Amendment B, having begun with no reference to Jesus Christ and no mention of God's grace, finally rests the qualification for ordination on the human work of repentance. Underlining the priority of God's grace rather than the righteousness of those who have repented, Amendment A rings truer to the basic tenets of the Reformed tradition. Were we adding the first and last sentences of Amendment A to the Book of Order, Presbyterians might find themselves standing together on common ground. It is, however, the middle ground of the second sentence of amendment A which surely catches in the throat of those determined, categorically, to keep gay and lesbian Presbyterians from holding office. Room is left for interpretation.
Room is made for intelligent disagreement.
Room is reserved for the exception. Instead of drawing a line in the sand, Amendment A challenges the church to recognize that honest Christians are not of one mind on this matter, making room in Christ's church for both minds to abide until the mind of Christ be discerned. Because it rests its case on God's grace, alive and at work in the life of the church, I believe Amendment A just may be the interim work of the Holy Spirit. Our faith is encouraged to seek understanding once again, rather than being left to settle into a certitude determined by a scant majority. This time around, such seeking may find us asking less after the rules to impose on one another and more after the shape of responsible discipleship in the face of Christian freedom.