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| Beloved, Let us Respect One Another
from Gordon Shull, elder of Wooster, Ohio, First
Presbyterian Church
[8-30-01]
Confucius was right. "The beginning of wisdom is
to call things by their proper names." As we consider together the
General Assembly's proposed amendment to the Book of Order, it is vital
that we understand what this amendment is and is not.
The issue is not how we shall interpret any passage of
Scripture. Rather, it is about whether we can respect the great many
faithful Presbyterians who, in good conscience, disagree with us.
[emphasis added]
Two things have become very clear in the past twenty years. The first is
that faithful Presbyterians disagree with each other on how to interpret
Scripture, and whether to legislate about it. When presbyteries across
the land voted on "Amendment B" some years ago, only 51% of
the Commissioners voted to support it. 49% voted against it. In our own
presbytery's votes on ordination issues, the majority has never been as
high as 60%. Ours was the only presbytery in Ohio that supported
Amendment B. A strong majority of presbyteries north of the Mason-Dixon
line opposed it. This year not one, not ten, but 33 presbyteries
submitted overtures to the General Assembly proposing to repeal or
drastically revise it. Good faith has led us variously!
The second is that we will continue to disagree. Neither
"side" is going to make large inroads in the other. We are all
tempted to believe that "they" are stubborn or untutored - but
in fact most of us have thought carefully about these matters and have
come to reasoned, faithful conclusions. I must accept the fact that I
will not convert most of my colleagues-in-Christ who read Scripture and
the human experience differently than I do. No matter how eloquent my
words, I will persuade very few.
How, then, shall we live with these two realities? We could succumb to
the temptation to cram our own views down the throats of the many
faithful Presbyterians who disagree. Or we could decide to respect each
other's consciences. We could decide that our church is not well served
when a small majority writes its views into law and commands everyone to
obey. Rather, we will trust each Session to decide on the suitability of
nominees for Deacon and Elder, and each Presbytery on the suitability of
candidates for Minister of Word and Sacrament, and for admission to that
Presbytery, just as we did for two centuries. We could realize that
different bodies in our great church will come to different decisions on
these matters, and that it is better to accept this diversity - as
indeed we did before 1978 - than to coerce the conscience of any.
In other words, we could choose to practice mutual respect in the midst
of disagreement. That is the challenge that the General Assembly sets
before us. Mutual respect!
Lately the words of Rodney King - the black man beaten up by a gang of
policemen, before our very eyes - have been ringing in my ears.
"Can't we just get along?" Can't we respect one another and
move on to bind the wounds of a broken world?
Let our motto be the words that adorned the entrance to a local church.
Here we enter into a
fellowship.
Sometimes we will agree to differ.
Always we will resolve to love, and unite to serve.
The world awaits our united ministry.
Together, in mutual respect, let us accept God's high calling!
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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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