Continuing the theme of examining women’s roles in the church, Grace Presbytery of Mississippi recently submitted Overture 13 to the 37th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, to be held in Orlando, Fla., June 16-19.

The document says “the Presbytery of Grace overtures the 37th General Assembly to adopt [a slightly modified version of ] … the ‘Danvers’ Statement,’ offered by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood … as the statement of gender issues of the Presbyterian Church in America.”

The Danvers Statement is a biblically-based statement on gender issues endorsed by the evangelical community with its adoption in 1988 by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

Overture 13 comes on the heels of Overtures 5 and 10 (from James River and Susquehanna Valley Presbyteries), both requesting that the PCA General Assembly appoint a study committee to examine the role of women in the church.

Last year, the PCA’s General Assembly answered Overture 9 requesting a study committee on deaconesses in the negative, reminding presbyteries “that appropriate ways to bring issues before the Assembly are through presbytery overtures to amend the BCO … .”

To read Overture 13, please click here. To view the complete list of 2009 overtures, go to www.pcaac.org/37thovertures.htm.