And it IS a great cloud. The convening of the 217th General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Birmingham, Alabama
10 days ago was designed to be a reminder of that. There were
reminders all over that this is the 300th anniversary of
Presbyterianism in America - the first Presbytery was formed in
Philadelphia in 1706.
Birmingham was chosen specifically this year because our
Assembly would coincide with the General Assemblies of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the predominantly African-American Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. The
Cumberland Presbyterians broke off from the main body of
Presbyterians in this nation shortly after the beginning of the
19th century over a dispute about how much education our clergy
needed before beginning ministry on the frontier - how much Greek
and Hebrew are necessary to serve folks wearing buckskin and
living in log cabins? Good question. At any rate, about 100
years later - 1906, to be exact - many of the Cumberland
Presbyterians reunited with the PCUSA, but some chose to remain
independent. This joint gathering in Birmingham was not a
prelude to merger, but simply an affirmation of our common
heritage and continuing ministries.
Generally, the first important order of business in any
General Assembly is the election of a new Moderator, but this
year, that took a back seat to an incredible announcement that
Stanley W. Anderson, a Colorado businessman and Presbyterian
elder, has contributed $150-million to the PC(USA) to help
presbyteries start new churches, transform struggling
congregations and develop new racial-ethnic congregations. The
money will fund a program called the Loaves and Fishes Church
Growth Fund and will be distributed to presbyteries in grants
ranging from $250,000 to $1 million each. Presbyterian mission
causes and Presbyterian seminaries will also benefit.
Presbyteries will be required to apply for the grants and will
have to match a portion of it.
Anderson, whose family spent time on welfare when he was
young, is a third-generation member of Central Presbyterian
Church in Denver. He said he decided to establish the church
growth fund because he was tired of seeing annual reports of
membership decline, drops in mission giving and struggles to
balance the church's budgets. "My fellow Presbyterians,"
Anderson told the assembly, "we can do more." Money is expected
to start flowing from the fund to presbyteries and seminaries
early next year and all grant applications must be processed and
determined by the end of 2009, meaning the entire $150 million
will be disbursed by 2012. Wow! Time for a dinner break.
After supper, the traditional order of business: selection
of a new Moderator. There were four candidates this year, two
women, two men, all pastors. As I have told you before, the
winner is generally the one who does best in the question-and-answer period that precedes the vote and whose face looks best
when projected on screens that are 12 feet tall. This year, each
of the candidates did very well, and on the first ballot, there
was almost an even split among the four - very unusual. In the
end, it took three ballots and the winner was the Rev. Joan S.
Gray, a pastor from Greater Atlanta Presbytery who said she
doesn't have many answers for the Presbyterian Church's problems
but is willing to let God lead the way.
For example, the candidates were asked their position on the
ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians. Always a hot-button issue. Joan responded, "I have great respect for gay and
lesbian people who want to be accepted for who they are and who
want to do the work to which they feel called. But I don't feel
homosexuality is God's will for creation. It's uncomfortable
feeling that way, but I'm comfortable being uncomfortable until
the 'still small voice' speaks to my soul and I'm convicted
otherwise." That answer resonated with a lot of folks. "I don't
have all the answers," she said frankly, "but I have a passionate
faith in the God who through us is able to do more than we could
ever imagine." So, home to bed after an exciting first day.
An old adage has it that "To err is human, but to really
foul things up requires a committee." Nonetheless, Friday and
Saturday found the Assembly working in its 14 Committees,
processing the nearly 1,000 items of business that were before
the body. As is the Presbyterian way, this is where the real
work of the assembly gets done. Committees wrestle with issues,
debate the pros and cons, then make a decision for recommended
action by the whole body. In general, it is an efficient
mechanism. Most of the committees were able to wrap up their
business before breaking on Sunday for worship in area churches.
