Lay Committee CEO offers reflections on task force report
The Layman Online, September 1, 2005
The Presbyterian Lay Committee is studying the 39-page report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church and will release the results of its analysis to congregations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) after its board meeting Oct. 22.
In the interim, Parker T. Williamson, chief executive officer and editor in chief, offers the following reflections:
“In Genesis’ epic story of an ancient deception, Jacob donned the hide of a goat and pretended to be Esau, his hairy brother. Isaac felt the faux hide of his son and said: “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” This story comes to mind when one reflects upon the report of the task force and the methodology that was employed to produce it.
“Early on, members of this task force decided to meet in secret, shrouding their discussions from the church and protecting one another from bearing any personal responsibility for their decisions. Why would Presbyterians who are meeting to discuss matters of faith and morals choose not to make their beliefs and decision process transparent to the body of Christ to whom they are accountable?
“Scripture speaks a relevant word:
- But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God (John 3:21).
“When it finally stepped into the light, after spending more than $100,000 in meeting costs and pre-announcement fanfare, the task force presented the fruit of its labor – an embrace of local-option practices that, if adopted, would render our Constitution virtually meaningless. Here’s the essence of its recommendations:
- (1) Leave the Constitution unchanged, declaring that it articulates Presbyterian Church (USA) standards for faith and ethics.
- (2) Declare that if a presbytery encounters a candidate for ordination who chooses not to meet those standards (for example, the rule that her/his sexual behavior be restricted to marriage between a man and a woman), the presbytery can decide for itself if the constitutional standards that are being violated are “essential.”
- (3) If the presbytery determines that the constitutional standards that are being violated are not “essential,” then it may proceed to ordain the candidate.
“These recommendations would deeply erode the Presbyterian faith and polity to which we are all committed by our ordination vows, and we are saddened that fellow Presbyterians would suggest them. The task force affirms the words of the Constitution while at the same time suggesting a method by which they may be violated. To affirm something while simultaneously denying it constitutes a serious breach of theological integrity.
“The reader will recognize some good words in the report, particularly in portions of an early section that affirm the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, the doctrine of the Trinity, the full divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ and his singular saving Lordship, the authority of Scripture, and Reformed principles of Scriptural interpretation. But the task force’s very inclusion of these laudatory affirmations fuels one’s amazement when it so abruptly abandons them in formulating its recommendations.
“After stating its congruence with the Reformed dictum that Scripture is the church’s authority for faith and practice, the task force turns to the ordination issue, and Scripture disappears from the discussion. Nowhere does the task force answer the question: Does Scripture support or condemn homoerotic behavior? Rather, at this point it abandons Scripture altogether and cites as the authority for its recommendations “the Spirit’s guidance.”
“Abandoning the church’s sacred text, the task force has proffered a political answer to a theological question. In so doing, it has made a radical shift from theology to temporizing.
“The task force report will not promote the peace, unity and purity of the church. Although some parts may be commendable, taken as a whole, the document lacks the theological integrity and ethical congruity that is essential to fulfill its mandate. History will not be kind to such a report, no matter how many per-capita funds are spent to promote it, for this task force was commissioned with an opportunity to serve the church and, sadly, its moment has passed.”