wfn.org | [PCUSAnews] ACSWP completes policy on domestic violence

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Note #6340 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

01023
January 23, 2001

ACSWP completes policy on domestic violence

Committee drops pricey proposal to create a new church office

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP)
has completed work on a major policy paper on domestic violence that will go
to this year's General Assembly (GA) - but without its most costly
recommendation.
	Before the committee signed off on the policy statement, Turn Mourning Into
Dancing!, it removed a call for the creation of a new Domestic Violence
Office in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) headquarters here.
	Instead, the Assembly will be asked to establish a team of staff from
existing entities that deal with domestic-violence issues to begin
implementing more than 60 recommendations included in the document.
The Rev. Vernon Broyles, associate director for social justice in the
National Ministries Division, urged the committee to accede to "economic
reality."
"There is some potential to do some of these things with existing
resources," he said. "I don't want this policy to rise or fall on the
creation of an office."
The purpose of the 84-page policy statement, ordered by the 1997 GA in
response to an overture from East Iowa Presbytery, is to "hear the voices of
victims and survivors and respond to their calls with the following goals:
first, to protect the victims from further abuse; second, to stop the
abuser's violence and hold the abuser accountable; and third, restore the
family relationship, if possible, or mourn the loss of the relationship."
According to the ACSWP document, domestic violence stems from a "need for
power and control," and can take many forms: physical, emotional and sexual
abuse, and abuse by neglect. It includes child abuse, spouse/partner abuse,
elder abuse, sibling abuse and dating violence.
The paper asserts that the church "should be a vehicle of God's love,
justice and grace for victims and survivors. This will require an
intentional process of becoming trustworthy partners in the process of
mourning, healing, reconnecting."
The policy proposes a variety of educational and advocacy efforts at all
levels of the church, and asks congregations to become more involved in
ministries to victims, survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence.
During its Jan. 18-20 meeting, the ACSWP also completed work on six other
documents it will be sending to this year's GA:

Resolution on Small-Arms Control 

The Presbyterian Church's seminal document, Peacemaking: the Believers
Calling, promotes "non-violence and the building of cultures of peace."
PC(USA) General Assemblies consistently have opposed the arms race.
After addressing such big-picture issues as nuclear arms and
ballistic-missile treaties, this resolution turns to small arms: "While
great emphasis has been placed on mass destruction, the church has not lost
sight of the importance of conventional weapons and the increasing capacity
for devastation through changes in technology of small arms and light
weapons."
The resolution calls for "support of worldwide efforts to build a culture of
peace"; recognizes the "devastation … enabled by the circulation and
availability of small arms and light weapons"; supports United Nations
peacemaking efforts, including its Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small
Arms and Light Weapons; supports the concept of a small-arms registry; calls
on the United States to ratify existing and pending treaties; asks all
governments to monitor the flow of small arms around the world; urges the
U.S. Congress to pass an enforceable Arms Transfer Code of Conduct; supports
education and advocacy efforts; and lifts concerns for world conflicts
exacerbated by the ready availability of small arms.

Resolution on the UN Year of Mobilization against Racism

The UN has scheduled a world conference on racism, xenophobia and other
intolerance for next summer in South Africa. It has urged governments as
well as "organizations of civil society, including religious institutions,
to join in the processes of study, examination, education and advocacy to
bring about an end to such practices."
The resolution acknowledges that racism and other intolerance "violate our
fundamental theological understandings of the promise of God's justice and
love for all people"; calls on the United States to support the world
conference, monitor its compliance with related international treaties and
establish a commission to study the issues; challenges every presbytery to
hold a study event on Facing Racism: a Vision of the Beloved Community and
Building Community Among Strangers; approves the PC(USA)'s participation in
the world conference; requests appropriate GA entities to make available
information about the conference; urges racial-ethnic entities to use it as
an occasion for further education and study; sets March 21 as the "Day to
End All Forms of Racial Discrimination"; and requests the Advocacy Committee
on Racial Ethnic Concerns to analyze the church's efforts against racism.

Resolution on Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations

The UN General Assembly in 1998 called for this observance "in recognition
that the processes of globalization have brought the world's religious and
cultural communities into encounter in ways never experienced in the past,
and that these encounters have often led to intolerance, hostility and
conflict."
	The resolution commends the UN for its efforts; affirms the goals of
"building understanding through study, dialogue and sharing, cooperation in
areas of mutual concern, and the building of authentic, open pluralistic
societies"; encourages the U.S. government to support this initiative; urges
media to be more sensitive; calls upon Presbyterians to promote teaching and
learning about other religions and cultures; promotes the use of available
resources; and encourages PC(USA) seminaries and GA entities to address the
issue.

Resolution on Ministry of Caregiving for Older Adults

This resolution was written at the direction of the 1998 GA "to explore what
the ministry of caregiving means as an aging population rapidly increases,
and especially for those who … have debilitating and/or fatal illnesses."
	The resolution calls on the church to be diligent in its "covenantal
responsibilities" to care for all its members; directs the Office of Older
Adult Ministry to make resources available to congregations; encourages
observation of Older Adult Week; encourages congregations and middle
governing bodies to offer education and training on caregiving for older
adults; affirms the Parish Nursing model of caregiving, education and
training, in cooperation with hospitals and other health agencies; affirms
caregiving as a vocation and supports the rights of workers employed as
caregivers; commends the Board of Pensions for its Employee Assistance
Response Program; and directs presbytery committees on ministry and on
preparation for ministry to pay heed to caregiving issues for ministers and
candidates.

Resolution on "The Future of the Child in the 21st Century"

The upcoming special UN General Assembly session next September grew out of
the World Summit for Children in 1990. The special session will evaluate
progress made on pledges made then and since "to address the human
conditions that have denied children what we believe to be their
birthright."
The ACSWP resolution recognizes the connection between the UN emphasis and
the PCUSA's Year of the Child.
	The resolution commends the UN for the special GA session; encourages
Presbyterians to support governmental, church and other efforts to improve
the lot of the world's children; calls on congregations to study the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child; urges the U.S. government to ratify
the Convention on the Rights of the Child (the U.S. is the only UN-member
government which hasn't done so); asks congregations and presbyteries to
support such ratification; urges the U.S. government to ratify the UN
Convention on Land Mines; celebrates the 50th anniversary of UNICEF's "Trick
or Treat" program (founded by Presbyterians Mary Emma and Clyde Allison);
and calls on Presbyterians to honor the promises made to children at
baptism.

Human Rights Update

	This is an annual ACSWP report that reaffirms the PC(USA)'s longstanding
commitment to human rights worldwide. The 75-page document lifts up five
categories of concern: civil rights, political rights, economic rights,
social and cultural rights, and religious rights. This year's update
emphasizes issues of religious freedom.

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