by 10 Conversation Partners
Do you trust in Jesus Christ our Savior, acknowledge him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through Christ believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Will you be governed by our church’s polity and abide by its discipline? Will you be a friend among your colleagues in ministry, working with them, subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit?
Yes, yes, and yes, with God’s help. Those of us in ordained office have taken these vows before God and made these promises to one another. In times of deep disagreement in the life of the church, they are reminders to us of the covenant we have made with one another to be Christ’s body in this church. Because of this covenant, a group of ruling and teaching elders across the denomination have met together over the last eighteen months. We are ten people. We define ourselves in various ways: progressive, evangelical, liberal, conservative, inclusive, gay, straight, young, and, well, less-young. We came together initially at the invitation of General Assembly Moderator Neal Presa in December of 2012. We have met two additional times since then of our own accord and have plans to continue meeting into the future.
Each time we gather, we spend a couple days together, listening carefully to one another. We have talked about our faith and what it means to be church. We have worshipped together, talked theology and discussed the issues of the day affecting the church. Mostly, we have listened to each other. It has been agonizing at times — the room fraught with tension, grief and pain. We have also discovered some delightful things about each other, most of which we did not anticipate. We have laughed together, prayed together and broken bread together. And each of us is better for it. Collectively, we are infinitely better for it.
As we approach another General Assembly, we are faced again with how we will choose to live out this covenant with one another as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This summer, the assembly will vote on amendments and authoritative interpretations related to same-sex marriage. These votes will be contentious. As teaching and ruling elders in this denomination, it is our conviction that the way the assembly chooses to debate these questions will shape how we will (or will not) be able to live together beyond the assembly, regardless of the outcomes of the votes.
Based on our experience together over these past 18 months, we offer this piece to the church, and in particular to GA commissioners, with the hope that it can be helpful to build up Christ’s body, even in the midst of deep disagreement. The decisions we are making together this summer are significant. We, as members of the church, believe we owe it to one another to engage the debates seriously, intelligently, thoughtfully and gracefully — to do the Savior’s work in the Savior’s way. What gives us the ”right” to speak to the church in such a way? Nothing except for a sincere attempt to be faithful to Jesus Christ in what we say we believe and the ways we interact with one another. As such, this is an offering.
What follows, then, is a joint offering of two thoughtful pieces that attempt to outline the debate surrounding the GA votes on same sex marriage. They are not written in one voice; they are individual pieces that have been mutually reviewed by everyone in our group. Brian Ellison and Alex McNeill drafted the first piece. Jerry Andrews drafted the second. Both pieces attempt to answer the following questions:
» What’s at stake here? Why does this matter? What is this really about?
» What theological and biblical support do you offer for your position relating to same-sex marriage?
» How can we be church together going forward (regardless of how votes turn out at GA)?
In articulating responses to these questions, we have thought together about the most constructive arguments — arguments that bear the weight of our deep disagreement around same-sex marriage while avoiding unnecessary destruction to the people with whom God has given us to be Christ’s church. To hold ourselves to this standard in our conversation, debate and votes is, we believe, Christ-honoring.
As you read the following pieces, then, listen carefully. In fact, read them twice — once to take in the logic of the argument of each piece and then a second time to notice the tone. Notice that these are not pro/con pieces, nor are the pieces talking over one another. There is something more here. There is a relationship — a true one and a good one. Notice that there is generous language used throughout. The arguments are articulated graciously. Listen carefully to what is said and what is not said. Notice, for example, that no one is accused of not taking Scripture seriously, nor is anyone’s position characterized as bigotry or hatred. Notice the honesty about where the fault lines lie. Notice the lack of straw men and ad hominem attacks. Notice that one ”side” does not caricature the other. Notice the respect and care for each other that grace each piece.
We have worked hard together over the last 18 months to learn to have this conversation in constructive ways. The positions remain unreconciled and apparently irreconcilable, yet we believe we are to be and remain reconciled with each other, thus we remain engaged speaking, pleading, listening, learning, hoping, praying. We hope our work and our relationships will be helpful to you as we all live out our covenant relationship in this church around this summer’s General Assembly and beyond.
Grace and Peace,
Jerry Andrews, Fellowship of Presbyterians
Ray Bagnuolo, That All May Freely Serve
Susan DeGeorge, That All May Freely Serve
Paul Detterman, Fellowship of Presbyterians
Brian Ellison, Covenant Network of Presbyterians
Donna Marsh, Fellowship of Presbyterians
Alex McNeill, More Light Presbyterians
Nathan Sobers, More Light Presbyterians
Jessica Tate, NEXT Church
Mieke Vandersall, Presbyterian Welcome
