The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted to keep its current definition of marriage "between a woman and a man" by narrowly defeating a proposal to change the wording to "between two people" at its 220th General Assembly Friday evening.

The proposal by same-sex marriage proponents would have also changed the definition of marriage from being a "civil contract" to a "covenant" that "according to the laws of the state also constitutes a civil contract."

Nearly four hours of debate preceded the 338-308 vote. While in prayer after the vote, General Assembly Moderator Neal Presa said, "Some of us weep while some of us rejoice. We are a divided church."

The PC(USA)'s Civil Union and Marriage Issues Committee had voted 28-24 in favor of the change on Thursday.

Prior to the vote on Friday, Jodi Craiglow of the Miami Valley Presbytery in Ohio said, "I must affirm definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. As much as my heart breaks for your (gay Presbyterians') pain and frustration, I must simply hold to the standard of the God I love."

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