General Assembly (2012) #17 Amendment to Book of Order

A Constitutional Amendment to the Book of Order approved.

            This overture, copied here, from the Presbytery of San Jose was approved by the Church Orders and Ministry Committee. The General Assembly also approved this amendment to G-2.0104a in our Form of Government by a vote of 329 YES to 275 NO. Please note this amendment adds one sentence to G-2.0104a: “This includes repentance of sin and diligent use of the means of grace.” None of the current language is deleted.

The Presbytery of San Jose overtures the 220th General Assembly (2012) to direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative vote:

Shall G-2.0104a of the Book of Order be amended as follows: [Text to be added is shown as italic.]

“a. To those called to exercise special functions in the church—deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders—God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world. This includes repentance of sin and diligent use of the means of grace. They must have the approval of God’s people and the concurring judgment of a council of the church.

RATIONALE

Section G-2.0104 of the Book of Order states:

a. To those called to exercise special functions in the church—deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders—God gives suitable gifts for their various duties. In addition to possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, those who undertake particular ministries should be persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world. They must have the approval of God’s people and the concurring judgment of a council of the church; and

The Westminster Larger Catechism, 7.305 states:

Q.            195. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

A.            In the sixth petition (which is, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”), acknowledging that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God, for divers holy and just ends, may so order things that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations; that Satan, the world, and the flesh, are ready powerfully to draw us aside and ensnare us; and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our corruption, weakness, and want of watchfulness, are not only subject to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations, but also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover out of them, and to improve them; and worthy to be left under the power of them; we pray: that God would so overrule the world and all in it, subdue the flesh, and restrain Satan, order all things, bestow and bless all means of grace, and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and all his people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to sin; or, if tempted, that by his Spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation; or, when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof; that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever. (The Book of Confessions, The Larger Catechism, 7.305)

When a church member is found guilty of an offense because of acting contrary to the Scriptures and/or the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), that person is censured and the following is part of the public rebuke:

“We urge you to use diligently the means of grace to the end that you may be more obedient to our Lord Jesus Christ” (Book of Order, D-12.0102).

We respectfully overture for the above specified amendment to G-2.0104a.

General Assembly (2012) #16 Mid Councils

Mid Councils report

            The Report of the Mid Council Commission is sweeping, comprehensive and bold. I highly recommend careful study of their report, which is a book length analysis of our Church today. I followed the discussion of the Commission’s report at the Committee meeting. It was clear to me that the kind of bold, creative innovation which the Mid Council Commission was advocating in their report is hard to mesh into the strict process and procedures of our meeting of the General Assembly. This seemed to be almost a clash of cultures within the church itself around the huge question of how to become more flexible, innovative and willing to experiment. Thus while there was great appreciation for the Mid Council report, the Assembly was not able to approve it and simply approved further discussion. My personal and sad perception of the reality around this discussion is that there is not enough trust in the church to allow the kind of bold innovation which the Mid Council report advocated. This debate on the floor of the General Assembly was passionate and the final text, copied here, was approved by a vote of 364 to 293.

Final Text:
Refer Recommendations 1-4 to refer the Mid Council Commission report and recommendations 1-4, to a task force to further discuss, refine, and bring to the 221st General Assembly (2014) recommendations that consider the composition and organization of the Mid Councils in ways that reinvigorate their capacity to support missional congregations, and advance the ecclesial nature and character of those presbyteries, within the unity of the church. The Moderator of the 220th General Assembly (2012) will name the task force. It will be composed of an equal number of persons from the Mid Council Commission, COGA, and commissioners to the 220th General Assembly (2012). The optimal size of such a task force is twelve-to-fifteen persons. The Office of the General Assembly, including the coordinator of the MidCouncil Relations, will provide staff support to the task force.

General Assembly (2012) #15 Special Offerings

Special Offerings Taskforce rejected

            The General Assembly essentially rejected the Report of the Taskforce on Special Offerings by a vote of 530 YES to 37 NO. The final text of the Assembly’s action is copied here.

