Church governance and the nuances of polity are low on the list of topics of interest to most of us. The portion of officer training that involves the Book of Order and our system of governance is often met with rolled eyes and expressions of sheer dread. It is no wonder then that my informal survey of a group of PC(USA) elders (both ruling and teaching) revealed that not many even knew that there was a Mid Council Commission much less what it is doing.
As a self-described polity nerd I have followed their work with interest. The task before them was monumental and they have handled the vast majority of their work with both grace and courage. For my part, I believe many of the ideas put forth represent a thoughtful new direction. Hopefully they will help us remain decent and in order while doing a little more Spirit-led reforming at the same time.
At its recent meeting in Dallas, the Mid Council Commission began the work of putting the final touches on their report to the General Assembly this summer. Among the recommendations is one that, if adopted, could prove to have a chilling effect on the PC(USA) for a generation. By a vote of 15-5, the commission voted to approve “provisional non-geographic presbyteries” during a season of discernment to last through 2021. This is a Pandora’s Box that cannot be closed once it is open.
The idea of non-geographic presbyteries is not new. Provisions for non-geographic presbyteries have been made to aid in the transition of some racial-ethnic congregations into the predominantly anglo PC(USA). This model allowed for a time of cultural learning as the larger church grew to not only include but incorporate the wisdom of a particular community. Sometimes this has worked. Others it has not. The proposal from the Mid Council Commission is entirely different from the previous non-geographic presbytery model.
The presbyteries envisioned by the commission would be self-selected bodies made up of congregations that are of like mind on particular issues. The rationale for this, according to proponents, is to hit the “reset” button and allow the church to move forward. These new bodies would jettison arbitrary geographical boundaries in favor of ideological and theological boundaries.
Proponents argue that these bodies will allow the church to move past its current crisis and put focus on shared mission. The provision of a sunset clause would require that these new presbyteries will have to show how this model is better or the system will revert. In the meantime, 10 churches and 10 teaching elders are all it takes to propose a new presbytery.
The only metaphor for this sort of church I can imagine is a middle school lunchroom where the cool kids sit together and intentionally exclude those they deem do not measure up.
Our current system of presbytery boundaries is generally theologically neutral. The Arkansas/Missouri state line (which forms the northern boundary of my presbytery) is uninterested in how a church on either side of the line thinks about a certain issue. It provides a functional administrative boundary without drawing lines of value between congregations. The proposal from the Mid Council Commission will draw such lines. Where once, congregations that may not agree on every issue were called to community and to the effort to find shared mission that would transcend their differences, our presbyteries would now declare those differences absolute and insurmountable requiring the administrative separation of once partner churches.
Adoption of this part of the Mid Council Commission’s recommendations will declare to the world that the way to bridge differences, even deeply held theological differences, is to walk away.
Adoption of this plan will declare to the world that the body of Christ is so fragile as to be unable to withstand a season of disagreement.
Adoption of this plan will declare to the world that although we preach reconciliation we choose to practice division.
We who are entrusted with the leadership of the church today have an obligation to look beyond quick fixes to our contemporary problems and consider how our actions may impact the church in the years to come. And this particular bell, if struck, will never be unrung. Polity may be boring, but make no mistake about it this proposal is bad polity and we neglect it at our peril.
Robert W. Lowry is transitional pastor at First Church of Clarksville, Ark.
