The theological reflection group, in Albany presbytery in upstate New York, has been meeting for several years now — formed in part out of a sense of dissatisfaction among both conservatives and liberals about the history of conflict and confrontation in the presbytery and more broadly in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
It’s called, on paper, the Albany Invitation, but is basically known as the “Bialy group”. “We’re named for a bagel,” said Bill Hoffmann, who’s pastor of the East and West Hebron churches and is moderator of Albany presbytery. That’s because Barbara Wheeler, the president of Auburn Theological Seminary in New York and a member of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the PC(USA), brings bagels from Bialy’s in the city for each meeting.
The group was open to anyone from the presbytery who wanted to participate –about 30 people now are involved. Those who joined signed an agreement, which they renew each year, promising to make “every effort” to avoid confrontations that create winners and losers, to believe the best about each other, and to commit to ongoing Bible study and prayer for each other. That came from the recognition, Hoffmann said, that “in spite of all the differences, we are serving the same Lord and working in the same Lord’s church.”
The group also has promised to be open with one another — to keep each other informed, for example, about prickly issues that may be coming before the presbytery, so people aren’t caught by surprise. And they promised to avoid speaking disparagingly of those with whom they disagree — or from keeping silent when others start to do so.
The Bialy group also didn’t start off with the most controversial stuff. “We’ve been very patient,” Hoffmann said, spending considerable time studying other parts of the Bible before turning eventually to the passages most often cited when discussing homosexuality.
That emphasis on Bible study — guided by a rotating group of leaders, usually two people at a time with differing views — has helped the Bialy group see “the seriousness with which people take the Scripture on all different sides,” Hoffmann said. He says he is generally viewed as more conservative. “Folks on my side in particular tend to say anybody who thinks differently isn’t taking the Scriptures seriously … I do think we’re discovering all the way around that our neighbors take the Scriptures as seriously as we do.” And they’ve learned, he added, “we read Scripture better for studying it with folks who don’t necessarily read it the same way we do.”
Hoffmann also believes that the presence of the Bialy group has helped change the tone of presbytery meetings. Somehow, the knowledge of what the group is trying to do has created more trust and a more pastoral approach. While the presbytery is generally considered to lean liberal, last year it elected a conservative as one of its General Assembly commissioners, which probably wouldn’t have happened a few years ago, Hoffmann said.
And when divisive issues do come up for a vote, the winning side is more likely to realize that their victory is causing pain for some others, so “there’s not a lot of spiking the football in the end zone,” Hoffmann said.
Hoffmann also said the impact of the Bialy group is hard to measure — unlike the national task force, it has no deadline and no report to produce.
“Transformation is taking place there,” Hoffmann said. “This is where I think God’s Spirit comes in. It’s impacting the group, but also outside the group,” in ways Hoffmann can detect but can’t quite explain.
