Several articles¹ have been written about the recent vote of the 46th Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) General Assembly (June 2026) approving a revised pastoral letter on human sexuality² that allows congregations and presbyteries to consider the ordination of same-sex-attracted church officers. The vote was 518 to 378 in favor of the new recommendations. In this essay, I will offer the viewpoint of a longtime EPC minister (since 1991) who wrote the history of the EPC from its founding in 1981 until 2016. The departure from the EPC’s historic position on homosexuality was alarming, but the outcome was not so shocking to those with discerning eyes who have been watching changes in the EPC over the last decade.

The Trajectory

The first Presbyterian study paper on homosexuality appeared in 1978 (United Presbyterian Church USA, the northern church). The study paper argued that based on new light from current “scientific” studies on homosexuality, Scripture must be reinterpreted regarding what it says about homosexuality. The decision was made in 1978 to allow ordination for celibate homosexuals. Two years after the study on homosexuality, Ward Presbyterian Church in Detroit and a small group of other congregations gathered to discuss starting the EPC. Ward decided to leave the mainline church; the Ward elders explicitly mentioned recognition of a gay caucus in the UPCUSA as one of the primary reasons they decided to start a new denomination. An early position paper from the EPC was the Position Paper on Homosexuality (1986, revised 1994), which was our official statement on the subject until the 2026 General Assembly. This position paper was a summary of historic Christian teaching on homosexuality.

In 2016 the EPC adopted a position paper on human sexuality that was intended to soften the tone of the 1986/1994 Position Paper on Homosexuality. A new Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality used the term “same-sex attraction” and suggested that the expression “gay Christian” could be appropriate.³ In the same year, responding to pleas from EPC congregations fearful of repercussions from the Supreme Court decision on Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which legalized gay marriage, the EPC removed its homosexuality paper from the denominational website. The homosexuality paper was available on request but not easily accessible as a resource. These moves ten years ago were the beginning of what transpired at the June 18, 2026, vote at the EPC General Assembly.

With new national leadership in place as of 2021, many perceived a drift away from traditional EPC values. It appeared that EPC leadership was pushing women’s ordination within presbyteries as if it were an essential issue, when the EPC had officially declared this issue a nonessential from its founding. The EPC had its first female General Assembly moderator in 2022 and was elevating more women to national leadership positions. Historically, the EPC had not highlighted women in national leadership and preaching in church courts out of courtesy to complementarians within the EPC. In June 2022 the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP), which has had fraternal relations with the EPC since 1985, wrote the EPC a letter of concern that addressed women’s ordination.

Under the current leadership, a “Pastoral Letter on Racism: Lament and Hope” was advanced through the 2024 Assembly. The committee members tasked with writing the paper were not truly representative of the EPC, nor was the paper that was produced. Feedback from presbyteries was disregarded; the paper claimed racist attitudes in the EPC without hard evidence. Many voted against this pastoral letter and its unsubstantiated accusations, including some minority commissioners. This was taken as further evidence of progressive leadership.

At the 2024 EPC Assembly, a unanimous overture from one presbytery that would have prohibited ordination of a self-described celibate homosexual was barred from coming to a floor vote through debatable parliamentary procedures. The overture arose out of concern for inquiries made by Greg Johnson and Memorial Church in St. Louis to enter the EPC. Instead of allowing a vote on this prohibitive overture, a two-year interim committee was established, and again the committee appointed was not truly representative of the EPC.⁴ The committee was tasked with addressing the question of same-sex attraction and ordination.

The polity proceedings observed at the 2024 Assembly further eroded trust in the national leadership of the EPC. Skeptics predicted that the interim committee would provide orthodox affirmations but would finally affirm celibate homosexual ordination. In response to the dismay over what was observed at the 2024 Assembly and concern for the anticipated interim committee report, an online journal, The Presbyterian Plumb Line, was established in fall 2024 to inform ruling elders about the perceived drift of the EPC. Articles and videos were produced to warn the EPC about what would be at stake at the 2026 General Assembly.

