Stivers on Takings

by Robert L. Stivers [4-7-04]

The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) has sent a resolution on limited water resources and “takings” to the 216^th General Assembly (2004) in June. This resolution clarifies existing policy found in Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice, the environmental policy statement adopted by the 202^nd General Assembly (1990) and responds to an overture from the Presbytery of Baltimore to the 214^th General Assembly (2002).

The resolution states that in general where water resources are limited the basic needs of declining species should take priority over out-of-stream and other instream users. Likewise the resolution gives priority to the reserved rights of Native Americans.

In addition the resolution states that it is not appropriate at this time for the Presbyterian Church to take a position on the complex and undeveloped questions regarding compensation by the government where application of these priorities results in restriction in the use of water by holders of water rights. This is the so-called “takings” issue. ACSWP determined that the legal questions were just too complex and needed to be resolved further by the courts.

Following from this decision not to take a stand, ACSWP further asks the General Assembly to rescind a Commissioner’s Resolution to the 213^th General Assembly (2001) on the Klamath River Basin drought that said “the takings of water rights is the taking of private property.

Some blogs worth visiting

PVJ's Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, PVJ'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.

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.

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 former 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?

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