David Oyler, our General Presbyter, Doug Megill, our Stated
Clerk, and I went to the Edgewood Church and heard Dr. Frances
Taylor Gench, Professor of New Testament at Union Seminary in
Richmond. Her text was from I John, that marvelous little
epistle near the end of the New Testament that is so well known
for its insistence on the importance of Christian love: "Dear
friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever
does not love does not know God, because God is love."(1) Right
on. But her sermon was entitled "Dirty Laundry" and, good
scholar that she is, she pointed out that there is a lot of NASTY
stuff in I John too - there is a fair amount of name-calling and
in-your-face pronouncements for anyone who might theologically
disagree. It can get pretty mean. It did not take much
imagination on anyone's part to see the parallels between the 1st
century church of I John and us 21st century Presbyterians.
"Dirty Laundry" indeed.
Sunday night was a time for gathering with our Cumberland
brothers and sisters, thousands of us. Through word, song, dance
and the sounds of unusual instruments in the eclectic and
colorful liturgy, the worship highlighted the uniqueness of each
church while affirming the common heritage we share.
The sermon for the evening was delivered by the Rev. Setri
Nyomi, General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed
Churches. He called us to "lay aside every weight and sin" -
especially divisiveness and fragmentation - in order to run the
race of faith properly.
"I'm afraid that fragmentation has crept into the church,"
he said. "Everything is seen as a disposable good, including
relationships and the oneness of the church." He called for a
renewed focus on Jesus Christ. "Our Lord has made it possible
for us to run the race successfully. We won't have to
struggle alone." Christians can do something about the injustice
in the world and can be agents of "transformation in our
societies, with all the cloud of witnesses surrounding us."
Guide my feet, Lord,
While I run this race.
As the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was celebrated, massed
choirs of the CPC, CPCA, PCUSA and the Chorale Presbyterienne du
Congo joined to convey the powerful presence of the Spirit
through their music. As he rose to offer the Prayer after
Communion, elder Army Daniel, Moderator of the General Assembly
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, poignantly
observed looking around at the assemblage, "Such a beautiful
cloud of witnesses won't make headlines, but isn't it a glorious
sight?" Amen!
Monday morning. Down to business in plenary sessions that
would last well into the night. As we noted earlier, almost
1,000 pieces of business were under consideration. Many were
routine, but many were not.
For example, the Committee on Theological Issues and
Institutions sought and received approval for a study paper
called "The Trinity: God's Love Overflowing." It offers
alternative language to understand the triune God beyond the
traditional Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As one commissioner
said, "Just last Sunday -- Trinity Sunday -- during the prayers of
the people, we gave thanks to God who spoke the world into being,
we gave thanks that God became known to us in the living Word.
We prayed for the powerful, indwelling breath of the Spirit.
'Speaker, word and breath, giver, gift and giving.' These and so
many other Biblical images give us fresh ways to try to
understand the God who told our ancestors in faith that his name
was only I Am."
The disasters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have led "to a
new power for mission and energy in the Presbyterian church."
Those were the words of Susan Ryan, coordinator of Presbyterian
Disaster Assistance (PDA), during a celebration Monday night of
PDA's recovery work. "We are finding the world at our doorstep
in new ways," Ryan told the crowd. She said that "thousands from
40 different states...along with people from Mexico and Canada
[and Warren, Pennsylvania]," among others, have gone to the Gulf
Coast to help bring relief and rebuild. (Well, she didn't
mention Warren, but we know she could have.) A sea of hands went
up when Ryan asked how many people had been part of a work team
bringing relief and recovery to people and property in Louisiana
and Mississippi.
You will note in many of the pictures from the Assembly the
presence of laptop computers. This year, in an effort to avoid
the destruction of uncounted forests in the distribution of tons
of paper, GA went electronic - all business was contained on a
system called "Les." No, it is not an acronym for anything, just
an affirmation of a paper-LESS gathering. There were a few
glitches, as is always the case with anything new, but all in
all, it was a most worthwhile transition.
