The Presbyterian Outlook

News and Articles from the The Presbyterian Outlook

Register Login Donate Subscribe

Top Search/Contact Area

  • Be A Fan

  • Follow Us

  • Photos

  • Pin It!

    • Home
      • About us
      • Advertise with the Outlook
      • Submissions
    • Presbyterian Hub
      • Editorials
      • Outlook Features
      • Digital Issues
      • Editor’s viewpoints
      • What’s right?
      • About People
      • Calendar Check
    • News +
      Current Affairs
      • Outlook Reporting
      • Presbyterian News Service
      • Religion News Service
      • News from other sources
    • Ministry + Theology
      • InSights Opinions
      • Benedictory
      • Guest commentary
    • Faith + Culture
      • Book Reviews
      • Those with ears to hear (music reviews)
      • He/She Said
      • Movie Reviews
    • Ministry Resources
      • Outlook Standard Lessons
      • Outlook Horizons Studies
      • Looking into the lectionary
      • Bulletin Inserts
      • Webinars
      • Hymns
    • Outpost Blog
    • Classifieds
      • Classified advertising

    Adopting Belhar, the 222nd General Assembly makes history

    June 23, 2016 by Jill Duffield 5 Comments

    The commissioners then voted overwhelmingly (540-33) to approve

    The commissioners then voted overwhelmingly (540-33) to approve

    PORTLAND, Ore. – The 2016 General Assembly made history by voting June 22 to add the Belhar Confession – a moving call for reconciliation, and a condemnation of racial injustice written in the crucible of the struggle over apartheid – to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Book of Confessions. Belhar becomes the first confession from the global south the mostly-white PC(USA) has ever adopted – and the PC(USA) has done so at a time when racial tension, injustice and violence in the United States make headlines nearly every day.

    Christians from South Africa told the assembly they have been waiting for this day for years.

    On the evening of June 22, the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee of the 2016 General Assembly moved the approval of the Confession of Belhar. Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons explained to the assembly the ramifications of the vote that was about to be taken. Should the commissioners pass the motion, the Confession of Belhar would become part of the Book of Confessions, which is part of the PC(USA)’s constitution. After commissioners watched a video explaining the import and impact of Belhar, the assembly’s co-moderator, T. Denise Anderson, called for discussion. There was none.

    The commissioners then voted overwhelmingly (540-33) to approve the measure, and with that the first confession since The Brief Statement of Faith in 1983 was added to the Book of Confessions. Across the room, people began to clap; commissioners rose to their feet and musicians took the stage to lead the body in singing, “Oh, Freedom.”

    Godfrey Betha, vice moderator of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, was invited to address the assembly. “It is quarter to 6 (in the morning) in South Africa, and I believe there are those who did not sleep waiting for this moment,” Betha said. He went on to say, “We gave you this gift and you have been unwrapping this gift for quite some time.”

    Co-moderators upon approval of Belhar

    Co-moderators upon approval of Belhar

    Belhar has been a long time coming. The 219th General Assembly in 2010 approved it but Belhar then failed to win approval from the required two-thirds of presbyteries. The 220th General Assembly in 2012 created a special committee given the task of studying the Confession of Belhar and creating educational materials. Once again, in 2014, the assembly approved the addition of Belhar – the first step in the process. This time, the required two-thirds of the presbyteries did vote in favor – allowing Belhar to come to the 222nd General Assembly for the historic vote, the last step in a long process.

    Betha noted that “it is the 22nd … the 222nd GA. I will never forget this date.” He continued: “Your decision affirms you say to your children, you say to all, ‘When you come to us looking for a glimmer of racism, don’t come to our church.’ ”

    Cliff Kirkpatrick and Matilde Moros, co-moderators of the Special Committee on Belhar, upon seeing that Belhar passed.

    Cliff Kirkpatrick and Matilde Moros, co-moderators of the Special Committee on Belhar, upon seeing that Belhar passed.

    Quoting Philippians 1:6, Betha closed by saying, “I am confident of this, the one who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus – Viva Belhar Confession! Viva!”

    Once again people rose to their feet and applauded.

    Allan Boesak, a pastor from the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, anti-apartheid activist, and drafter of the Confession of Belhar, came to the podium saying, “What a night, what a night! Thank you so much for coming to this point of this journey – I thank you for this action tonight.”

    Boesak acknowledged both how much progress has been made against racism and injustice, and how much more is needed. He told of the adoption of Belhar in his own denomination in 1986. Upon its adoption, the youth started singing “We Shall Overcome.”

    Photo by Ed Sackett

    Photo by Ed Sackett

    Boesak said, “I know no matter how long the road, we shall overcome – I thank God for your faithfulness. I know because of God’s faithfulness we shall overcome.”

    At that, someone began to sing from the floor, “We Shall Overcome.” By the second verse the body had joined hands, by the third they had lifted them upward. Some on the stage couldn’t hold back tears and co-moderator Anderson was caught on the large screen mouthing, “Wow.”

    There was no doubt the gift of Belhar had finally been fully unwrapped. The challenge now is for the PC(USA) to open it up and use it.

