In that June 29 vote, commissioners for the group's Gender and Sexuality Justice Committee voted overwhelmingly for a resolution demanding “all individuals, including minors, to have access to all medically necessary, evidence-based gender-affirming healthcare.”
The term “gender-affirming care” is the Left’s standard description for controversial medical procedures, such as body-altering hormones and surgeries, with the purpose of making a male feel more like a female or vice versa.
The resolution passed easily, 441-30, during the 227th General Assembly that was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Reacting to that PC (USA) resolution on the “Washington Watch” program, Dr. David Closson, of Family Research Council (FRC), urged the audience not to miss the bigger picture of a Christian denomination holding such a vote.
“I've been to these types of denominational meetings before,” Closson said. “It’s not uncommon when different delegates want to debate certain theological issues.”
Instead of debating theology, such as atonement or eschatology, he added, it’s “breathtaking” when you realize the denomination tackled trans surgeries – and included children in the resolution.
“They debated whether to use the word ‘minor,’ but they made clear they believe that all people should be able to receive these gender transition interventions,” Closson told show host Jody Hice.
The modern-day PC (USA) ordained its first homosexual minister in 2010. The progression of that allowance surfaced briefly in Milwaukee, when a resolution demanded ordained clergy remain monogamous. That vote was denounced as an "attack on queerness" and was instead referred to a committee.
Other topics debated and voted on at the General Assembly include divesting from fossil fuels, blaming Israel for genocide and denouncing Christian nationalism, according to a story by Presbyterian News Service.
A related article by Presbyterian News Service said the Gender and Sexuality Justice Committee introduced its resolution with the intention of directing the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy to update its healthcare policy.
During floor debate, a member of the Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity, Zayne Silva, said young people need to be “affirmed” about their gender or the result will be more suicides among them.
“Gender-affirming care is associated with lower suicide risk,” said Silva, who identifies as a “Latinx trans man” and is an elder at a wildly liberal and “inclusive” Brooklyn church.
Closson said PC (USA) is stubbornly doubling down on “gender-affirming care” for minors when that dogma is in full retreat among medical professionals.
“Think about the United Kingdom, for example,” he pointed out. “With their Cass Review, they are realizing that the evidence is simply not there for any of these procedures for minor children.”
Closson was referring to a 2024 report on transgender care for minors that was led by British pediatrician Dr. Hillary Cass. After the blockbuster report warned of “remarkably weak evidence” for body-altering gender procedures on youth, NHS stopped its “affirmation-only” approach and implemented new restrictions for minors.
However, PC (USA) delegates were all but warned they would be permitting more youth suicides if they voted against the resolution.
Closson concluded that PC (USA) is an example of a denomination that abandoned the gospel to follow the modern-day culture wherever it leads.
“Pretty soon these churches quickly just resembled the world. They resembled the culture. They have nothing anymore distinctive to offer,” he said.
