We all agree on two things: we did have the 217th General Assembly, and the Report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church was adopted as amended.
Having been a member of the Task Force, I’m not surprised by the wide range of reactions to the Report and its Recommendations, since some version of most concerns was and is held by one or another of us on the Task Force. Of deepest concern to me are the doomsday prophecies that some have advanced in contesting the adoption of the authoritative interpretation of G-6.0108. Such prophecies can become self-fulfilling.
As always, participants in or witnesses to the same event have widely different perceptions of its meaning, ranging from negative to positive, based mostly upon the fears or hopes of what might happen in the future.
The ancient metaphor is operative: is the glass half-full or half-empty?
I was encouraged by the 87 percent vote adopting our Recommendations 1-4, as amended. It underscored what we have been hearing in our visits to 135 presbyteries this past year. The overwhelming majority of presbyters want to get re-focused upon the Gospel itself. The first section of the Report will now be distributed to the congregations and governing bodies for study and reflection: God loves us, God saves us, and God empowers us to proclaim the Gospel.
A season of discernment, with special emphasis upon engaging prayerfully in such study and reflection, particularly face to face with those with whom we are in disagreement, is an invitation to the Holy Spirit to speak anew to us.
This vote also expressed a strong desire to do church differently, particularly in our governing bodies. The need for exploring “alternative forms of discernment and decision making” prior to entering into time-honored parliamentary procedure is widely and urgently felt across the church. Engaging in worship, community building, biblical and theological (as well as social and scientific) study, and collaborative work, prior to making formal decisions is essential to receive the peace, unity, and purity that only Christ can give.
The urgency and priority of this is demonstrated by the furor that arose among some after the second vote of 57% that adopted Recommendations 5 and 6, the authoritative interpretation of G-6.0108, AND the maintenance of all existing ordination standards and previous authoritative interpretations.
Close votes do not resolve conflicts, they only perpetuate them. We have come to another fork in the road. We can go separate ways, or we can take the same route.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve disagreed with an action of a Presbytery, a Synod, or the General Assembly. I’ve even had a few disagreements with some Sessions. There’s always a choice at that moment: to punish or to work to correct and improve.
Many are expressing the desire to punish: withdraw, withhold support, form a new denomination. Any or all can be done honorably.
I place my hope in those who prefer to work for correction and improvement.
In adopting the authoritative interpretation, the General Assembly was doing one of the things it is supposed to do to help the church in the complex matter of applying its Constitution in ever-changing situations (G-13.0103(r)).
The authoritative interpretation does NOT change the Constitution. It is an interpretation that is binding as long as it is the most recent interpretation.
All decisions about ordination are judgments made by Sessions and Presbyteries alone, but not alone. This is the essence of Presbyterian governance. Final determination for fitness for ministry as deacon, elder, or minister of the Word and Sacrament is made face to face with ordaining body and candidate.
At the same time, the ordaining body is responsible to make that determination based upon the Constitutional standards of the whole church. In our 300 years of history as Presbyterians on these shores, we have never been able to resolve the complexities of this system, which is neither top-down nor bottom-up.
My hope is that large numbers of us will choose not to punish but to improve. The only way to correct and improve is to keep working together. That means doing the kind of relating and reflecting together called for in Recommendations 1-4, not just strategizing to win the next vote. It also means more rigor in every examining process.
We have two primary paragraphs in our Book of Order that articulate qualifications for ordination: G-6.0106 AND G-6.0108. We must work with BOTH of them.
This requires a great deal of discipline by each and for all of us. I’m counting on that 87 percent to write this new chapter of discernment, with the hope that the Holy Spirit will surprise each of us.
Gary Demarest lives in retirement in Pasadena, Calif., after more than fifty years of service in youth ministry, pastoral ministry, and on the staff of the General Assembly in the area of evangelism. He served as task force vice moderator.
