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| Another perspective on the voting on
Amendment O
Sam Lanham compares the vote to that on a similar
measure in 1994
[2-13-01]
Sam Lanham has been watching the voting on Amendment
O, and while others have paid close attention to the variations from
voting on Amendment B in 1997, he has been tracking the vote on what
Covenant Network has called "proto-O," a measure sent to the
presbyteries in 1994 that would have had an effect much like this year's
"O," limiting the freedom of pastors to pray for blessing.
That "proto-O" was defeated, according to the Covenant Network
table, by 69 to 104.
He continues:
The "O" vote is correlating quite closely.
As of now, 81% of the presbyteries that have voted on "O"
voted the same way on proto-O. Ten have switched from 'yes' on proto-O
to 'no' on "O;" five have switched the other way, for a net
of 5 votes switched toward the defeat of "O." According to
my calculation, if (the big "if" again) the
remaining presbyteries vote on "O" as they did on proto-O,
"O" will go down by about 62-111, or very close to [what
might be projected from shifts thus far from] the "B" vote. This is, of course,
hopeful, but no cause to let up the effort by those who favor an
inclusive church with a traditional understanding of local
responsibility.
You may want to check
the voting table on the Covenant Network site. |
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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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