Pittsburgh – July 3, 2012 – With three items for voting, the committee on Confessions of the Church completed 2/3 of its tasks on Monday, the first day of deliberation. As commissioners became accustomed to parliamentary procedure, chairman Todd Jones of Middle Tennessee Presbytery began deliberations with the least controversial item before approving the Heidelberg translation and starting discussion on the Belhar Confession.
The first proposal concerns setting aside time to study the Book of Confessions over the next three years in advance of a celebration in 2016.
Originally directing presbyteries to set aside time for study, in their deliberation the committee added the words “and congregations” into the proposal’s verbiage. Commissioners felt that the language was not strong enough and added the direction for congregations to also engage in the study. Resources mentioned were from “Being Reformed,” a denominational curriculum, which includes a six-week study, as well as a new book from pastor Craig Barnes. Much of this was arranged around the Heidelberg Catechism, another item for discussion on the first day of business.
Approving the recommendation to send the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism was the last order for the day. Discussion ensued about how to add scriptural citations within the body of the confession rather than as end-notes. This was solved by offering an amendment that clarified their intentions.
One commissioner commented during the deliberation, “When you lose, you lose, and you move on, which I hope we learn at this General Assembly.” The same commissioner advocated earlier in the day for an audio version of the Book of Confessions to help the visually impaired.
The next item on the agenda for Tuesday morning is an overture to recommend amending the Book of Confessions to include the Belhar Confession, a motion defeated by the presbyteries in 2011.
This would be a do-over of sorts, and is allowed under the rules of amending the Book of Confessions, a more complex process than amending the Book of Order.
A controversial item that continues to unfold is the role of Neal Presa, newly elected moderator of the 220th General Assembly and chair of the special committee that worked with the new translation of the confession more than a year ago. Concern has been expressed that as elected moderator, Presa may have undue influence on the committee’s decisions.
