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Saturday morning in Louisville -- fresh
air and a new day?
[6-16-01]
A few thoughts as the historic 213th
winds down --
After a hot, sticky week in the Ohio Valley, this
feels like a really new day. The air is clear enough that, for the first
time in a week, we can look out our hotel room and see the hills of
Southern Indiana.
Yesterday afternoon, as the Assembly voted to send
Overture 8 to the presbyteries, a cold front rolled through town. We
hardly noticed in the closed world of the Assembly Hall, except for some
rumbles of thunder. But we emerged into clearer, cooler air that wasn't
the oppressive blanket of the week past. And this morning is even
better.
That seems to reflect the events of yesterday: There
is much to be done in the months ahead, but as someone said this
morning, we've witnessed a tectonic shift in the earth of the
Presbyterian Church. It does indeed look like a new and fresher world.
Why such a change? As I've talked with people over the
last few hours, I've heard various ideas. Moderator Jack Rogers, in a
news conference after the vote yesterday, commented on the quality of the
commissioners this year. They were, he said, largely representative of
the center of the church, concerned more for the church than for
ideological stands on which they would not compromise. In the debates,
both in the committee which considered Overture 8 and then in the
plenary session, many speakers referred to their struggles and times of
meditation, and the changes they were making in their own thinking.
The abilities of the commissioners were impressive,
too. They knew what was going on, and refused to be bamboozled by
parliamentary maneuvers. There were fewer moments of total confusion in
the debates, even as points of order were raised in discussions of
amendments piled on minority reports that were being perfected. That was
due partly to the gentle, sure touch of the Moderator, who was able to
keep track of the substance of debates, provide clarifying answers, and
guide things with both firmness and fairness.
The cooperation and organization of those working for
a more just and more inclusive church were also a huge factor.
"Liberals" (or whatever you prefer to call them) are a
notoriously hard breed to organize, but a wide variety of groups and
individuals worked together to provide clear and helpful information,
first to Committee 6 and then to around 500 other people, many of them
commissioners, after the committee finished its work. For this week
people worked very hard toward shared goals, and it made a difference.
And finally, there's the mysterious dimension of the
Spirit. This has not been a week of politics as usual, but a shared
search for what has been called the middle ground for our church. And it
may be (though there's always that dimension of mystery!) that the
Spirit really has blown through our church this week, bringing the hope
of a bright new day.
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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