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| Two overtures seek "middle
ground" by respecting freedom of conscience
from Raymond Kersting, Stated Clerk, Presbytery of
Santa Fe
[4-27-01]
The two overtures Santa Fe Presbytery has sent to the
General Assembly for action in June (01-27
and 01-28) seek to establish a
middle ground in the long simmering debate on the issue of
sexual-conduct standards for ordination to church office.
Santa Fe recognizes that neither the "right"
or "left" will like these overtures. But Santa Fe also
recognizes that non-negotiable positions on the requirement fo G-6.0106b
("…live in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man
and a woman, or chastity in singleness") have cornered us.
The way things stand, which ever "side" wins
a vote one year, the other side is coming right back the following year
with an effort to overturn the previous vote.
The two waivers would allow governing bodies which
cannot equitably and justly apply the requirements of G-6.0106b may
apply for a waiver for up to three years. It would require a majority
votes of the presbytery (or synod if the presbytery were seeking the
waiver). The waiver could be extended or revoked at any time by a
majority vote.
The overtures also say that no amendment can be made
within 10 years.
Santa Fe Presbytery believes this would allow the
church 10 years of breathing room while the church comes more to one
mind on the issue. Current votes are nearly evenly split.
In looking at the history of the PCUSA, Santa Fe
Presbytery discovered that the Presbyterian Church has a rich history of
finding middle ground:
 | In the 18th Century, candidates for
ministry were allowed to declare "scruples" when they
could not subscribe to certain portions of the Westminster
standards. |
| An early "form of government" in 1788
held that agreement on principles and compromise on details was
necessary if the unity of the church was to be preserved. |
| At the time of the reunion in 1983 a waiver allowed
churches which had not ordained women to continue in that practice
for 15 years. |
| Currently, there are provisions that by a
three-fourths majority, a presbytery may grant an exemption to the
requirement that both men and women be elected as elders and
deacons. |
| Currently, a presbytery may grant an exemption from
the requirement that elders and deacons serve rotating terms
(G-14.0402a and b). |
| Currently, presbyteries may seek an exemption from
requirements for ordination of a minister of word and sacrament in
an exceptional situation (G-14-14.0308). |
In submitting its overtures, Santa Fe Presbytery holds
several assumptions:
| We agree that "the responsibility of…[governing]
bodies to interpret the Scriptures is done from a limited
perspective and a bias rooted in a particular time and place. All
those who participate in such interpretations are shaped by their
culture and, consequently, bring to the scripture a subjective
filter which sometimes screens out what is central and fixes upon a
peripheral matter." (History Principles, Conscience, and
Church Government adopted by the 195 General Assembly, 1983). |
| We believe that local churches and presbyteries are
in the best position to determine who has the necessary gifts for
ordained office in the church (G-6.0106a). |
| We believe the church needs a way to embrace and
affirm our diversity while at the same time not endorsing or
approving partisan positions. |
| We fear the church is losing the God-given gifts
for service to Christ of countless faithful men and women who in
good conscience cannot agree with the provisions of G-6.0106b
because of its graceless rigidity and harshness. |
| We recognize that there is a selective recognition
of practices in the confessions of the church and in scripture which
are called sin - making application of G-6.0106b almost impossible
(some things which the confessions and scripture call sin are not
longer considered so today).
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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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Some blogs worth visiting |
|
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. |
| |
|
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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