wfn.org | ACSWP Responds to Criticism of "Building Community" Study

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

3-February-1998 
98039 
 
    ACSWP Responds to Criticism of 
    "Building Community" Study 
 
    by Kristin Searfoss 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--A study document that has received feedback, both negative 
and positive,  from Presbyterians across the denomination has led  the 
committee responsible for it to appoint a subgroup to consult with the task 
force in the development of the final policy statement. 
 
    At their Jan. 22-25 meeting here, the Advisory Committee on Social 
Witness Policy (ACSWP) unanimously approved a public statement noting 
criticism of "Building Community Among Strangers" and appointed a subgroup 
to ensure that the policy paper that comes out of the study "is faithful to 
the Christian faith and consistent with the Reformed tradition." 
 
    The study document, which was written by a 15-person task force chosen 
from around the PC(USA), has been made available for General 
Assembly-mandated study, discussion and feedback from May 1997 through Dec. 
31, 1998.  The paper's introduction states that the task force's final 
purpose is to "examine the church's policy base and to propose new policy 
to strengthen its capacity to build human community in the midst of the 
growing diversity of American society, especially in metropolitan areas." 
 
    The task force is focusing on six cities - New York, Atlanta, 
Cleveland, San Antonio, Oakland/San Francisco and Tacoma/Seattle.  The 
paper is "lifting up positive illustrations of things that have been done 
and achieved along the lines of Christian mission," said ACSWP vice chair 
and "Building Community" task force member the Rev. Donald Shriver of New 
York. 
 
    Since the study document's purpose is to provide feedback for a 
proposed social witness policy statement for the 211th General Assembly 
(1999), it cannot be used to direct the mission program of the church at 
this time.  However, ACSWP coordinator the Rev. Peter Sulyok said, "There 
is some confusion in the church as to whether this is a policy statement or 
a study document, [although] we did print in the first page that it is a 
study document." 
 
    "There has been a flurry of criticism, especially from folk who are 
concerned we are throwing the evangelical mission of the church out the 
window," Shriver said. 
 
    In Louisville, ACSWP members listened as Sulyok read a sample of 
responses to "Building Community Among Strangers."  Reactions ranged from 
constructive positive remarks to calls for work on the paper to cease, he 
said.  There were more negative than positive responses.  Of the 43 
individual responses he had on the table in front of him, 35 were negative, 
he told the committee. Of 10 group responses, four were negative. 
 
    Sulyok said critics claimed "Building Community" does not declare 
Jesus' divinity, "proclaims another faith - humanism," "sounds 
universalist," is "not Presbyterian," "is directly opposed to `The Book of 
Confessions'" and denies the "unique lordship of Christ." 
 
    Negative reaction to the study document was also expressed in the 
January/February issue of "The Presbyterian Layman," copies of which were 
included in packets given to ACSWP members. 
    Other readers sent Sulyok enthusiastic praise for the paper's help in 
challenging them to "teach the church to accept the way people are," "to 
tolerate and accept strangers' traditions," "to interact with [church] 
membership and then with strangers," "to love each other more as equals," 
and "to accept people even though they don't like me." 
 
    Shriver was glad the study document provoked reaction.  "A study paper 
that produces either negative or positive responses is still one which is 
serving its function, of getting responses," he said. 
 
    Other ACSWP members paid attention to the criticism too.  "If there is 
something wrong with it, we ought to acknowledge it," said LaVerne Feaster 
of Little Rock, Ark. 
 
    Ruy Costa of Billerica, Mass., said readers were particularly critical 
of an imaginary multicultural banquet described in a section of the paper 
titled "The Scandalous Banquet," in which, the paper states:  "The greatest 
surprise occurs when the food is blessed, not only in the name of Jesus 
Christ the Son of God, but also in the name of Allah, the Lord Krishna, 
Siddhartha Buddha, and the Goddess Gaia!" 
 
