Candidates for Moderator respond
to questions:
The Rev. Andy Sale
[5-15-01]
Question: In the debate about Amendment
O, it has been argued that the recently adopted G-6.0106b reflects
"essential" parts of our polity and should therefore be
applied to our theology about marriage. What would you say are the
"essential tenets" of the Reformed tradition (not just
"from the book," but from your own convictions!), and how do
they guide you in dealing with G-6.0106b?
In my opinion, the "essential tenets" of the
Reformed tradition theologically are found in the Apostles Creed,
mediated by Calvin's insistence on the sovereignty of God and sin as a
condition of humankind, and grace interpreted by Paul as a covenant gift
of God in Christ and understood through faith revealed in Scriptures
within the Holy Spirit,
In polity, our central function is to discern
corporately God's sovereign will among us as sinful people, seeking
together "through a glass dimly" with civil discussion and
prayerful reflection on our confessions and Scriptures how God would
have us act and believe.
The issue of G-6.0106b is how and what to confess as
sin before our God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our church
has defined "through a glass dimly" among other things the
standard of chastity in singleness and fidelity in marriage as God's
righteous will for us. Acknowledgment and confession of sinful action is
sought for those who seek to be ordained. Our human sexuality is a gift
of God, but also a gift which can be mis-used in all relationships which
God seeks to reconcile in Christ.
Question: In light of recent demands
that our GAC affirm Christ as the only way to salvation, how might we
reconcile the statements in our confessions that say God's love extends
to all people, with other statements that say salvation is only through
Christ?
God's love is offered to the world as revealed and
effected in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
Salvation is a redeemed state offered to all people by God in sovereign
grace, a condition which we are unable to attain ourselves. All other
sources fall short of God's full reconciling work. God's prevenient
grace is extended in metaphor, simile, analogy and general revelation in
many forms to and through all people, but it is only fulfilled and
effectual in the grace of God in Christ Jesus. How God fulfills the
salvation of those who have never heard the good news in Jesus Christ is
God's mystery which I believe is one of grace also.
Therefore interfaith conversations with other
religious traditions are not times to condemn and judge, but rather
opportunities to listen lovingly and to present winsomely our witness to
the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
Question: The 213th General Assembly
will begin with a workshop on racism. Do you believe that racism is a
real problem in our Presbyterian Church? How
would you move us toward fulfilling the mandates of recent Assemblies to
develop more racial-ethnic congregations?
Yes, I believe that racism is a real problem in our
Presbyterian Church. Our Presbyterian outreach must be more open to the
rich racial ethnic heritage growing around us as well as more vigilant
to the caustic preconceived notions of racial superiority and ethnic
separation.
It is difficult for us to overcome the cultural
perception that the Presbyterian tradition in America is basically
white, northern European and comfortable in that heritage. There are
notable places, however, where new church developments and
redevelopments are creating multi-cultural and cross-racial Presbyterian
congregations.
I believe that we have much yet to learn from our
worldwide Presbyterian partners about the rich racial diversity within
our own reformed traditions, as well as from other denominations who
have been more successful in outreach to racial ethnic members.
My prayer for our denomination and for our world is
that we will grasp how God has created us with cultural diversity and
racial uniqueness for the welfare of our faith community and for
strengthening our human endeavors, not for discord and dissension.
Question: Questions of sexuality
continue to dominate our life as a church. Do you see any creative ways
to work through these questions? Is there a "third way" that
you would encourage us to follow?
I am proud to have signed the "third way"
proposal. To some it may seem to be a political ploy to delay further
action until a majority can be attained on one side or the other. To
others it could be a meaningless gesture amidst a hopelessly divided
church.
From my perspective, the "third way" invites
an environment among us as a church to listen to God within our
different interpretations of scriptures, theology and our human
condition. The task is essentially to discern in our sessions and
presbyteries what is blessed of God and what is not, rather than
exhausting constitutional debates and judicial proceedings.
The plurality of our culture confounds our thinking
much less our listening to one another. A "third way" seeks a
covenant and discipline for listening without preconceiving who is right
and who is wrong. Promising "not to leave the table" addresses
the discussion by some of the need to divide the church. A "third
way" asks the best from us as Presbyterians, to seek "the
peace and unity" of the church as we discern its
"purity."
On the web: www.peakspresbytery.org/
E-mail: andy@peakspresbytery.org