Final Text:
In the spirit of Items 10-19 and 10-5 (overtures from the Presbyteries of Pittsburgh and Western North Carolina), it is important to maintain existing programs, percentages, and designees in the One Great hour of Sharing, the Christmas Joy Offering, and the Pentecost offering and the Peacemaking Offering. The 220th General Assembly (2012) recommends that the current distribution patterns be maintained for the next funding cycle and that the existing special offerings task force be asked to report to the 221st General Assembly (2014) on the effect of new fundraising techniques, to work collaboratively with funding recipients, update progress on the $20 million by 2020 goal, and recommend additional strategies.

General Assembly (2012) #14 ON MARRIAGE

FINAL ACTION: Civil Unions and Marriage Issues:

          After the defeat of the Committee’s main motion and the defeat of two minority reports, the Committee on Civil Unions and Marriage Issues proposed the following new business (copied below). It was also approved by amendment that this action will answer all the action coming before the General Assembly under the topic of civil unions and marriage.

          This action is the only and the final action of the 220^th General Assembly concerning the issues of civil unions and marriage. This action was approved by the vote of 489 YES and 152 NO.       

Final Text:

That the 220th General Assembly (2012) approve the following resolution:

“In a desire to promote the peace, unity, and purity of the church, we move the whole Presbyterian Church U.S.A. enter into a season of serious study and discernment concerning its meaning of Christian marriage in the two-year period between the 220th General Assembly (2012) and the 221st General Assembly (2014). We would further move the Office of Theology and Worship prepare and distribute educational materials to all presbyteries and congregations. These materials should include the relevant Scriptures, key methods of biblical interpretations, current understandings of our Constitution, and some suggested guidance for prayerful and reconnecting ways of listening to one another.

“We would ask that all presbyteries report to the Office of the General Assembly on how this was conducted in their congregations at least three months prior to the 221st General Assembly (2014).

“This motion is offered in the hope and trust that such discernment will genuinely seek the rule and will of God be done in our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as it is in Heaven under the guidance of the Triune of God.”

General Assembly (2012) #13

Civil Unions and Marriage Issues:

The debate about the definition of marriage:

            The General Assembly, during its afternoon session on Friday July 6, debated the question of marriage as presented by the General Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues. The Committee brought a Report asking for a Constitutional Amendment to change our definition of marriage. The Committee also brought TWO minority reports. Both minority reports were defeated.

            The Committee recommendation was also DEFEATED by a vote of 308 YES to 338 NO.  The Committee recommendation is copied here, but please note that the report was DEFEATED.  The Committee Report and two Minority Reports were all DEFEATED.

The Presbytery of Hudson River overtures the 220th General Assembly (2012) to direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendments to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative vote:

1.     Amend W-4.9001 as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the well-being of the entire human family. Marriage is a civil contract covenant between a woman and a man two people, and according to the laws of the state also constitutes a civil contract. For Christians marriage is a covenant through which a man and a woman two people are called to live out together before God their lives of discipleship. In a service of Christian marriage,two people make a lifelong commitment is made by a woman and a man to each other,publicly witnessed and acknowledged by the community of faith.”

2.     Amend W-4.9002 as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“a. In preparation for the marriage service, the teaching elder† shall provide for a discussion with the man and the woman two people to be married concerning” [The remainder of this section remains the same.]

3.     Amend W-4.9004 as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“The service begins with scriptural sentences and a brief statement of purpose. The man and the womantwo people to be married shall declare their intention to enter into Christian marriage and shall exchange vows of love and faithfulness. The service includes appropriate passages of Scripture, which may be interpreted in various forms of proclamation. Prayers shall be offered for the couple, for the communities which support them in this new dimension of discipleship, and for all who seek to live in faithfulness. In the name of the triune God the teaching elder† shall declare publicly that the woman and the man they are now joined in marriage.” [The remainder of this paragraph remains the same.]

4.     Amend W-4.9006 as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

“A service of worship recognizing a civil marriage and confirming it in the community of faith may be appropriate when requested by the couple. The service will be similar to the marriage service except that the opening statement, the declaration of intention, the exchange of vows by the husband and wife two people,and the public declaration by the teaching elder† reflect the fact that the woman and man they are already married to one another according to the laws of the state.”

