August 2001

Special  News Flash:

WHAT HAPPENED IN LOUISVILLE

at the 213th General Assembly

"What should be remembered about this Assembly  is  that it showed a remarkable degree of trust in its committees, conducted its business prayerfully and civilly, and took seriously both the social witness of the church and the theological underpinnings that drive the mission and ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). And just about all of the Assembly's decisions were made by overwhelming majorities, demonstrating a remarkable degree of unity in a church that is frequently characterized as badly divided. "                                                                                                                                  - Presbyterian News Service

“Rooted and Grounded in Love”

Meeting June 9-16 in Louisville, Kentucky, the 213th General Assembly took a number of significant actions (story follows) and elected the Rev. Jack Rogers as Moderator (story follows). It voted to establish a Theological Task Force to seek the peace, unity and purity of the denomination (story follows).

It recommended rescinding both Amendment B and the Authoritative Interpretation (story follows) after the Committee on Ordination Standards and many other interested delegates saw an hour-long presentation by 29 advocates for the 35 overtures and concurrences seeking the deletion of G-6.0106b (story follows)

The Rev.  Erwin Barron took in the Louisville scene (story follows)  along with Elder Bill Moss, Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians, and Elder Pam Byers, Executive Director of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. Many of us followed the proceedings at home with particular interest, remembering Old First’s involvement in the 208th and 209th General Assemblies  and many events since then (story follows).  We also began to wonder what happens now (story follows).

WHAT HAPPENED ..........

The Assembly's vote to send another amendment to the presbyteries that would delete  G-6.0106b, which requires church officers to practice "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness," was 317-208, a 60 percent approval. If the presbyteries ratify the deletion, the authoritative interpretation barring gay ordination will also be repealed. (When a proposal to delete G-6.0106b went to the presbyteries in 1997, it was rejected 114-57. )

Faced with another potentially divisive issue — whether Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation — the Assembly found a remarkable degree of consensus, approving 369-163 (70 percent approval) a call for deeper study of our Confessions’ rich and nuanced expression of the Lordship of Christ,  while at the same time confessing "the unique authority of Jesus Christ as Lord" and calling Jesus "also uniquely Savior." The statement declared, "Although we do not know the limits of God's grace and pray for the salvation of those who may never come to know Christ, for us the assurance of salvation is found only in confessing Christ and trusting him alone."

And realizing that deep theological divisions lie at the root of the current controversies within the church, the Assembly approved 467-41 the  formation of a 17-member task force that over the next four years will "lead the PC(USA) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity…seeking the peace, unity and purity of the church." Among the issues the task force was asked to explore are issues related to Christology, biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards, and power.

In its statements on mission and ministry in the world, the Assembly:

            • approved a major report on campus ministry that "reaffirms the church's historic commitment to ministry in higher education and proposes bold new strategies." The report calls for the creation of a campus ministry internship program to train new campus ministers, a system for funding ongoing support of campus ministries, development of an electronic notification system so campus ministries know when Presbyterian students come to their campuses, and a national conference on campus ministry in 2002.

            • affirmed the directions of historic talks taking place between the PC(USA) and the Catholic Church.

            • extended the current "Year of the Child" mission emphasis to a "Decade of the Child," in which congregations, members and church agencies will be encouraged to continue the efforts they have begun during the "Year of the Child" and explore new ways to be in ministry with children and their families in the years to come.

            • approved a major social witness policy statement on domestic violence entitled Turn Mourning into Dancing! The report addresses the causes of domestic violence in American society and in more than 60 recommendations proposes ways in which the church can be more effective in reducing the incidents and effects of domestic violence in the country.

            •  approved a major report on the global AIDS crisis and its devastating effects, particularly on women and children in Africa.  The report commits the PC(USA) to redouble its efforts, particularly in Africa, in the effort to stop the AIDS pandemic worldwide.

            • approved a commissioners resolution confessing "corporate guilt" of the PC(USA) for its complicity in the evils of slavery and pledged to work with African-Americans to overcome the economic and social vestiges of slavery that still exist in the country.

            • approved moral and ethical guidelines for fetal tissue and stem cell research, expressing its support for such research but cautioning that on the matter of using aborted fetuses for such research, the decision on abortion should be made entirely separately from the decision to donate fetal tissue for research.

