wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Christian-Jewish relations to be studied

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8374 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Christian-Jewish relations to be studied
GA04080
June 30, 2004

Christian-Jewish relations to be studied

Assembly declines to suspend funding of new 'Messianic' churches

by Emily Enders Odom

RICHMOND, June 30  - The 216th General Assembly approved part of an overture
urging the Presbyterian Church (USA) to "re-examine and strengthen" the
relationship between Christians and Jews, but rejected another part that
would have cut off funding of future "Messianic congregations" until the
study is finished.

The vote to reject the suspension of funding was 260 to 233, with 6
abstentions.  The Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
had recommended disapproval of that section of the overture.

The Rev. Drew Smith, a minister commissioner from the Presbytery of South
Alabama, agreed with the committee's recommendation, saying: "I do believe
that our denomination has in its history and in its previous statements
approved this particular kind of congregation, first in Chicago in the '30s,
then Los Angeles in the '40s."

Referring to Avodat Yisrael, the Presbyterian Messianic congregation in
Philadelphia that became embroiled in controversy last year and prompted the
overture, Smith said, "The most recent new-church development in the last
several years in Philadelphia was approved, appropriately, by the presbytery,
synod, and General Assembly."

The Rev. Susan Andrews, the moderator of last year's Assembly, spoke in favor
of the funding suspension. Referring to a meeting she convened in January
between PC(USA) and Jewish leaders, she said the Jewish leaders "told us that
they expect us to do evangelism as Christians - but this particular form of
evangelism was something that saddened and concerned them, because of the
lack of clarity of Avodat Yisrael being a Christian congregation and the way
in which sacred Jewish rituals and objects are being used in that particular
situation."

The Assembly also approved a series of 10 recommendations concerning the
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), including a
commitment of continued financial support.  An amendment that would have
required the NCC to answer questions about its financial operations and
"partisan politics" was voted down.

The Assembly also approved a proposal to amend the preface of the Book of
Confessions to explain the origin of anti-Roman Catholic language in some of
the confessions.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

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