In the most highly anticipated moment of
the Assembly, commissioners dealt with the report of the
Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the
Church. The Task Force had been formed in 2001 by the 213th
General Assembly and was asked "to lead the PCUSA in spiritual
discernment of our Christian identity as we move into the 21st
century. It was specifically asked to address issues of
Christology, biblical authority and interpretation, ordination
standards and power. The group was comprised of 20 individuals
who reflected the wide diversity of theological understandings
that we find in our denomination today. After five years of
prayer, worship, Bible study, research and dialogue with each
other and many others throughout the church, the Task Force
produced a unanimous report, not much shy of a miracle.
They came back with some recommendations: first and
foremost, STAY TOGETHER, regardless of your differences. Study
and reflect TOGETHER on these issues and consider alternatives to
strict parliamentary procedure in decision-making. No problems
there. The possible bones of contention though came in the
recommendation that the Assembly approve a new "authoritative
interpretation" of our Constitution that maintains the current
ordination standards of the church but grants ordaining bodies
greater discretion on a case-by-case basis in determining if any
departure from a constitutional standard is a departure from
"essentials," therefore disqualifying for ordination to church
office, subject to judicial review" and that the Assembly reject
any attempts to change current denominational policy in regard to
the ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians.
After two hours of impassioned debate, by a vote of 298-221
(57-43%), the Task Force recommendations were approved. Despite
what some reported, the action does not ease the way for the
ordination of gays and lesbians. It simply reaffirms the
traditional Presbyterian way of doing business in the matter of
choosing church officers - it is best handled at the Session and
Presbytery level. In tandem with that action, the assembly then
voted to disapprove more than 20 proposals pending before them to
delete the section of the Book of Order which requires of church
officers "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man
and a woman or chastity in singleness."(2)
Neither the far right nor the far left in the church were
happy with the result, but such is the nature of compromise. But
in the concluding words of the Task Force's final report,
[We are] convinced that the world is watching the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and other denominations as we
engage in highly publicized debates. To be one is not to
say that we will be the same, that we will all agree, that
there will be no conflict, but as the church listens to
Jesus pray, all its members are reminded that the quality of
our life together -- our ability to make visible the unique
relationship that is ours in Jesus Christ -- is compelling
testimony to the truth and power of the gospel we proclaim.
The other issue of major controversy before the Assembly
came as a result of a decision by the last Assembly calling for a
"process of selective, phased divestment" from corporations doing
business with Israel in the occupied territories and contributing
to the construction of Israel's security wall and the oppression
of Palestinians. Jewish groups went ballistic and demanded we
overturn the decision.
The Assembly committee on Peacemaking and International
Relations recommended that we replace that action with
instructions "to have those financial investments of the
Presbyterian Church (USA), as they pertain to Israel, Gaza, East
Jerusalem and the West Bank, be invested in only peaceful
pursuits, and affirm that the customary corporate engagement
process of the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through
Investment of our denomination -- in conjunction with appropriate
reinvestment of funds where necessary -- is the proper vehicle
for achieving this goal." The assembly acknowledged that the
2004 divestment action "caused hurt and misunderstanding among
many members of the Jewish community and within our Presbyterian
communion. We are grieved by the pain that this has caused,
accept responsibility for the flaws in our process, and ask for a
new season of mutual understanding and dialogue."
Though the divestment language has been replaced, the
"customary" process of the church's Mission Responsibility
Through Investment Committee could still lead to an eventual
divestment recommendation. And though the assembly acknowledged
Israel's right to build the wall separating Israeli and
Palestinian areas, it called on Israel to move sections of the
wall from former Palestinian lands to internationally recognized
borders established after the 1967 Middle East war.
Much more went on, of course. The Assembly approved the
denomination's strongest statement to date on efforts to limit
abortion in response to an overture from, among others, our Lake
Erie Presbytery. The statement reads in part: "We affirm that
the lives of viable unborn babies-those well-developed enough to
survive outside the womb if delivered-ought to be preserved and
cared for and not aborted. When late-term pregnancies must be
terminated, we urge decisions intended to deliver the baby alive.
