Waivers: a 3rd way

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 18^th 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).