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The Call to Nineveh

In many ways the response to the General Assembly's call for Unity in the Midst of Diversity conferences is like Jonah's response to God's call to go to Nineveh. He did not want to go, neither do many of us. From what little evidence is available, it seems safe to say only a small portion of our presbyteries are planning Unity in the Midst of Diversity conferences.

It is probably also true few congregations or other bodies are involved in such planning.

The first Unity in the Midst of Diversity Conference was convened after the 210th General Assembly (1998) by Moderator Douglas Oldenburg. It was chaired by Vice-Moderator James Mead. It was a remarkable experience. It was inspiring, informative, challenging and humbling. As designed, it addressed a variety of the dimensions of diversity in our denomination’s life.

The lack of planning for these conferences is probably related to the belief that the main issue to be addressed in such conferences is the continuing debate on ordination. The call from the General Assembly for these conferences was not a call to consider only this aspect of our diversity, yet we clearly need to discuss this matter and it will be a blessing for us to include consideration of it in such conferences.

In the conversations I have had with people with whom I disagree on the matter of ordination, I have continually been amazed at what we do not understand about each other. I have also been struck by the powerful influence of discovering shared convictions and hopes for this denomination. There is too much isolation in our denomination. Too many of us are trapped in our own enclaves of agreement. The overture from Beaver-Butler Presbytery which attempts to allow certain churches to leave, claiming we are at an irreconcilable impasse, is glaring evidence of our failure to understand each other. There is so much about each other we can discover which will not be discovered as long as we avoid each other.

Some of us believe it is unjust for the denomination categorically to ban certain people from ordination. This is a matter for debate. But there is another form of injustice to which we are all vulnerable. It is the injustice of holding within ourselves images of people with whom we disagree which we will not allow to be tested by discussion and interaction with those people.

From our various camps we seem to view each other’s positions as so many Ninevehs. Like Jonah, we resist venturing into the positions, the views, the beliefs, the fears and hopes of the people we view as unfaithful.

Of course it could be pointed out this analogy from Jonah to our situation is flawed because so many of us seem to believe our adversaries are like the residents of Nineveh and everything would be fine if only they would repent.

It could also be said that until we engage each other, we are all citizens of Nineveh, far too certain of our own righteousness, so certain we do not need to risk hearing a new word from God.

The call for Unity in Diversity conferences is a call to engage each other, learn of each other and learn from each other. It is also a call to risk hearing God speak into our interactions and struggles.

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LAIRD STUART is pastor, Calvary church, San Francisco.

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