            • appealed for peace in the Congo, the Sudan and the Middle East and recommitted the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to greater advocacy and humanitarian assistance in these violence-torn areas of the world.

NEW GA MODERATOR, THE REV. JACK ROGERS

From a group of what Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick called "four wonderful candidates," Jack Rogers was elected Moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He received 286 votes on the first ballot -- 55 percent -- out of 524 votes cast by commissioners.            

Rogers, termed a "bridge builder," retired last year as Professor of Theology and Vice President in charge of the southern California branch of San Francisco Theological Seminary.  He frequently taught classes at the San Anselmo main campus.  Earlier, he taught for 18 years at evangelical Fuller Seminary.  He wants to share his wide-ranging experience in all parts of the church in "compromising and finding creative ways to move forward through the genius of the Presbyterian way" with Presbyterians in the 21st century.

 "My decision to stand for moderator was made in Pittsburgh last fall at the annual conference of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians," Rogers told a CovNet gathering in Louisville. "And you gave me the courage, through your words of support, to stand for moderator. You are responsible for my being here today.” He previewed his important book, "Reading the Bible and the Confessions: The Presbyterian Way", at the 1998 Covenant Network conference.

THEOLOGICAL ISSUES TASK FORCE

The 213th GA approved a committee recommendation to form a task force to lead the PC(USA) in a four-year period of discernment to seek the peace, unity and purity of the church. This discernment is to cover issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power, and other issues the task force may choose. The vote was 467-41.

The matter formally came to the Assembly through Overture 01-33 from the Presbytery of John Calvin. It was referred to the Assembly’s Peace, Purity and Unity Com-mittee, whose moderator, Elder Jenny Stoner, and vice moderator, the Rev. Charles C. Heyward, reported their recommendations.

This is not another study to produce a document, Stoner said, "rather it is a way for the church together to focus its attention on basic elements of our faith." She called attention to the paragraph in the recommendation calling for "the church to unite in a sustained period of prayer and reflection on Scripture and our confessions, seeking to promote the peace, unity, purity and mission" of the PC(USA). This "is an affirmation of the power of prayer and a reminder that resources of Scripture and our confessions should be our faithful guide," she said.

The task force is to work in partnership with congregations, presbyteries and synods and develop an instrument to enable them to respond.

It is to be composed of 17 members "reflecting the theological and cultural diversity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)." It is to be appointed by the moderators of the 211th, 212th and 213th General Assemblies (1999, 2000 and 2001), in consultation with the GA Nominating Committee.

The task force is to make a progress report to each General Assembly beginning with the 214th General Assembly (2002) and to make a final report to sessions, presbyteries and the Assembly by the 217th General Assembly (2005).

Moderator Jack Rogers said it was a "very significant matter" that 91 percent of the commissioners voted for formation of a task force to seek the peace, unity and purity of the church. "I had been told by people who could be characterized as both right and left that they didn’t want a task force at all. I think there’s a difference between the commissioners this year and the surrounding advocacy groups. I view these commissioners to be a wonderful cross section of ordinary Presbyterian ministers and elders.  ....   Most Presbyterians know that life is complicated, and sometimes you have to take a deep breath and work at it a while before we know exactly how to proceed."

                                                             (Presbyterian News Service)

Amendment B, now 6.0106b in the Book of Order,  and the Authoritative Interpretation are the items which the 2001 amendment would delete from the Book of Order and the practices of our denomination.

AMENDMENT B

The 208th General Assembly (1996) approved this amendment to the Book of Order, which was subsequently ratified by a vote of the presbyteries:

     G-6.0106 shall be amended by designating the existing paragraph as “a”:

To those called to exercise special functions in the Church -- deacons, elders and Ministers of the Word  and Sacrament -- God  gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons with strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel to the Church and in the world. They must have the approval of God’s people and the concurring judgment of a governing body of the Church.

            and inserting the new paragraph “b:

Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among those standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage of a man and a woman (W-4.9901), or in chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice with the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders or ministers of the Word and sacrament.

 
THE AUTHORITATIVE INTERPRETATION

In 1978, the 190th General Assembly of the former United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America adopted a Policy Statement and Recommendations, known as a definitive guidance, limiting the role of gay and lesbian persons in the denomination. In 1979, the 119th General Assembly of the former Presbyterian Church in the United States adopted an essentially identical position. The 1978-1979 definitive guidance was used in the absence of specific instructions in the Book of Order of the reunited Presbyterian Church (USA).