When preliminary reports from the interim committee were published in 2025/26, feedback to the committee from across the EPC warning of impending division if the report did not align with Scripture and the constitution was disregarded. The outcome of the committee report appeared predetermined from the beginning, and no amount of pushback mattered. The committee seemed little concerned about the damage that could be inflicted on the EPC. The only thing that seemed to matter was a rather novel way to justify celibate homosexual ordination (see below).

By the time of the 2026 EPC General Assembly, it seemed obvious that the fix was in. Those opposed to the interim committee report were repeatedly denied equal opportunity to present their views before the Assembly. Requests for meeting spaces and opportunity to present their views to commissioners were denied. Both inadequate time for debate and unfairness in managing the time of the debate stifled the opposition. Many who had come prepared to speak against the report never got the opportunity to speak. Meanwhile, the interim committee was provided with an hour-long session at the Assembly to present their views and was even allowed extra time during the floor debate, which reduced time for the opposition to speak.

Concerns of the Opposition

In order that the reader understand the concerns of the opposition, the summary below explains why 43 percent voted against the revised pastoral letter on human sexuality at the 2026 EPC General Assembly. In my opinion, the pastoral letter has the following problems:

Rejects the Use of Biblical Language

Instead of using biblical expressions for homosexuality, such as “dishonorable passions” and ”unnatural desire,” the interim committee used the term “same-sex attraction,” which comes not from the Bible but from our contemporary culture. The pastoral letter attempted to distinguish homosexuality from same-sex attraction. The Bible, however, recognizes no such distinction nor does civil law.

Misinterprets Romans 1:26–27

The gay Christian movement has been trying to explain away these verses for fifty years, and it was tragic to observe the interim committee also attempting to do this. The interim committee claimed that “unnatural” in Romans 1 refers to all the sins in this chapter. For the Westminster Divines, however, “unnatural lusts” refers to homosexual lusts and bestiality, according to Larger Catechism (WLC) 139. The language of “contrary to nature” (i.e., “unnatural”) comes directly from Romans 1:26. The interim committee’s interpretation is opposed to two thousand years of biblical scholarship and orthodox belief.

Denies That Homosexuality Is a Heinous Sin

The interim committee argued that all sins are equal, that homosexuality is no more evil than other sins. By contrast the WLC 151 addresses aggravations that make some sins more evil in the sight of God. One aggravation is “from the nature and quality of the offence,” and under this category the catechism has a list of offenses including those “against the light of nature” (WLC 151.3). The lone proof text for “against the light of nature” is Romans 1:26–27—homosexuality. In other words, same-sex attraction is a particularly heinous sin.

Distorts the Doctrine of Sanctification

The interim committee embraced a truncated view of sanctification, questioning freedom from same-sex attraction for those born of the Spirit. By contrast the Westminster Confession 13.3 on sanctification contains this concluding pinnacle paragraph: “Although the old nature temporarily wins battles in this warfare, the continual strengthening of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ enables the regenerate nature in each believer to overcome. And so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Before the General Assembly meeting, over 340 ruling and teaching elders signed “A Red Line on Ordination and Same-Sex Attraction in the EPC,” which stated, “We affirm that God can and does deliver His people from every form of sin and disordered desire, including those of a sexual nature. And we expect that those who lead His church will be living testimonies to that redeeming and renewing grace.”

Contradicts the EPC Position Paper on Homosexuality

The EPC Position Paper on Homosexuality is clear about same-sex lust being a grievous sin. The homosexuality paper is clear about gospel freedom from same-sex attraction. The revised pastoral letter denies both things. The interim committee asked the EPC to change its views on homosexuality. The Bible and our constitution affirm what is stated in our Position Paper on Homosexuality. Despite the claims of some interim committee members, the Position Paper on Homosexuality was never rescinded by the General Assembly and still served as a guiding document for the EPC until 2026.

