“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” 2 Corinthians 5:20. Because we have been reconciled to God, we are called to be reconciled to one another and to work for the “peace, unity, and purity of the church” with a spirit of mutual forbearance.
We came to Columbus last June 2002 very much aware of the year of debates over ordination standards and our confessional understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ. We had many wounds that needed to be healed. Some of those wounds are now in the process of healing. Yet, they are still tender and require our special pastoral care. Our work in Columbus brought comfort to some of the pain, anger, and longings of the larger church. We believe that the prayers of many for the beginning of the healing of our fellowship were answered.
The Assembly overwhelmingly affirmed the document Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. The two of us supported the central affirmation of this statement:
Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and all people everywhere are called to place their faith, hope, and love in him.
We brought a commissioners resolution to the Assembly that was enthusiastically endorsed that committed us to the peaceful resolution of our conflicts. At every point of our Assembly’s deliberations there was a strong determination on the part of most affinity groups within the church to build up our church, to preserve our Reformed, confessional tradition, and to reaffirm our commitment to our Constitution. We elected a Moderator with deep commitment to the mission of the church of Jesus Christ and our unique Presbyterian presence around the world and within our nation.
Within the diversity of our church we have sought to promote the unity of the PC(USA). We agree with what our stated clerk, Clifton Kirkpatrick, wrote to all presbytery stated clerks in his Aug. 21, 2002, letter:
I strongly urge all presbyteries to take seriously the requirements of the rules of discipline. The process must be honored if the integrity of the judicial system is to be maintained. The Constitution protects the right of dissention, but provides no right of defiance.
In affirmation of this constitutional conviction, we appeal to you not to support the reconvening of our Assembly. Whatever your thoughts and feelings may be in this matter, we ask you to trust the process, to be patient, and to mutually forbear. With wisdom and discernment we believe that we must get on with the mission of Jesus Christ through our church.
If your hearts and minds have grown impatient, restless and angry over the issue of constitutional defiance, let us encourage you to trust the sovereign purpose and plan of God, to pray for unity, to reaffirm the wise stewardship of the financial resources of our denomination, to nurture the fragile peace of our church, and to say “no” to the first ever reconvening of a General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. With hearts filled with gratitude for our mutual service and accountability, we are your brothers in Christ.
Grace and Peace,
Laird Stuart, Pastor, Calvary church, San Francisco
Jerry Tankersley, Pastor, Laguna church, Laguna Beach, Calif.
