Press conference offers reactions
from two sides to ordination action
by Jane Hines, PNS
LOUISVILLE -- June 15, 2001 -- Following the vote by
the 213th General Assembly to send to presbyteries a recommendation to
remove G-60106B from the Book of Order, a press conference was held to
get reactions from representatives of groups involved in of the
ordination debate.
Ordination opponents express disappointment, see
church as divided
First to speak were representatives of Presbyterians
for Renewal and the Presbyterian Coalition, both of which have opposed
ordination of gays and lesbians.
Nancy Maffett, elder commissioner from Colorado
Springs, said, "There is a great weariness in the church. I feel
this will be damaging to the Body and its unity."
Matt Robbins from California, co-moderator of the
Youth Advisory Delegates at this Assembly, said, "I am disappointed
with the vote but I am pleased with the way YADs discussed it. I think
there was too much pressure to make everyone happy. I think the decision
was brought through our culture. It's hard enough to be a young person
trying to be faithful to Jesus. We need the church to stand up and say
there is truth in the Bible."
Joe Rightmyer, executive director of Presbyterians for
Renewal, said, "I am saddened by statements of unbelief in
yesterday's debate on salvation through Jesus Christ. It was not just a
difference of opinion. The question is not how we get to God but to
reaffirm how God comes to us."
Jerry Andrews, representing the Presbyterian
Coalition, said the vote was not unexpected. "There will be a
better reflection of reality in the presbytery votes," he added.
Russ Ritchel, Jr., a minister from Salem Presbytery in
North Carolina, said in response to a question about a possible split in
the denomination as a result of the vote, "There already is a split
in the church. It's like we're in a British comedy where we are all
handcuffed together. We are handcuffed together by our property. How can
we expect others to take us seriously when we have not figured out a way
to live together and affirm one another?"
Rightmyer said he had talked to pastors with tears in
their eyes who say they don't know if they can keep their congregations
together. "How many will still be around to vote in the
presbyteries?" he asked.
Ordination advocates express gratitude to God, see
hope for church
During the second part of the press conference,
representatives of More Light Presbyterians, That All May Freely Serve
and The Shower of Stoles Project offered a different perspective. They
began with a statement by Bill Moss, co-moderator of More Light
Presbyterians and an openly gay elder at Old First Presbyterian Church
in San Francisco. It said:
"We join together in giving thanks to God for
this action of the General Assembly that paves the way for the
ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Presbyterians.
Today the church has returned to its historic principles of allowing
local churches and presbyteries to make decisions about ordination.
" The statement expressed gratitude to "everyone who worked in
their local churches, presbyteries and synods...to everyone who prayed
for us, wrote letters, spoke in public, signed covenants of dissent or
otherwise offered a witness to the working of the Spirit."
In a media release, Martha Juillerat, Director of the
Shower of Stoles project, said the decision impacts more lives than the
Assembly commissioners imagine. The Shower of Stoles Project is a
collection of over 800 stoles donated by lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender individuals called to serve in ordained positions. About
half of the stoles are from Presbyterians. "The stoles bear
powerful silent witness to the host of impassioned, qualified, and
faithful people knocking at the church's door, or waiting silenced
within the church for the day they can serve openly," she said.
The group expressed opinions in the press conference
about divisions in the church and who has caused them. They said they
expect to go back to churches that are "overjoyed" at the
decision rather than dismayed.
Responding to a question about which group has the
word of God, Don Stroud, commissioner from Baltimore Presbytery, said,
"No one can box up and contain the Word of God. A legislative
process can never put God in a box."
Moderator Rogers sees this Assembly as representing
broad center of the church
213th General Assembly Moderator Jack Rogers spoke at
the press conference after the two groups had shared their views with
reporters. "The scriptures say 'Rejoice with those who rejoice and
weep with those who weep.' I am rejoicing that this group now has hope
and weep with those who sincerely believe the church has done a wrong
thing," he said.
"I have friends in both groups," he said.
"What you've seen with these two panels is what I've been
experiencing as moderator. As I have looked out at the commissioners I
have come to believe they represent the broad center of the Presbyterian
Church. I have seen other Assemblies when most commissioners came
pre-set for one position or another. These are regular folks who didn't
seem to come here pre-committed. Some said they'd changed their minds
since they came here."
"I don't doubt the sincerity of any of
them," Rogers said. "Some believe they are reading the Bible
right and think the others aren't."
"This Assembly has affirmed Jesus Christ as Lord
and Saviour every day. The thing that hurts deep in my soul is that
almost everybody feels like a victim in this situation. I hope in the
year to come we can address that. There are good people on all sides
looking at this differently. I am hopeful that the Task Force, listening
widely, can begin to address this," Rogers said.
