wfn.org | 210th General Assembly to Address Issues of Church, World

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

6-April-1998 
98124 
 
    210th General Assembly to Address 
    Issues of Church, World 
 
    by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-When commissioners to the 210th General Assembly of the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gather in Charlotte, N.C., on June 13, they 
will be expected  to once again heed the Calvinist call: Balance concern 
for the church with concern for the world. 
 
    Among the more than 800 items of business the 562 commissioners will 
address before the Assembly adjourns on June 20 are such common 
church-related concerns as church growth, particularly among racial/ethnic 
communities; new leadership for the denomination; new doctrinal statements; 
and ecumenical relations with other Christian churches. 
 
    These commissioners - an equal number of ministers and laypersons 
elected by their presbyteries - will also be asked to address the 
2.6-million-member church's peacemaking role in a post-Cold War world; the 
role of the church in public, higher and global education; the role of 
women in church and society; and abortion. 
 
    And then there's always sex. 
 
    The 20-year theological debate over appropriate standards of sexual 
behavior by church officers shows few signs of abating.  Even though 
Amendment A - the commonly called "fidelity and integrity" amendment - to 
the church's "Book of Order" was overwhelmingly rejected by the 
presbyteries in voting conducted since last year's Assembly, further 
measures to change the PC(USA)'s standards for ordination to church office 
have already been introduced to this year's Assembly. 
 
    For now, at least, the constitution requires "fidelity within the 
covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness" - 
the language of G-6.0106b, which was Amendment B when it was being voted on 
and approved by the presbyteries last year. 
 
    The Presbytery of Milwaukee has submitted an overture (resolution) 
asking that G-6.0106b be deleted from the "Book of Order."  A number of 
other overtures are seeking a way out of the seemingly endless morass on 
the sexuality issue by asking for changes in the procedures for 
establishing church policy and for amending the "Book of Order" (a simple 
majority of the presbyteries is now required). 
 
    And the Presbytery of Utica has submitted an overture asking for a 
five-year moratorium on legislation related to the issue of sexual 
standards for ordination. 
 
    A summary of the other major issues facing this Assembly: 
 
      * New leadership: The Assembly will be asked to confirm a new 
executive director of the General Assembly Council (GAC), the chief 
programmatic officer of the General Assembly.  The 97-member Council, which 
administers the program of the Assembly between its annual meetings, has 
been conducting a search since its previous executive, the Rev. James D. 
Brown, was denied confirmation to a second four-year term by the 1996 
Assembly.  Also up for confirmation is the Rev. Curtis A. Kearns Jr., who 
is seeking a second four-year term as director of the National Ministries 
Division, one of the GAC's three program divisions (the others are 
Congregational Ministries and Worldwide Ministries). 
      * Racial/ethnic church growth: The Assembly will be asked to approve 
detailed plans to implement a goal established by the 1996 Assembly to 
increase the racial/ethnic membership of the PC(USA) to 10 percent by 2005 
and to 20 percent by 2010.  The racial/ethnic membership of the 
denomination is currently about 5 percent.  The Assembly will also act on 
an overture from the Presbytery of Central Florida calling for Racial 
Ethnic Concerns committees to be established at all levels of the church 
and on an overture from Southern New England Presbytery seeking easier 
procedures for racial/ethnic congregations (particularly among new 
immigrant groups) to formally organize as Presbyterian churches. 
      * New catechisms: The Assembly will be asked to approve two new 
catechisms - statements of church doctrine organized in question-and-answer 
format.  The two catechisms are designed for children and for young adults 
and others who are studying for church membership.  There are currently 
three catechisms included in the church's "Book of Confessions," the most 
recent - the Larger Westminster Catechism - having been formally approved 
in 1647.  The new catechisms are not being proposed for inclusion in the 
"Book of Confessions" - which has constitutional status - but for 
"approval" for us in the PC(USA). 
      * "Just Peacemaking": The Assembly will be asked to approve a major 
paper that explores the moral and ethical requirements for "just peace" in 
the world in the wake of the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the 
end of the Cold War.  After generations of examining "just war" theory - 
what moral and ethical criteria justify the waging of war - the paper calls 
the church to examine the moral and ethical criteria that must be applied 
in creating peace with justice. 
      * Ecumenical relations: The Assembly will celebrate and plan for 
"full communion" with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The 
"Formula for Agreement" establishing closer relations between the two 
historic Reformation churches was ratified by the presbyteries following 
its approval by last year's Assembly.  The agreement includes the Reformed 
Church in America and the United Church of Christ as well.  A gala service 
of worship sealing the agreement is scheduled for Oct. 4 in Chicago. 
      * The "Year with Education": This Assembly will kick off a yearlong 
emphasis on the church's role in education.  The "Year with Education" will 
focus on five aspects of the church's education ministry - Christian 
education, higher education, theological education, public education and 
global education. 
      * Abortion: The Assembly will be asked to address several 
abortion-related issues, including an overture from the Presbytery of 
Cincinnati asking that greater effort be made to implement the church's 
1992 abortion policy.  That policy, while affirming the right of women to 
choose, states that abortion should be the choice of last resort when one 
is confronted with a problem pregnancy. 

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