Editor’s note: The four candidates running in the election for moderator of the 218th General Assembly have responded to the following questions from the Outlook:
Carl Mazza
Question 1: In your opinion, what is the most significant matter to come before this General Assembly and how do you propose that the Assembly respond to it?
We sanctify many issues we think important, and most will be worthy of our time. But the most significant must be that closest to God’s heart: Our response to Jesus’ presence in our Assembly.
Jesus will be with us as a homeless girl, wide-eyed, cold, and neglected by those who should be caring for her; or as an old mentally ill woman, living in her ancient car parked in the woods wondering how she will survive the flooding rains tonight; or an undocumented Mexican-American teenager, hopeless in realizing that he’ll never be able to go to college, own a home, or have any future of his own.
The weightiest issue will be our response to this Jesus. Whether we will have the courage for a transformation of our personal relationships with one another, to ourselves be the mission, passionate for the redemption of our world.
Question 2: What do you believe are the causes of conflict in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and what do you hope this General Assembly will do to help bring resolution?
The question might also be asked this way: Since conflict is inevitable whenever people of conviction seek to work together in a great cause, why have we Presbyterians been unsuccessful in resolving some of our most passionate disagreements?
There will be no solution in endless voting and re-voting. This structure is not adequate in a multi-cultural world, distrustful of rigid creeds, polities, and authorities.
Our model is Jesus, who brought a revolution from God, surrounding himself with a group so divergent that he was branded as an immoral, demon- possessed sinner (Mt. 12). May our Assembly have grace, even in our righteous opinion, to be so Jesus-centered:
(1) Welcoming the broadest diversity, happily and not grudgingly, seeking personal and authentic relationships with those most different from ourselves.
(2) Looking outward to the world so dearly loved by God and demanding energetic, creative, radical means of redemption.
Question 3: In your opinion, what is the most urgent need in the PC(USA) over the next five years?
Our most urgent need is for a radical movement forward toward our roots: not as much to do mission, as to become a mission.
One cold night last winter I walked into the fellowship hall of a church- turned-homeless shelter. I was deeply moved by what I saw. Men, women, and children — all homeless — were gathered, talking and laughing with church young people, volunteers preparing supper with their pastor. The warm meal, smiles, conversation — everything in the room was like brilliant light: the brightness of redemptive work. My mind immediately traced back to the Gospel when Jesus said, When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors … but the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.
May we, as a Church, be so sanctified in losing our life to save it.
Question 4: What are your goals for your moderatorial years and what strengths do you bring to the task?
I firmly believe the Spirit is leading us, one congregation after another, into an era of radical change — a revival of mission. I want to encourage, inspire, and promote this movement with all energy. I have done this in my community of Meeting Ground, which focuses on building faith community and new relationships in mission, and recasting forms and structures to inspire redemption and change.
I remember a supper grace offered by a man who has been homeless for many years. He spoke a simple, quiet word of thanks for the opportunity, not to receive, but to give. He asked God to “help us to remember all in need who are without a home on this night.” I felt deeply the truth of his prayer, that we all are the “us” of his eloquent desire. My goal is that we should be the home for which he prayed.
Bruce Reyes-Chow
Question 1: In your opinion, what is the most significant matter to come before this General Assembly and how do you propose that the Assembly respond to it?
The Form of Government Report is the most significant issue because it raises institutional questions about our future as a denomination.
The FOG invites us to grapple with the changing ways culture shapes community. If we expect be a meaningful presence in the world as well as one that confronts our culture’s brokenness, we are compelled to ask ourselves difficult questions.
The FOG challenges us to think about the church for tomorrow. We are being asked to discern what about our structural tradition should be boldly embraced and what needs to be gracefully released. Careful discernment around these significant questions could be difficult during GA, given the constant hum of debate around far more concrete issues.
In the way of response, we must risk being open to the Spirit so we can engage in the debate and own the outcome with integrity and confidence.
