Changing a provision in the Book of Church Order (BCO) is a three-step process. First, the proposed amendment must be approved by a majority vote of General Assembly (GA). The proposal is then sent to the presbyteries for their “advice and consent,” where it must be approved by a two-thirds vote. Finally, it is docketed for ratification by the next GA. Ratification requires a majority of commissioners to that GA who are present and voting. 

The 48^th General Assembly sent eight proposed BCO amendments to the presbyteries for their consideration. As there are currently 88 presbyteries in the PCA, 59 of them must approve any proposed amendment for it to be considered for ratification.

As of February 14, official reports to the Stated Clerk’s office from 64 presbyteries indicate that five proposals have been approved for ratification (identified by item number in the list sent to presbyteries):

Note: not all the 64 presbyteries reporting have sent votes on Items 2 and 4.  

• Item 1 would amend BCO 12-6 and 13-4 to allow Presbyteries and Sessions to establish rules for holding virtual meetings.  
• Item 3, would amend BCO 20-4, 24-3, and 24-4 to clarify that the election of a pastors, elder, or deacon requires a majority of votes cast rather than a majority of members present.
• Item 5 would amend BCO 22-2 to allow an assistant pastor to be elected as associate pastor by the congregation he currently serves upon recommendation of the Session without the election of a pulpit committee; 
• Item 6 would amend BCO 24-1 to clarify that a Session has discretion on the timing of some parts of the exam for officer nominees.
• Item 8 would amend BCO 38-1 to specify what may be considered when a judgment is rendered in a case without process (in which a person comes forward to make an offense known) 

One proposed amendment has received sufficient negative votes (30 presbyteries) that it cannot reach the threshold to be sent to the 49^th GA for possible ratification: 

• Item 4, a proposal to amend BCO 21-4 and 24-1 to clarify the moral requirements for church office by requiring more extensive investigation of a candidate’s character, giving particular attention to “notorious concerns.”

Two other proposals are still short of the threshold for approval or disapproval: 

• Item 2, a proposal to amend BCO 16 by adding a clause (16-4) that would prohibit ordination of men who profess an identity contradicting their new identity in Christ and lists as examples those who self-identify as “gay Christians,” “same sex attracted Christians,” “homosexual Christians,” “or like terms”, has currently been approved by 36 presbyteries and disapproved by 25.
• Item 7 would replace the current BCO 32-20, which requires a church court to commence process against a member in a case involving scandal within one year. The new proposal would allow the accused to object to its consideration; it would also provide direction to the court about how to consider such an objection. To date, the proposal has been approved by 52 presbyteries and disapproved by 11. 

byFaith will report when the two proposals that remain have reached the threshold of either approval or disapproval as that information becomes available.