In 1993 the PC(USA) General Assembly adopted the 1978-1979  policy as an "authoritative   interpretation" -- binding on church governing bodies. The policy allowed for the ordination of non-practicing homosexual persons, but not those who engage in homosexual practice. The Policy Statement understands "...that the practice of homosexuality is sin..." and says in part:  "Officers are not free from repeated expressions of sin. Neither are members and officers free to adopt a lifestyle of conscious, continuing, and unresisted sin in any area of their lives. For the church to ordain a self-affirming, practicing homosexual person to ministry would be to act in contradiction to its charter and calling in Scripture, setting in motion...serious contradictions to the will of Christ. The repentant homosexual person who finds the power of Christ redirecting his or her sexual desires toward a married heterosexual commitment, or finds God's power to control his or her desires and to adopt a celibate lifestyle, can certainly be ordained..."

The authoritative interpretation says specifically, "That unrepentant homosexual practice does not accord with the requirements for ordination set forth in [the Book of Order]..."

A POWERFUL PRESENTATION

When it came time for the advocates for the 35 overtures and concurrences seeking the deletion of G-6.0106b to make their case, they opted to make a single presentation. "Jesus sometimes broke the law in order to fulfill it," said the Rev. Susan Andrews of National Capital Presbytery. "His ministry was gracious and flexible … a purity not based on a narrow legal code, but on love," she said, introducing a detailed 60-minute, Powerpoint -assisted survey of history, polity and biblical exegesis by Doug Nave, the advocate for New York City Presbytery's overture and the Rev. Nancy Ramsay, a professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The concluding, "wrap up" presentation  was made by the Overture Advocate from Twin Cities, our former pastor Tim Hart-Andersen.  Following are four of the 63 slides.

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WHY THIS ISSUE WON’T GO AWAY

Because we do not yet have sufficient discernment to speak as a denomination and have tried to govern by narrow majorities.

Because many faithful Presbyterians believe that their consciences and understandings of Scripture are violated by the present rules.

Because other Presbyterians — equally faithful — believe that their consciences and understandings of Scripture support the rules.

Because many of us have forgotten the duty to show mutual forbearance  in matters of conscience.

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WHAT’S NOT “ESSENTIAL”?

In all our debates about the central facets of our faith, sexual practice has never made the list.

We have reformed our understanding of gender and sexuality numerous times:

• Freeing women from subordination and silence.

• Permitting divorce and remarriage.

• Recognizing the vality of interracial marriage.

• Recognizing that a homosexual orientation, in itself, is not sin.

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FAITHFUL PRESBYTERIANS DIFFER . . .

Roughly half of the faithful Presbyterians voting year after year in our debates believe our current rule is wrong:

"Amendment B"was added to our Book of Order by a bare majority, over the opposition of 49% of the presbyters voting (and 43% of all presbyteries).

Faithful Presbyterians are simply not of one mind in this matter.

There is room -- and need -- for conscience.

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IT IS TIME FOR "A MORE EXCELLENT WAY"

Respecting again the freedom of conscience, and duty to show mutual forbearance, that our Constitution requires;

Returning to the highest standards in our leadership, knowledgeably applied by local governing bodies;

Restoring the trust in each other that is fundamental to life together as a community of faith; and

Moving on to more faithful and productive areas of service in outreach and ministry.

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See It Here! Soon you can see and hear what the Committee on Ordination Standards saw and heard in Louisville.  The complete Powerpoint presentation, with the accompanying narration and a video of the opening and closing statements, will be shown at Old First some Sunday in the near future, either before worship service or after. Details are being worked out now; watch for announcement of the date.

The Powerpoint slides can be viewed on the Covenant Network website.   Viewings from the website are scheduled in Old First’s Computer Center during Coffee Hour on Aug. 19 and Sept. 9.

Printed copies and the videotape are available in the Old First Library.