Question 2: What do you believe are the causes of conflict in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and what do you hope this General Assembly will do to help bring resolution?
Ongoing conflicts in the PC(USA) are rooted in our understanding and practice of denominational life. We operate as if we are solely bound together by a structural contract rather than a covenantal blessing.
When we live in a contractual relationship our primary motivation is self-preservation. We are unable to give thanks for those with whom we disagree, nor can we give ourselves permission to confess how we participate in the perpetuation of disunity.
If we engage in two spiritual practices: gratitude and repentance, there is hope. We must each name and give thanks for those places in our church where new life is manifest AND we must each recognize and turn away from the ways that we perpetuate unhealthy interactions.
If we so choose to instigate a movement of hope, GA has the opportunity to embrace and model this behavior for one another, the larger church and the world.
Question 3: In your opinion, what is the most urgent need in the PC(USA) over the next five years?
If we take seriously the resurrection of Christ and expect others to come into relationship with him, we must live the hope for which the world desperately yearns. The world is in pain and chaos, and yet we choose to pour our energies into perpetuating a culture fueled by winning and losing. We need to shift our energy and passion away from defending inflexible ideology and towards living lives of hope.
I believe we can change if we are able to find a way to live in a healthy tension between confident belief and acceptable disagreement. If we accomplish this, some may faithfully choose to disengage from the PC(USA) while others will find their way back to their denominational home. While a difficult journey, this may yet be a way we can model for the world hope, grace and transformation even out of pain and chaos.
Question 4: What are your goals for your moderatorial years and what strengths do you bring to the task?
I care deeply for the denominational family that has nurtured me over the years and encouraged me to grow into whom God intends. I have been blessed by the PC(USA).
I also firmly embrace a generational shift that challenges many of the assumptions and practices of our denomination. Whether structural, cultural, or theological, we must discern with a bold faith those things that need be reformed.
I believe I stand in a unique place in the life of our church. I live and thrive in both worlds, those of heritage and innovation, and I understand the anxiety that can exist between the two. In the midst of this, I would strive to be a presence of peace in a time of chaos. The peace that I would bring is a God-inspired gratitude for my past, a Jesus-driven hope for the future and a Spirit-lead confidence in the beloved community.
Roger Shoemaker
Question 1: In your opinion, what is the most significant matter to come before this General Assembly and how do you propose that the Assembly respond to it?
I think the revised Form of Government presents the most significant challenge. It assumes that presbyteries are able to accept those responsibilities given to them. If other presbyteries are similar to mine, we gather, worship, eat, listen to reports, vote like the pastor does and then go home. I think that a two-year study time of the revised Book of Order would raise the level of understanding and respect for the Book of Order and its scriptural background. I also believe that there is a cultural norm people have grown into thinking, “I can have it my way” and that is not possible if we follow our calling as God’s people Our polity defines who we are as Presbyterians and guides in being a community of people committed to being a Christian community.
Question 2: What do you believe are the causes of conflict in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and what do you hope this General Assembly will do to help bring resolution?
It is a matter of judgment. The attitude that I am right and the other person is wrong leads us to a defensive position. Each party assumes that they have the truth of the matter and each knows that God is on their side. It seems to me that these attitudes shut God out of the discussion. Biblical proof-texting will not resolve the questions. There must be some face-to-face dialogue around the differences in order to tone down the rhetoric and seek a solution for the church rather than the “I win you lose” struggle that is going on now. As moderator, I would work to bring the various sides together.
Question 3: In your opinion, what is the most urgent need in the PC(USA) over the next five years?