    In an Oct. 11, 1997, press release the task force clarified its 
intended interpretation of the banquet as "a civic banquet table in 
American society" rather than the "great ultimate `supper of the Lamb'" 
(Rev. 19.9).  "My guess is the task force won't use that illustration in 
the policy paper that comes out of the study," Sulyok said in a telephone 
interview after the meeting. 
 
    "I think these folk ought to have a response," Shriver said.  He told 
ACSWP that Costa and committee member the Rev. Nancy Becker of Ogden Dunes, 
Ind., would meet with him and "see if the proposed policy statement is 
Christocentric enough.  I think we can respond appropriately," he said. 
 
    Becker thought the committee should do more than review the document. 
"I've been getting a lot of `hot' e-mail [reactions to the study paper]," 
she said.  "It is a devastatingly flawed document.  It was distributed as 
an educational document from the PC(USA).  I think we need to make a 
statement coming out of this committee about the flaws." 
 
    Costa wanted to use less judgmental language and advised the group to 
"acknowledge the work of the task force and the problems with the use of 
Scripture, and tell readers we are grateful for their input." 
 
    With help from her committee colleagues, Becker worded a statement, 
which was unanimously adopted, addressing the "serious criticism" of the 
study document: "The ACSWP is grateful for the response of the wider church 
to the study paper `Building Community Among Strangers' and thanks the Task 
Force for its work to date.  The ACSWP acknowledges the serious criticisms 
that have been made of some of the biblical/theological images used in the 
study paper.  In order to ensure that the policy statement that is to be 
prepared following the response period for the study document is faithful 
to the Christian faith and consistent with the Reformed tradition, ACSWP 
has appointed a subgroup of the committee to consult in the development of 
the policy report." 
 
    The meeting of the new subgroup of Becker, the pastor of Ogden Dunes 
Presbyterian Church, Costa, executive director of the Massachusetts Council 
of Churches, and Shriver, past president and professor emeritus of social 
ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York, to discuss the "Building 
Community" study document has not yet been scheduled.  "I am confident they 
will put a lot of time into it," Sulyok said. 
 
                    Resolutions for 1998 General Assembly 
 
    In addition to discussing the "Building Community" study document, 
which will not go to the Assembly until 1999, ACSWP members spent much time 
and effort discussing and approving four resolutions that go before this 
year's Assembly: 
 
    *  "Resolution on Just Peacemaking and the Call for International 
       Intervention for Humanitarian Rescue,"  a response to a 1995 General 
       Assembly directive, speaks to post-Cold War international 
       cooperation and partnership in intervening in major violations of 
       human rights or massive human suffering.  Human rights, religious 
       liberty and democratic principles are held up as foundational for 
       just peace, and U.S.  support of the United Nations is stressed. 
    *  "Resolution on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Hope for a 
       Humane Future" celebrates the 50th anniversary of the adoption of 
       the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations 
       General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948.  The declaration, which the 
       Presbyterian Church supported at its inception, gave a foundation 
       for international human rights law. 
    *  "Resolution on the United Nations Year with Older Persons" 
       recognizes the U.N.'s designation of 1999 as the International Year 
       with Older Persons.  The paper notes that the numbers of people in 
       the world over 60 will triple over the next few decades and that in 
       the PC(USA) half of the members are older than 50. 
    *  "Resolution on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA) calls 
       on the PC(USA) to continue its strong support of the free exercise 
       of religion and to join in amicus curiae briefs supporting RFRA's 
       continued applicability to the federal government.  (In a June 1997 
       decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that RFRA could not be 
       applied against local or state laws and that with RFRA Congress had 
       unconstitutionally infringed on states' rights.  Now, many legal 
       scholars argue, religious liberty has no meaningful statutory 
       protection against state or municipal laws.) 
 
                         New ACSWP officers 
 
    ACSWP elected new officers to fill terms starting July 1998, after the 
General Assembly. Shriver was elected committee chair and the new vice 
chair is Nancy Benson-Nicol, a senior at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, 
Pa., who plans to begin seminary studies next fall. 

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