Threatens Great Harm to the Church

We have learned much from Roman Catholic experience. Numerous priests who vowed celibacy turned out to be pedophiles and homosexuals—see the 2004 John Jay College of Criminal Justice study, which found that in 81 percent of sexual abuse cases involving priests and deacons, the victims were boys ages eleven to seventeen. As a result of this condemning report, the Roman Catholic Church issued the statement “Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and Holy Orders” (2005). This document stated, “One must in no way overlook the negative consequences that can derive from the ordination of persons with deep-seated homosexual tendencies.” As Catholics figured out, anyone with ongoing SSA (i.e., homosexual tendencies) is an unacceptable candidate for ministry.

Forsakes Historic Christian Teaching

In a pagan world that glorified sexual immorality, lust, and promiscuity, Christians were distinguished by their sexual ethic. St. Paul indicates that homosexuals were converted and experienced life change (1 Cor 6:11). The church fathers were aware of homosexuality in their societies; they wrote about and condemned it as unfitting for followers of Christ. The medieval church likewise spoke about homosexuality, which was prevalent in parts of Italy—and a significant problem among monks and priests. The Reformers also mentioned the evils of homosexuality; Luther believed same-sex lust was inspired by Satan. Ordaining persons experiencing same-sex attraction to church office would have been inconceivable for the church fathers and Reformers. Putting such a person in church office would have been considered heresy.

Conclusion

The EPC has had a good run for forty-five years, but the 2026 General Assembly’s decision by 57 percent to allow celibate homosexual ordination is devastating to the 43 percent who voted against it. God has delivered some denominations from progressive infestation—Missouri Synod Lutherans and the Southern Baptists would be twentieth-century examples.⁵ But often God allows progressives to have their own way; the oldline Protestant denominations are dying. An EPC friend of mine puts it this way: “The so-called progressives are aptly named because things get progressively worse.” This appears to be the trajectory of the EPC unless she repents and returns to her historic principles rooted in Scripture and her constitution. For those outside the EPC who are concerned about what happened at the 46th General Assembly, please pray for God to bring renewal to the EPC.

Notes

1. See Peter Larson, “EPC Opens Door to Ordination of Celibate Homosexuals,” The Presbyterian Plumbline 2, Special GA Edition (June 2026); Mary Jackson, “Presbyterian Pastors Draw a Line Against Same-Sex Attracted Clergy,” WORLD, June 26, 2026; Kim Roberts, “EPC Votes to Allow Ordination of Celibate ‘Same-Sex Attracted’ Pastors,” Ministry Watch, June 23, 2026.
2. Note the end of the document with the “Counsel to Sessions and Presbyteries” that gives directions on interviewing candidates experiencing “same-sex attraction.”
3. The original 2016 Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality is not available to the public on the EPC website, but here is a comparison of the old pastoral letter and the revised one.
4. See Don Fortson, “The PCA and Greg Johnson,” The Presbyterian Plumbline 1, no. 3 (May 2025).
5. There was a conservative resurgence at Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis in the 1970s, and a similar conservative takeover of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville in the 1990s. Both Missouri Synod Lutherans and Southern Baptists experienced renewal as progressive professors moved away from these seminaries and were replaced by conservatives.

©S. Donald Fortson. All Rights Reserved.

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Post authored by:

• S. Donald Fortson

  

  S. Donald Fortson is Professor of Church History and Pastoral Theology Emeritus at Reformed Theological Seminary. Dr. Fortson served as a professor on the Charlotte campus of RTS for twenty-six years. Before his time at RTS he served as a fulltime Presbyterian pastor for nine years followed by three years on the faculty of Gordon-Conwell Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. He is the author of Liberty in Non-Essentials: The Story of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (2016). His father was a member of the founding generation of the EPC in 1981. Other publications include Unchanging Witness: The Consistent Christian Teaching on Homosexuality in Scripture and Tradition, co-author with Rollin G. Grams (B&H Academic, 2016) and Reformed & Evangelical Across Four Centuries: The Presbyterian Story in America, co-Author with Nathan Feldmeth, Garth Rosell and Ken Stewart (Eerdmans, 2022).

  More by S. Donald Fortson ›