Welcome to Witherspoon on the Web       

News and networking for progressive Presbyterians

Home page

Ordination concerns

Israel's war on Gaza

War on Iraq

Search Archive
2008 General Assembly Global & Social concerns The Economic Crisis Israel & Palestine About us Just for fun

News of the PC(USA)

Torture --
It's time to resist!
Other churches, other faiths Immigrant rights Join us! Notes from your WebWeaver

What's Where

Our reports about the
2008 General Assembly

You'll find much more on the GA at JustPresbys -- the shared website of 6 progressive Presbyterian organizations.

ABOUT US

At last!!
The Winter 2009 issue of
Network News
is posted here
- in Adobe PDF format.

Click here for earlier issues
Adobe PDF  Click here to download (free!) Adobe Reader software to view this and all PDF files.

News of the Society
How to join us
Witherspoon's
Global Engagement Initiative
Dancing with God -- reports from the 2005 Witherspoon conference on mission for peace and justice

SEARCH

CONNECTIONS

Coming events calendar 

Do you want to announce an event?
Please send a note!
Food for the spirit
Book notes

Go to  Amazon.com

LINKS

NEWS of the Presbyterian Church

Got news??
Send us a note!
Social and global concerns
The New Administration
in Washington
The Middle East conflict
The War in Iraq
Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
U. S. Politics
The economic crisis
Election 2008
Economic justice
Fair Food Campaign
Labor rights
Women's Concerns
Sexual justice
Marriage Equality
Amendment 08-B
for inclusive ordination
Peacemaking & international concerns
Caring for the environment
Immigrant rights
Racial concerns
Church & State
The death penalty
The media
OTHER CHURCHES, OTHER FAITHS
Do you want regular e-mail updates when stories are added to our web site?
Just send a note!
The WebWeaver's Space
ARCHIVES
JUST FOR FUN
Want books?
Search Now:

 

A comment on the campaign of litigation

How shall the church deal with the campaign of litigation?

Brian Wells comments on the continuing campaign of Paul Rolf Jensen against "anyone considered theologically impure." He urges those in "the Great Middle" of the church "to understand the folly of trying to appease the reactionaries with G-6.0106b."

[7-21-03]

Without knowing precisely when, progressives long ago predicted exactly where Paul Rolf Jensen et al would go next. If these bullies stay true to form, the season of litigation against a "provocative" few will become a flood of threats, investigations and witch trials against anyone considered theologically impure. Even if all new charges are ultimately rejected (and recent history suggests otherwise), the damage will be immeasurable.

If ever the Great Middle might come to understand the folly of trying to appease the reactionaries with G-6.0106b, surely it is now. If any trusted they would refrain from using this loaded weapon along with others to their most destructive potential, surely none can any longer. Another decade's worth of outreach and education is unlikely to teach this lesson to GA commissioners and presbytery voters more effectively than Jensen is doing now. What year since Definitive Guidance has offered more motivation, momentum or a better "climate" for striking this injustice from the BOO? So it's all the more regrettable how diligently some historic allies worked to kill chances for a vote this year. Even setting aside the lack of theological merit to their arguments, it's time that those who insisted on saving us from our perceived political and tactical naïveté begin the healing by acknowledging that their timing was as poor as their actions were patronizing.

Instead, Covenant Network stands by its "reluctant" accomplishment in killing this year's vote, and leaves us waiting for it to forecast a sufficiently improved "climate." Presumably then we'll have its permission to ask for another vote on this unjust affront to the commandments from Christ "above all others." Meanwhile, our unity is damaged, our cause lacks the focus a pending vote would give, and the Church fritters away its time choosing between pursuit of some unattainable "middle way" or fretting over how to word the next call for "forbearance and patience." In the interim we frogs become that much more accustomed to the pot's ever rising water temperature, and to arguments that it will cool down as soon as militants like Rev. Van Kuiken and others stop being so provocative as to declare openly what the rest of us do quietly or euphemistically, while pretending otherwise in public. Courage of conviction is all well and good, it seems, but the current climate makes it impolitic to practice except in moderation.

Beyond just crying over spilt milk, which admittedly I haven't been able to stop doing since GA, I'm praying that Covenant Network will have a change of heart, reach out to the Three Sisters and work together to rebuild our shattered trust. Let's agree not to cancel each other out the next time around. Let's define what climate, if not this one, will enable us all to call for justice to come out and play. Let's decide that just as Covenant Network's moderating voice plays a critical part in inviting the whole Church to move toward justice, so does debate, votes at GA and presbyteries, and personal acts of conscience. And let's have all the boards communicate regularly and, when possible, cooperate and coordinate, for Christ's sake and our own!

But if we don't reach consensus on our own, Jensen may bring that lesson home to us anyway. As charges of "being unchaste," heresy and forsaking our vows are brought in ever greater numbers, including against leaders of Covenant Network, we may find sudden agreement about just how poor the climate has become. We may finally agree on the need to act decisively, immediately, and in concert.

Whatever may bring that about, I pray it does so before any more are investigated, tried or defrocked - and while there's still time for us to do something about it.

Brian Wells
Baltimore

Some blogs worth visiting


Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

After fifteen years of scholarship and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy, students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and thoughtful community.


Witherspoon’s Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, Witherspoon’s Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!

You can post your own news and views, or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you.


John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

Theological and philosophical reflections on everything between summit to shore, including kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology, politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a member of the Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian Church in Flushing, NY.

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

A Presbyterian minister, currently serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and lightening up.


Got more blogs to recommend?

Please send a note, and we'll see what we can do!

 

Plan now for ...

GHOST RANCH PEACE & JUSTICE WEEK
July 27 - August 2, 2009

Now's the time to make reservations to be a part of the 2009 Peace & Justice Week at Ghost Ranch, July 27-August 2. There are eight seminars to choose among, including the Witherspoon-sponsored class “New Eyes for Peace & Justice from the World Church” led by Clifton Kirkpatrick.

More
information >>

 

If you like what you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep this website going ... and growing!

Please consider making a special contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve this service.

Click here to send a gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.

Or send your check, made out to "Witherspoon Society" and marked "web site," to our Witherspoon  Bookkeeper:

Susan Robertson  
9650 Clover Circle
Eden Prairie, MN  55347

 

Check out our report from the Conference
on
Terror, Torture,
and Security

 

To top

© 2009 by The Witherspoon Society.  All material on this site is the responsibility of the WebWeaver unless other sources are acknowledged.  Unless otherwise noted, material on this site may be copied for personal use and sharing in small groups.  For permission to reproduce material for wider publication, please contact the WebWeaver, Doug King.  Any material reached by links on this site is outside the control and responsibility of the WebWeaver and The Witherspoon Society.  Questions or comments?  Please send a note!