After a three hour discussion and debate, the Reformed Church in America's General Synod on Monday approved a recommendation that affirms an official position that homosexual behavior is a sin according to Scripture.

The recommendation calls for the creation of committee to provide practical recommendations that "present a way forward" without revisiting the denomination's official stance, the RCA said.

The debate came in response to overtures from several classes calling for officeholders who promote, celebrate, or bless homosexual behavior to be disiplined.
Delegates to the General Synod are meeting through Tuesday at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois.

RCA General Secretary Tom De Vries referred to a passage in 1 John 4:18, where the writer speaks about loving God and one another and then asked how to take steps of love toward doing so.

"We're going to be challenged in how we live this out together," De Vries said. "My call would be for us to say, how do we begin to take steps of love? Steps forward, steps toward each other, and steps that declare that we love God, but we also love each other and others."

The official measure adopted on Monday "R-56 Substitute as Approved" is:

"While compassion, patience, and loving support should be shown to all those who struggle with same-sex desires, the General Synod reaffirms our official position that homosexual behavior is a sin according to the Holy Scriptures, therefore any person, congregation, or assembly which advocates homosexual behavior or provides leadership for a service of same-sex marriage or a similar celebration has committed a disciplinable offense; and further, that the General Synod Council shall oversee the creation of an eight member committee made up of representatives appointed by each of the regional synods to pray and work together to present a way forward for our denomination given the disagreement in our body relative to homosexuality. The purpose of the committee is not to revisit our stated position, but shall operate with the understanding expressed earlier in this recommendation and issue a report with practical recommendations to the General Synod of 2013."