This page contains reports, decisions and pastoral letters of The Presbyterian Church in Canada related to sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as reports from the past three decades for historical context about how the church has addressed questions related to sexuality and LGBTQI inclusion.

A summary of The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s positions and actions related to Gender, Sexuality and Inclusion is available on the Social Action Hub.

Image of arrow pointing down2019 General Assembly Summary of Decisions Regarding Human Sexuality
Image of arrow pointing down2019 Liberty of Conscience and Action
Image of arrow pointing down2018 Report of Committee on Church Doctrine and Life and Mission Agency Committee Re Sexuality Overtures
Image of arrow pointing down2017 Report of Committee on Church Doctrine and Life and Mission Agency Committee Re Sexuality Overtures
Image of arrow pointing down2015 Supplementary: Proposal for a Process of Dealing with Overtures Regarding Human Sexuality
Image of arrow pointing downReport of the Special Committee on Sexual Orientation 2003
Image of arrow pointing downInterim Report of the Special Committee on Sexual Orientation, 2000
Image of arrow pointing downReport on Human Sexuality, Committee on Church Doctrine, 1994

Pastoral Letters, Apologies and Confession

The 2022 General Assembly adopted a confession regarding the harm caused by homophobia, transphobia, heterosexism and hypocrisy in The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and committing the church to a true change of heart and behaviour. The whole church is called to live out this confession as individuals and communities of faith so that harm does not continue.

The 2021 General Assembly instructed the Moderator to write letters of apology to the Rev. Darryl Macdonald and the congregation of St. Andrew’s, Lachine for the harm The Presbyterian Church in Canada caused by overturning Darryl’s call to ministry in 1996 after he disclosed that he was in a same-sex relationship. In August 2021, the Rev. Dr. Daniel Scott (Moderator of the 2021 General Assembly) met with Darryl to apologize on behalf of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and in May 2022, an apology was offered to the congregation of St. Andrew’s, Lachine .

In March 2021, the Rev. Amanda Currie, Moderator, wrote a pastoral letter to the church reaffirming the need to uphold the church’s promise to rebuild broken communities and relationships with LGBTQI people who have experienced harm in the church.

In September of 2019, at the request of the General Assembly, the Rev. Amanda Currie, Moderator, wrote a pastoral letter to the church with regard to the recommendations about sexuality adopted at the 2019 General Assembly.

In February of 2018, the Rev. Peter Bush, Moderator of the 2018 General Assembly issued a letter of repentence at the direction of the 2017 General Assembly.

In August of 2017, the Rev. Peter Bush, Moderator of the 2017 General Assembly wrote a pastoral letter to the church about the sexuality discussion the courts of the church are having.

In January 2016, the Rev. Karen Horst, Moderator of the 141st General Assembly, wrote a pastoral letter to the church about the discussion the denomination is having about human sexuality; this followed a previous pastoral letter sent in November 2015.