THE REV. ERWIN BARRON’S ACCOUNT

Sunday morning,  Fathers' Day, I sat with my dad in Eastminster Presbyterian Church on the edge of Columbia, South Carolina.  I was surrounded by proper southern ladies and gentlemen and their well-behaved children dressed in their Sunday finest. Suits and ties on ten-year-old boys always amuse me. And frilly dresses are a delight!  They were having a baptism and celebrating the joys of family — heterosexual family.  I'm sure there were gay people in that sanctuary, but you certainly wouldn't know it!

I couldn't help comparing that setting with my experience two days earlier in Louisville, Kentucky as the General Assembly of that same Presbyterian Church met to debate the ordination of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.  There I was sitting in a cavernous hall surrounded by thousands of Presbyterians, most of whom were fixed on the large television monitors hanging from the ceiling which showed us the action on the platform so far away at the front of the room. 

I sat in a folding chair with a group of gay and lesbian friends. Old First elder Bill Moss was right in front of me. On the other side was Lisa Larges, the incredibly talented lesbian woman from San Francisco who is blind and does more with her life than I will ever do with mine. Three seats away was the wonderul Erin Sweeney, a transgender pastor from Atlanta.  Behind me, though, was a row of people I didn't know. All of us were closely watching the debate and action of the assembly floor.

Friday had been an amazing day.  Speaker after speaker came to the microphone, one for gay ordination, the next against. We had heard all the arguments before, but there was a different tone this time. The folks in favor of gay ordination had more of a sense of confidence and taking the moral high ground. The opponents mostly seemed angry and defensive.

Through lots of parliamentary wrangling, there were several votes suggesting the final outcome. However, when that final motion came to a vote, the room was tense. The question was asked, "Shall the Assembly adopt the committee's recommendation?" This would mean this Assembly would recommend to the presbyteries that all restrictions against gay ordination be dropped. 

The moderator asked the question and said, "Vote now..." First the youth and other advisory  delegates voted. The voting clock ticked off the seconds, and there was a major sigh when the results went up on the screen. The advisory delegates were almost evenly divided, with a very slight majority in favor of the committee recommendation.

Then the commissioners voted. The clock started ticking, and I quite literally stopped breathing. This massive hall full of people was deadly silent as we awaited the results on the huge video screens. Then the numbers popped up — 60% of the commissioners had approved the recommendation! I joined lots of others in making a gulping sound of surprise and disbelief. I didn't want to applaud because I didn't want to hurt those who had opposed it so strongly — but I was astonished. I jumped up and hugged Bill Moss, and then the assembly erupted in applause. I ran to find Pam Byers and Susan Ashton and hugged them with tears in my eyes and a quiet “thank you” for all they had done through Covenant Network to make this happen.

What had we done?  Had we really accomplished this?  I had come to Louisville expecting very little — at best, a status quo with some good discussion not making matters worse.  Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this much.  Perhaps a new spirit was running through this General Assembly and, I hope, through the church. A large majority had voted to affirm my gifts and those of thousands like me. Wow! This was a good feeling!

But then, I remember I am sitting in the heart of the South in a large, moderate Presbyterian Church that most definitely does not want to talk about sex again... much less gay sex.  It will take something of a major miracle to get them to affirm what happened in Louisville.  However,  if we are to make this change, churches like this will have to listen and will have to affirm that some of their children like me are gay.  Presbyteries large and small, rural and urban, in the South, North, and West will have to approve it. I have major doubts whether that will happen. But I was wrong about General Assembly, too. It can  happen!  God does wondrous and surprising things.

I am also concerned about the divisions in the church. The woman who was sitting behind me in the Louisville assembly hall began crying tears of horror and dismay at the vote as those of us in front of her were celebrating. I did not know how to respond to them. I am sorry we have to end up divided pro and con in this elaborate, complicated debate. But I welcome this woman in the church. I want her ideas and her conservative faith; I need to hear from her and feel her pain. I just wish she would welcome me quite as fully without insisting on judging and trying to exclude me. That is the root of the problem.

But ... for now ... Let's celebrate!  God's wildly inclusive love is at work in the Presbyterian Church. Hallelujah!

