Pittsburgh, July 3 – The Committee on the Confessions of the Church voted 20-9 to recommend the Belhar Confession once again. The motion for the plenary session will read:
That the committee recommends that the 220th GA (2012) begin the process of amending the Book of Confessions to include the Confession of Belhar, as provided in G-6.03. And that the Special Committee formed to study the Confession of Belhar be granted a budget for education across the church about the confession in addition to the committee budget for the direct expenses.
The vote came after morning hours filled with passionate speakers including TE Quinn Fox (National Capital Presbytery), former moderator TE Jack Rogers (HR), and former stated clerk TE Cliff Kirkpatrick (Mid-Kentucky). Motions, substitute motions, and perfecting motions filled the business of the afternoon session with committee members questioning the appropriateness of sending the confession to the presbyteries again so soon after defeat. They also questioned whether there would be budget dollars available to provide the necessary educational materials.