    ShareShare on Facebook
    Facebook
    Tweet about this on Twitter
    Twitter
    Email to someone
    email
    Tagged With: Belhar • ga222

    Outlook Reporting Tags: Belhar/ Featured Home Page/ ga222

    Comments

    1. L Wayne Bryan from Columbia, SC says

      June 23, 2016 at 5:29 am

      What a beautiful time of celebration! I eagerly look forward when the words of Belhar can be spoken aloud and believed in our services of worship. And, even more, I pray (with tears in my heart) “for that time when all unity will be restored”.

      Rev. Dr. L. Wayne Bryan
      Columbia, SC

      Log in to Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Unity, justice and reconciliation: Presbyterians respond to the approval of Belhar - The Presbyterian Outlook says:
      June 24, 2016 at 6:24 pm

      […] reported earlier, Godfrey Betha, vice moderator of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, was invited to addr…. The assembly gathered was moved by his words: “It is the 22nd … the 222nd GA. I will never […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. Ministry teams get to work: Board puts new structure to work - The Presbyterian Outlook says:
      September 15, 2016 at 3:12 pm

      […] how South African Christians wrote the Belhar Confession – which the 2016 General Assembly voted to add to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Confessions – in the heat of their nation’s […]

      Log in to Reply
    3. PMA board hears reports, discusses transparency - The Presbyterian Outlook says:
      September 15, 2016 at 3:23 pm

      […] wrote in the 1980s during the struggle over apartheid, and which the 2016 General Assembly voted in June to add to the PC(USA) Book of […]

      Log in to Reply
    4. Scripture, song and a statement: 2020 Vision Team's recommendations are taking shape - The Presbyterian Outlook says:
      November 14, 2017 at 1:21 pm

      […] idea of adding Belhar as a PC(USA) confession in 2011, but after more study and consideration, it won approval in an historic vote in […]

      Log in to Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Related Posts

    • LPTS women’s ordination anniversary celebration

      LOUISVILLE -- In some ways, the anniversaries of women's ordination that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in the midst of celebrating this year -- 100 years for deacons, 75 years for elders, 50 years for ministers -- are momentous, historic events. And in other ways they are like a panorama…

    • Billy Graham brings his crusade to Louisville

      Speaking Thursday night, June 21, to a crowd of 37,500, the 82-year-old evangelist who's been revered for more than 50 years, spoke of the racial tension "smoldering underneath" American cities today. "The only answer to the race problem is love," Graham said -- and God is love. He later told…

    • Outlook reporter, art director honored by Associated Church Press

      Bailey won an honorable mention for best redesign. During the past year — his first with the magazine — he oversaw improvements in both the appearance and printing of The Outlook. Scanlon also received a first-place award for "professional resource" for an article she wrote for U. S. Catholic on…

    Current Issue

    • December 9, 2019
    • November 11, 2019
    • October 21, 2019
    • October 7, 2019
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Gift
    • Read Online
    • Most Commented
    • Most Popular
    • What is the future of Stony Point Center?  Mission Agency Board to consider $10.3 million proposal A group within the Presbyterian Mission Agency considering the future of Stony Point Center is recommending spending at least $10.3...
    • Will Stony Point Center become a mission arm of the Presbyterian Mission Agency? A look ahead at this week’s PMA board meeting The leadership of the Presbyterian Mission Agency is proposing a new focus for Stony Point Center— moving from the current...
    • Board announces changes involving PC(USA) administrative services The board of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation met in closed session Jan. 16 and later announced it had...
    • Prayer for El Paso Enough, Lord God, enough. Rend our hearts and restore your goodness and mercy in our land. Through you, all things are...
    • Rachel Held Evans, Christian writer of honesty and humor, dies at age 37 (RNS) — Rachel Held Evans, a popular progressive Christian writer and speaker, died Saturday morning (May 4) at age 37...
    • Hymns for Advent and Christmas (Year A) Presbyterian hymn writer, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, composed Advent hymns based on the lectionary Scriptures set to familiar Christmas tunes and other...

    Keep the Faith

    Sign Up for Updates and Breaking News in your inbox

    Facebook

    Tweets by presoutlook
    Follow Us

    View Stories From

    • Presbyterian Hub
      • Editorials
      • Outlook Features
      • Digital Issues
      • Calendar Check
      • About People
        • Anniversaries
        • Ordinations
        • Retired
        • Deaths
        • Transitions
      • Archives
    • Faith + Culture
      • Book Reviews
      • Movie Reviews
      • He/She Said
    • Ministry + Theology
      • InSights Opinions
        • For Church Leaders
        • Faith Matters
        • Multichannel Church Report
        • #amen
        • Commentary
        • Benedictory
      • Liturgical Year
        • Advent
        • Lent

    The Latest:

    Solvitur ambulando

    December 11, 2019

    Presbyterians hold “die-in” to raise awareness of climate change

    December 11, 2019

    Minnesota church fights to keep member from being deported

    December 10, 2019

  • Tweet With Us
  • Be A Facebook Fan
  • Our World in Photos
  • Pin With Us
  • CONTACT US:

    1 N. 5th St., Suite 500

    Richmond, VA 23219

    T: 800-446-6008F: 804-353-6369

    [email protected]

    Or ▶ Fill Out Our Contact Form

    © Copyright 2019 The Presbyterian Outlook. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement. Website Design by Poka Yoke Design

    • About us
    • Presbyterian Hub
    • Ministry Resources
    • Classifieds
    • Advertise with the Outlook
    • Submissions
    7ads6x98y