wfn.org | Assembly Approves Joining "Churches Uniting In Christ"

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99084 
25-June-1999 
 
                    Assembly Approves Joining  
                   "Churches Uniting In Christ" 
 
 
FORT WORTH  - The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will become part of 
"Churches Uniting in Christ" if presbyteries  approve. The General 
Assembly, voted Wednesday to enter into the new relationship with the eight 
other communions in the Consultation on Church Union.  The PCUSA thus 
becomes the first to vote on the proposal which grew out of the Eighteenth 
Plenary of the Consultation on Church Union. The Assembly approved the 
proposal by a vote of 437-81- 6. 
     The other eight communions are: the African Methodist Episcopal 
Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ), the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the 
Episcopal Church, the International Council of Community Churches, the 
United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. 
     The Assembly instructed the Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick to send 
the proposal to the presbyteries "as a received statement of ecumenical 
guidance."  The denomination's constitution in the Book of Order G-15.0302 
says the church "may from time to time receive for guidance statements of 
ecumenical consensus" which Presbyterian representatives helped formulate. 
     David Batchelder, vice-moderator of the Assembly Committee on 
Catholicity and Ecumenical Partnership, said that in recommending approval 
the Committee was "riding the wave of hope from the Reformed-Lutheran 
Formula of Agreement."  He noted that the Committee spent two hours and 45 
minutes considering whether or not to recommend entering "Churches Uniting 
in Christ."  The Committee voted in favor 36-12-1.  
     Batchelder said the Committee favored the proposal for three reasons. 
First, it enables the relationship with the eight churches to develop 
without requiring from Presbyterians any new structures, changes in polity, 
or changes in the offices of ordained ministries. Second, it "makes 
possible a sharing in the matter of holy thing so central in the life of 
the church's worship." Third, it "calls us into a new consciousness about 
racism and its history in our culture.  It calls us to be honest with 
ourselves and about ourselves, particularly about our past." Batchelder is 
a minister from Latrobe, Pa.  
     The relationship will be characterized by nine "visible marks."  They 
are: 
     *  recognizing each other as "authentic expressions of the one church 
of Jesus Christ;" 
     *  recognizing "members in one Baptism," that is, members moving from 
one communion to another will not be rebaptized; 
     *  recognizing one another's ordained ministry; 
     *  affirming that each holds "the apostolic faith of Scripture and 
Tradition which is expressed in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds;" 
     *  providing for celebrating the Eucharist together "with intentional 
regularity;" 
     *  engaging in mission together, "especially a shared mission to 
combat racism;" 
     *  promoting "unity with wholeness" and opposing "all marginalization 
and exclusion in church and society based on such things as race, age, 
gender, forms of disability, sexual orientation, and class;" 
     *  engaging in an ongoing process of theological dialogue; and 
     *  creating "appropriate structures of accountability and appropriate 
means for consultation and decision making." 
     Gerald Little, a minister from Leesburg, Fla., asked that the 
Committee clarify the word "Tradition" as found in the "Visible Marks of 
Churches United in Christ."  "Do you see any compromise with the standard 
of sola scriptura?" Little asked.  Batchelder replied that "'Tradition' 
reflects not only the life and practice of each of the communions but also 
to include with respect to scripture their own history and tradition of 
interpreting scripture." 
     Marvin Donaldson, an elder from Eastminster Presbytery (Eastern Ohio), 
tried to amend the "Visible Marks" to delete the reference to sexual 
orientation.  Batchelder explained that since the "Visible Marks" had been 
approved in a plenary of all nine communions, no one communion could change 
them.  Donaldson withdrew his amendment. 
     Joyce Perry, an elder from Chicago Presbytery, urged the Assembly to 
approve "Churches United in Christ."  She asked, "What are we really afraid 
of: the power and privilege one has been born into that one doesn't want to 
give up?  Do we want to give up a dialogical option for the power and 
privilege we already enjoy?  If we are to work the work of God, then we 
must be willing to give up our position, power and privilege...If as a 
church we cannot form this type of relationship with the others, how can we 
expect individuals to develop this kind of relationship?" 
 
Peggy Rounseville 

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