OF COURSE THERE’S A LOCAL ANGLE

by Rosemary Bledsoe

The 1993 General Assembly called for PC(USA) congregations to study homosexuality, Christian faith, and the question of ordination. At Old First we actually did that, with lengthy Bible studies, task forces, numerous small group studies, a year-long Session study of the Book of Order, and a church retreat.  Three years of study prompted the conclusion that study wasn’t enough; we had to do something. This led to our originating Overture 96-29, sent to the 208th General Assembly by the Presbytery of San Francisco, which said:

"... the 1978 and 1979 General Assembly statements on the ordination of self-affirming, practicing homosexual persons and subsequent affirmations .... insofar as they are authoritative interpretation (G-13.0103r), unduly constrain sessions and presbyteries from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities to examine, ordain and install officers by preventing them from exercising freedom of conscience with respect to the interpretation of Scripture (G-6.0108a) in applying the standards referenced above .....The policy on ordination of self-affirming, practicing homosexual persons is not among the essential  tenets of the Reformed faith and polity (G-6.0108a), but is among the truths and forms with respect to which men of good characters and principles may differ and on which it is the duty both of private Christians and societies to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other (G-1.0305)."

San Francisco Presbytery also elected Old First Pastor Tim Hart-Andersen and Elder Jeanne Choy Tate as two of its six Commissioners. They went with a solid support team of  Susan Ashton, Pam Byers, Keenan Kelsey,  Daniel Pearch, Terry Stumpf, Hugh Swaney and Bill Wunsch.  They came back looking like survivors of a disaster -- exhausted and traumatized. Instead of our overture, the GA had passed the now-all-too-familiar Amendment B, the “fidelity and chastity” amendment (See page 5). But we weren’t ready to give up; we had to do something.

Our Task Force on Amendment B (John Sebastian, moderator; Alison Armstrong, Michael Berg, Pam Byers, Andy Cheng, Cynthia Newton, Richard Schnitgen, Steve Taber and Verlin Yamamoto) offered suggestions to the 1997 Book of Order Committee which were carried forward at the 209th GA in Syracuse by Tim Hart-Andersen and Pam Byers. These recommendations eventually passed that G.A. by  a 60%-40% vote and were sent to the presbyteries as what was called Amendment A, the “fidelity and integrity” amendment, (even though Amendment B had been ratified by the presbyteries and went into force right after the Syracuse meeting. )

"Amendment A:  Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture and instructed by the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to demonstrate fidelity and integrity in marriage or singleness and in all relationships of life. Candidates for office should acknowledge their own sinfulness, their need for repentance, and their reliance on the grace and mercy of God to fulfill the duties of their office."

Our task force had no budget for its work, but depended on the generosity of Old First members and friends. That wasn’t enough organization and support to see an amendment through the presbyteries; at the urging of our pastor, Tim Hart-Andersen, a new national organization, the Covenant Network, was formed. It was headed by two former GA moderators, John Buchanan and Bob Bohl, with our own Pam Byers as Executive Director.

Amendment A lost, but the new group had found its voice. It said, “We’re here to stay.” In the last few years Old Firsters have participated actively in the work of Covenant Network with financial help and with volunteer workers in its office (Tracy Clagett, Sarah Taber and Susan Ashton; Susan has joined the staff)  and at its inspiring and influential national gatherings.

Now that the 213th General Assembly has approved an action quite similar to our overture of five years ago, we can’t just sit back and say, “We told you so.”  We’ve been in a similar position before, remember?

We have to do something:  anything and everything possible (maybe even not-so-possible) to support this decision and its approval by a majority of the presbyteries.  Watch for more information about how you can help. 

We’ve worked so hard for so long. This is no time to stop.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

•  Moderator Jack Rogers will send a letter to all members of the denomination, as directed by the G.A.

• Covenant Network will make print and video copies of the Overture Advocates' presentation available to all commissioners, presbytery resource centers, and other interested churches and groups.

• Covenant Network, More Light Presbyterians, and other groups will work together with supporters in presbyteries around the country to educate and advocate for a more inclusive church that trusts sessions and presbyteries to make faithful ordination discernments and decisions.

• Old First will host a meeting and rally in early fall where activists for a more inclusive church from five northern California presbyteries will plan, prepare, and pray for the upcoming votes.

• Presbyteries will begin debating and voting — at any time of their choosing between September and next May.  (San Francisco Presbytery will vote on Jan 8, 2002.)

• Some conservatives will make (more) threatening noises about leaving or splitting the church. But many others in the church will reach across theological divides to find the common ground that God gives us in Jesus Christ.