We affirm adoption as a provision for women who deliver children
they are not able to care for, and ask our churches to assist in
seeking loving, Christian, adoptive families."
The Assembly expressed its support for the human rights work
of the Presbyterian Church in Colombia in that violence-wracked
country and various PCUSA efforts to support that work,
particularly the denomination's accompaniment program there. But
the Assembly referred a number of specific requests for more
overt action directed at the US government's support of the
Colombian government and military to the Advisory Committee on
Social Witness Policy and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
for study.
The Assembly also approved a policy on persons with
disabilities entitled "A Vision of Living into the Body of
Christ." Our own Sue Montgomery was an impassioned advocate for
the measure. The policy calls the church to "prophetic witness
regarding issues related to people with disabilities, recognizing
that disability concerns are a matter of social justice."
The Assembly encouraged congregations and presbyteries to be
engaged in ending homelessness; condemned torture, suicide
bombing and all other acts of terrorism by all governments and/or
combatants; received from its Advisory Committee on Social
Witness Policy a major study paper on the effects of economic
globalization, especially on the world's poorest nations and
peoples; and affirmed its ongoing partnership with the Coalition
of Immokalee Workers, a Florida organization instrumental in
improving the lives and working conditions of farm workers in
that state. Last year the coalition successfully concluded a
boycott against Taco Bell and has just launched a campaign to
persuade hamburger giant McDonalds to change its purchasing
practices for the benefit of farm workers.
One of the highlights of this Assembly was the celebration
of some significant anniversaries in our denominational life
together as regards the ministry of women. As we have already
noted here in Warren, the church would not be the church without
the immense contributions of women. In the PCUSA, this year
marks the 100th anniversary of the ordination of women as
Deacons, the 75th anniversary of the ordination of women as
elders, and the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women as
Ministers of Word and Sacrament.
On Monday afternoon, Dr. Catherine Gonzales, now retired
after a distinguished career of teaching at Columbia Theological
Seminary, received an award for her contributions to Christian
Education. In her brief remarks afterward, she said that she had
been a seminary student in 1956 when Margaret Towner was
ordained, and that for the next 20 years or so, nothing much
changed - women in seminary and in ordained ministry were few and
far between. But about 30 years ago, things began to
change...BIG time. Now, women in seminary are not unusual; in
fact, in a number of seminaries, women are in the majority.
Women ministers rare? Not any more. Times have changed. Good.
After all, they are a part of that great cloud of witnesses
that watch as we run this race. Clarence McCartney noted to a
previous generation that the picture in Hebrews is that of a
heavenly stadium packed with famous fans, all with voices,
cheering us on as we press toward the goal.(3) Yonder they are!
Yonder is the gallery of the patriarchs, Abraham and Isaac and
Jacob and certainly Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel; and over there
are the seats of Jesus' closest friends, Peter and John and Paul,
not to mention Mary, his mother, and Mary Magdelene and Dorcas
and Lydia. And there is the gallery of the great missionaries,
St. Augustine and St. Patrick and David Livingstone and Albert
Schweitzer, Amy Carmichael, Donaldina Cameron and Mother Teresa.
And over there the great musicians, Isaac Watts and Charles
Wesley and Fanny Crosby Frances Ridley Havergal.
But there is yet another section of the stadium that means
far more to you and me perhaps than any of the others. It is the
gallery where sit our own mothers, fathers, wives, husbands,
sisters, brothers whose race is already run. They are the
witnesses who surround us and inspire us to keep the faith, who
see our struggles and rejoice in our victories. And with them
all, standing above them all, looking down with twinkling eyes
and the warmest smile, is Jesus. He sees what we are up against.
He knows we need help and he offers it.
That is God's word to you and me today. "Since we are
surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and
let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Amen!
1. I John 4:7-8
2. G-6.0106b
3. Clarence McCartney, "The Sin Which Doth Beset Us," The Greatest Texts of the Bible,
(Nashville : Abingdon, 1979), p. 169
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