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Past controversy resolution examples studied by Task Force

DALLAS -- The controversies that some think may split the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) apart now aren't unprecedented -- they follow a similar path carved by Presbyterian battles over the years. The pattern typically is this: the church feels pressure to make decisions on matters on which there are a range of views, often involving eligibility for church office; people feel locked into just two positions; they struggle for control of the church.

And "the result is a church both preoccupied with and weary of conflict," according to a draft report of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) presented during meetings this week.

Searching through history, hoping to provide guidance for the current troubles, the task force looked for ways of dealing with conflict in Presbyterian history that could provide some relief.

Task Force posts portions of report; Focus on theological convictions

DALLAS -- The Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has begun unveiling draft sections of its report -- without yet addressing some of the most controversial issues before it, but by emphasizing the theological convictions underlying its work and by stressing how much its 20 diverse members have learned from one another.

The task force will vote on its final report Aug. 24 and 25 in Chicago. The task force members have been exchanging sections of the draft report privately among themselves for months, revising as they go along, and have had hours of closed door discussions, including at this meeting, which began July 18.

The draft sections of the report are being posted on the PC(USA)'s website as soon as they are handed out to journalists. And so far, the task force members' public comments have been mostly along the lines of suggesting small editorial changes rather than any major revisions.

Task Force members reflect on the pain, power in the process

DALLAS -- What exactly the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will recommend remains to be seen.

But its 20 members do say in draft section of their report, released July 19, that they were intentionally selected to serve on the task force because of their diverse views and have found their faith strengthened by honest, ongoing, heartfelt discussions with those with whom they disagree.

 "Repeatedly, we found ourselves moved and impressed by the depth and the truth of statements" made by those from very different backgrounds, the draft report states, and "more surprisingly, our faith was enriched and strengthened by the contributions of those whose views on contested issues we do not share."

Retired missionary-surgeon Paul S. Crane, 86, dies

Paul Shields Crane, 86, prominent retired missionary-surgeon, died June 12 at his home in Black Mountain, N.C. of congestive heart failure. He was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

A renaissance man, Crane was a respected linguist who translated for U.S. presidents on three occasions, helped develop a medical treatment for a debilitating parasite, assisted in establishing universities in Korea and served as both a teacher and a surgeon in Korea for more than 20 years.

The Presbyterian elder: Part II Scriptural Background

The position of elder is the oldest New Testament office next to that of apostle. The apostles were men (and women?) who..

PC(USA) divestment stance: presbyteries, churches react

You know the old saying: sometimes the journey is at least as interesting as the destination.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) set sail last summer -- with little warning and a not-very-clear itinerary -- towards the idea of possibly divesting in some companies doing business in Israel, as a way of expressing concern about Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people.

Already, it's been a bumpy, exciting ride, and there's still a long way to go.

Who knows what decisions involving divestiture the 2006 General Assembly might be asked to consider, or what the mood of the church will be, with a bucket of other sizzling issues on the table as well?

And who has a clue what twists and turns politics in the Middle East may take before then?

Austin Colloquium examines divestment

Presbyterian and Jewish congregants gathered in Shelton Chapel at Austin Seminary on March 30 in an effort to further open the lines of communication between the two communities. The gathering was the President's Colloquium, "A Difficult Friendship: Divestment, Dialogue, and Hope."

Two speakers addressed the challenges and opportunities facing Presbyterians and Jews in the wake of the divestiture vote last summer at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly: the Reverend Joseph D. Small III, associate director for the PC(USA) Congregational Ministries Division and coordinator for the Office of Theology and Worship/Spiritual Formation, and Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, director of Interfaith Affairs for the Anti-Defamation League.

According to the PC(USA) website, "The 216th General Assembly approved several measures opposing the Israeli occupation of Palestine ... including a call for the corporate witness office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to begin gathering data to support a selective divestment of holdings in multinational corporations doing business in Israel/Palestine."

Davidson College Statement of Purpose Approved by the Davidson College Board of Trustees February 4, 2005

Davidson College is an institution of higher learning established in 1837 by Presbyterians of North Carolina. Since its founding, the ties that bind the college to its Presbyterian heritage, including the historic understanding of Christian faith called The Reformed Tradition, have remained close and strong. The college is committed to continuing this vital relationship.

Jesuit colleges to use endowments to support social agenda

 Jesuit educators, known for their dual emphasis on academics and social justice, are gearing up to set a new standard for the way colleges wield clout on Wall Street.

Under a proposal rolled out for chief financial officers recently in Cincinnati, the nation's 28 Jesuit colleges and universities would use their billions of dollars in investments to push a collective, Roman Catholic social agenda. Participating colleges would build endowment wealth and advocate for the poor simultaneously by demanding corporate policies that defend human rights, reduce predatory lending practices and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The endowments of the nation's 28 Jesuit colleges and universities are valued at approximately $6.4 billion in aggregate.

Presbyterian College report: Living “the ecology of church-relatedness”

Continuing to explore the question of what it means to be a Presbyterian-related college, a commission at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina has recommended some changes in policy for the school -- changes that the commission hopes will strike a balance between educating students in the Christian tradition and preparing them to live and work in a multicultural world.

The proposed changes follow a controversy last year about whether Presbyterian College should drop a longstanding requirement that students must take at least two Bible classes -- one in Old Testament and one in New Testament. That prompted a flurry of discussion about what it means to be a distinctively Christian college and one that's related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). A 30-member commission was created to study the matter further.

Pastor, educator, ecumenist: Henry Sloan Coffin (1877-1954)

It has been just over 50 years since Henry Sloane Coffin died. This milestone offers an occasion to take the measure of this noted pastor, educator, and ecumenist.

Coffin was born into a prominent New York City family, the son of a lawyer and a Scottish mother. He learned the Westminster Shorter Catechism when a youngster and developed a deep respect for the ministry at home and at the Fifth Avenue Church where the family worshipped.

U.S. megachurches more numerous, says Hartford Institute study

New research shows 50 percent more megachurches in the United States than previously thought.

Initial analysis of a cooperative project to survey all megachurches in the United States by Scott Thumma of Hartford (Conn.) Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research, and Dave Travis and Warren Bird of Leadership Network, uncovered at least 1,200 Protestant churches that claim more than 2,000 weekly worship attendees.