There is an urgent need to find a sense of peace within the church. This does not mean that dialogues concerning disagreements will not occur but it does mean dialogue. Church growth is the single most important item. This does not mean just growth in numbers but includes growth in knowledge concerning who we are as Christians and who we are as Presbyterians. There is a continual problem concerning money in the form of per-capita and mission giving. It is true that you must trim the top of a tree to create more healthy growth but if this is done when the roots are failing, the tree will eventually die. Our focus over the next five years is to nurture our congregations, the roots, of the church. This is neither conservative nor liberal thinking but a loving, compassionate, hospitable, and knowledgeable concern for our faith and polity. The credibility of our witness is a key to church growth.
Question 4: What are your goals for your moderatorial years and what strengths do you bring to the task?
My goal is to be in dialogue with the churches to help them discover their strengths, hopes, and vision for God’s work in their community and the world.
• To expand the understanding of mission networks and their relationship to being more effective in doing mission. Our churches want to be involved, and the mission networks will provide the opportunity to become partners with churches throughout the world and even in our own presbyteries.
• To continue to nurture the understanding of the equality of elders and pastors and their responsibility for spiritual leadership and growth of the church.
My strengths are those of a deep abiding love for the church, a willingness to listen, and sometimes ask the tough questions. There is a sense within that allows me to be at risk in order to accomplish God’s calling for both my life and the Church.
William C. (Bill) Teng
Question 1. In your opinion, what is the most significant matter to come before this General Assembly and how do you propose that the Assembly respond to it?
I believe the most significant matter to come before this General Assembly is the proposed revisions to the Book of Order submitted by the Form of Government Task Force. Since these are proposed changes to a part of our Constitution, it will have a far-reaching impact directly or indirectly to the ordering of our life in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for many years to come.
However, I don’t believe there is enough time for most commissioners to read and digest this large amount of important information in such a short time. To approve such a vital document in a rush would not serve the best interest of our church well. And so, I believe the best way forward is to recommend to the Assembly postponing final consideration of this document until the 219th General Assembly in 2010, so that more time could be devoted to soliciting feedback from the whole church!
Question 2: What do you believe are the causes of conflict in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and what do you hope this General Assembly will do to help bring resolution?
I believe the main cause of conflict in the PC(USA) is our inability to do exactly what the Apostle Paul has exhorted us to do: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3). Granted that we do have some significant differences in our respective views on several major theological issues, it is the unwillingness (of many) to respectfully listen to one another that has turned these differences into divisive conflicts rather than opportunities for growth.
Instead of focusing on our differences, I hope this General Assembly is able to bring all sides together to focus on what we most need as the PC(USA) — to reclaim our primary calling: mission — sharing God’s justice and mercy without pride or prejudice, and our greatest joy: evangelism — having an answer when astonished people ask us why we care.
Question 3: In your opinion, what is the most urgent need in the PC(USA) over the next five years?
In my opinion, the most urgent need in the PC(USA) over the next five years is to reclaim our biblical faith and spiritual vitality by focusing on mission and evangelism — with a special emphasis on reaching out to youth and young adults.
I believe people today are looking for authenticity and so we must provide them with an authentic presentation of Jesus Christ — not a watered-down version — but a full-bodied vibrant message of salvation. I also truly believe only when we show genuine concern for the spiritual, emotional, and relational wellbeing of youth and young adults, they respond! Even though numerical growth should not be our primary motivation, it would be a welcome measuring stick as to how effective we are in reaching out to the un-churched!
Question 4: What are your goals for your moderatorial years and what strengths do you bring to the task?
My goals for my moderatorial years if I am elected are: 1) To remind Presbyterians that our God is a missioning God who has and will continue to commission us to do the work of reconciliation both at home and around the world, by cultivating a sense of gratitude for what God has done in and through us as Presbyterians; 2) To remind Presbyterians that we’re co-laborers with Christ, a truth that can instill a sense of hope that our future is in his hands and we will never labor in vain; and 3) To keep before Presbyterians the human need for spiritual redemption and restoration, fostering a sense of joyful urgency for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ!
I believe I’d bring to the task a sense of decorum, dignity, humor, experience (especially in cross-cultural settings), a voice of moderation, and a non-anxious presence.
