wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] 'The way of Christ is the hope of the world'

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

Note #8413 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

'The way of Christ is the hope of the world'
GA04119
July 2, 2004

'The way of Christ is the hope of the world'

Newly re-elected clerk discusses his 'particular' hopes for PC(USA)

by Bill Lancaster

RICHMOND, July 2 - The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, re-elected Saturday to a
third term as stated clerk of the General Assembly, painted his vision for
the next four years in broad strokes, then named "some very particular
things" that are among his hopes and dreams.

Kirkpatrick said in a post-election press conference that he "really does
look forward" to what the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity
of the Church will bring forward. "The big issue here," he said, "is that the
task force is urging the whole church to engage in a process to replicate
their experience of bringing together people who have great differences in
order to find a deeper unity in Christ. I hope they will lead our church ...
to find that kind of reconciliation."

He said he is excited that the Presbyterian Church (USA) is "increasingly
becoming a multicultural church, becoming a growing church." And he said he
hopes the denomination will "continue to be a witness to God's justice in the
world in a time in which there is such a hunger for justice."

"The way of Christ is the hope of the world," he said, "and I hope we will be
much, much more effective as we go forward in that kind of ministry."

Responding to a reporter's question about defiance of the PC(USA)
constitution, an issue that was prominent in the election debate, Kirkpatrick
said that, on the whole, the constitution is being upheld, "and I think we
need to affirm that."

He said his office will continue to offer advisory opinions to clarify what
the constitution says and to train stated clerks and judicial commissions in
interpretation. "But we also need to be careful that when people are involved
in issues of very real dissent, that does not mean that that is necessarily
defiance of the constitution," he said.

He added later: "Dissent is an honored value. That's why even contention can
be the work of the Holy Spirit. But defiance is not. Clearly and openly
defying the constitutional standard is destructive to the church."

Asked about a comment from one of his challengers in the election that the
stated clerk's office should be used as a "bully pulpit," Kirkpatrick said:
"I've really never liked the term 'bully pulpit.' The Apostle Paul's
admonition of speaking the truth in love is much more what I have attempted
to do. ... What we always need to do is graciously, lovingly, speak the truth
and uphold the constitution."

Asked whether he agrees with the Assembly's action regarding a
Presbyterian-Jewish "Messianic" congregation in Philadelphia, he said, in
part: "I think the gospel ought to be offered to Jewish people, they ought to
be invited into the church. ... What should not be done is ever seeking to do
that in a way that is deceptive, that fails to fully live out the standards
in the Book of Order ... or that ever denigrates other traditions. I am not
saying that is what has happened in Philadelphia. ... The Presbyterian Church
has always favored a respectful evangelism."

Asked whether he had anything to do with a list of questions one candidate
said his supporters planned to ask during the Q&A period, Kirkpatrick said:
"I neither distributed nor wrote any of the questions. I did see a copy of
that ahead of time, and obviously he (the other candidate) did, and others,
so it was no big secret. I do know that some people were handing out those
questions ... but I did not personally distribute or encourage people to ask
those questions."

Later, during a plenary session of the Assembly, a commissioner moved to have
the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly "investigate the
integrity, openness and fairness of our electoral process," apparently
prompted by what he considered irregularities in the earlier election.

Kirkpatrick took a moment of personal privilege to speak in support of the
motion, saying that, while the PC(USA) has established procedures for the
election of moderator, it has none for the election of a clerk, and that he
thinks it would be helpful to have them. The Assembly approved the motion.

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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