amendment B?

At the 218th General Assembly in
San Jose in 2008, the overture you can read below was accepted by a
vote of 380 to 325.  Before it can take effect, the 173 Presbyteries
that are a part of the PC(USA) have to vote on it and two-thirds must
approve it. Over the coming nine months each of our Presbyteries will vote on Amendment 08-B.

In
the past, when Presbyteries have voted on ordination standards the
process has been contentious, argumentative, and divisive.  In the
months ahead we have a fresh opportunity to change debate into
dialogue; to strengthen, not tear apart our relationships; and to model
to a divided world how Christians can make hard decisions while
preserving love and promoting mutual respect.

Here's the overture:

The Presbytery of Boston respectfully overtures the 218th General Assembly (2008) to do the following:

a.         Strike the current text of G-6.0106b and
insert new text to read as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a
strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]



“b. Those who are called to office in the church
are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the
historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is
the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of
marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in
singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self acknowledged
practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or
installed as deacons elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament. Those
who are called to ordained service in the church, by their assent to
the constitutional questions for ordination and installation
(W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ
the Head of the Church, striving to follow where he leads through the
witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures through the
instruction of the Confessions. In so doing, they declare their
fidelity to the standards of the Church. Each governing body charged
with examination for ordination and/or installation (G-14.0240 and
G-14.0450) establishes the candidate’s sincere efforts to adhere to
these standards.

You may also find this line-by-line comparison helpful.