General Assembly (2012) #12

Civil Unions and Marriage Issues:

The debate about the definition of marriage: Minority Report Two

            The General Assembly, during its afternoon session on Friday July 6, debated the question of marriage as presented by the General Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues. The Committee brought a Report asking for a Constitutional Amendment to change our definition of marriage. The Committee also brought TWO minority reports. The second Minority Report recommended a clear definition of marriage as a union of man and one woman.  After lengthy debate the second Minority Report was defeated:

The second Minority Report is copied here. NOTE: this recommendation was DEFEATED by a vote of 266 Yes to 397 No:

Minority Report two:

Responding to the wide variety of overtures concerning the definition of Christian Marriage in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the General Assembly makes the following statement:

Our Confessions, based on their understanding of Scripture, define Christian marriage as a union of one man and one woman. Any redefinition of marriage should recognize the confessional nature of the definition and should be preceded by careful and prayerful formal confessional amendment process. As our society debates the legal status of same-sex relationships, the church recognizes and reaffirms that any change in the definition of marriage in civil law does not and cannot change the church’s constitution. As our confessions instruct us, the church is called to lead men and women into the full meaning of life together, extending the compassion of Christ to all (The Confession of 1967).

As our church ministers amidst a contemporary culture that includes same sex couples, the church should lovingly respond with grace and truth. Additionally, the 220th General Assembly (2012) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) provides the following authoritative interpretation of W-4.9001:

“When W-4.9001 speaks of marriage, it is expounding how marriage is defined and understood by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), under the authority of the Scriptures and guided by the confessions. It is not merely describing how marriage was practiced in any particular society at any particular time. Therefore, this definition of marriage in the Directory for Worship is binding upon teaching elders and commissioned ruling elders authorized to perform Christian marriages. “Officers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who are authorized to perform marriages shall not state, imply, or represent that a same-sex ceremony is a marriage because under W-4.9001 a same-sex ceremony is not and cannot be a marriage” (Spahr v. Presbytery of Redwoods, 2008). A change in the definition of civil marriage under state law does not alter the definition of marriage under the PC(USA) Constitution (Southard v. Presbytery of Boston, 2011). The church’s definition of marriage may be changed only through amendment of both W-4.9001 and the confessional passages upon which it is based.”

General Assembly (2012) #11

Civil Unions and Marriage Issues:

The debate about the definition of marriage.

            The General Assembly, during its afternoon session on Friday July 6, debated the question of marriage as presented by the General Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues. The Committee brought a Report asking for a Constitutional Amendment to change our definition of marriage. The Committee also brought TWO minority reports. The first Minority Report recommended a time of discussion until 2014. After lengthy debate the first Minority Report was defeated.

The first Minority Report is copied here. NOTE: this recommendation was DEFEATED by a vote of 323 Yes to 346 No:

A Call for Listening

a. The General Assembly charges the Office of Theology and Worship to design and implement a discussion in each presbytery around the meaning of marriage and proposing ways for us to remain unified as a denomination.

These conversations would answer the following questions:

(1) What is the meaning of marriage in our post-Christendom environment in United States and Puerto Rico.

(2) How do our officers live and make faithful decisions about officiating at marriages in this environment?

(3) How can our denomination respect difference in opinion about the meaning of marriage?

These conversations are to provide a safe space for listening to Scripture, to the confessions, and to one another, and to propose solutions to the missiological issues raised by challenges to the traditional definition of marriage in our society and the prevalence of divorce in church and society. They are to take into account the effects of globalization, changing gender roles, and differences in the church over human sexuality. Each presbytery is encouraged to implement this conversation in each of its sessions around the same three questions. These conversations and the report should be completed by August 2014. Presbyteries shall report on these conversations to the Stated Clerk and the Office of Theology and Worship by August 2014.

b. The General Assembly directs the Presbyterian World Mission office to receive feedback from our worldwide mission partners about their understanding of the meaning of marriage and their suggestions about how to move forward missiologically as a denomination, and to forward this feedback to the Stated Clerk and the Office of Theology and Worship by August 2014.