Guide to the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Task Force to Study Homosexuality Records

Correspondence, study materials, meeting minutes, and reports document the Task Force to Study Homosexuality's work to create a recommendation for the General Assembly. Also included are records from the Advisory Council on Church and Society (ACCS) which oversaw the task force.

The ACCS Records series, 1976-1978, contains minutes from ACCS and church-wide staff administrative meetings which include reference to the work of the task force. The minutes were taken by Kathy Young, the ACCS staff consultant to the task force. In addition, the series contains correspondence from Young to other ACCS staff members and notes from presentations by the task force to ACCS.

The Meetings series, 1973-1978, includes Kathy Young’s planning notes and the packets of study materials that she sent to task force members prior to each meeting. Also included are copies of statements and papers that members presented to one another at the meetings as well as correspondence from the Consultation on Homosexuality.

The Hearings series, 1973-1977, documents the four regional hearings held by the task force. The series includes correspondence and notes related to arranging the hearings, registration forms, and notes on testimonies given at the hearings. In addition, the series contains copies of the questionnaire and questionnaire results from the Presbyterian Panel.

The Correspondence series, 1974-1978, consists of three subseries. The Internal Correspondence subseries contains letters sent between task force members. The Correspondence with Presbyteries and Sessions subseries includes copies of session resolutions regarding homosexuality. The Correspondence with Individuals and Groups subseries contains letters sent in to the task force from individuals or church groups, including anonymous testimonies, opinions of lay persons and ministers, and responses to task force reports, both for and against ordaining homosexuals.

The Study Materials series, 1965-1978, consists of two subseries. The Study Materials for Task Force Members subseries contains copies of the articles that were circulated among the task force, including statements on homosexuality by other Christian denominations, secular research papers, and articles from Monday Morning and The Presbyterian Layman. The Study Materials for Church-wide Distribution subseries contains copies of research papers, personal testimonies, and correspondence with the task force that were labeled as appropriate for church-wide circulation. This includes two study packets prepared by the task force: the first packet includes copies of task force correspondence, personal testimonies, and partial transcripts from task force meetings whereas the second packet contains copies of papers on homosexuality and the church.

The Reports series, 1977-1978, contains drafts, revisions, and final copies of the background paper, policy statement, recommendations, and minority policy statement/recommendations that the task force submitted to the ACCS after completing its work.