Two-year study of FOG revisions recommended
The Layman, June 25, 2008
SAN JOSE, Calif. — If the 218th General Assembly agrees later this week, a stripped-down version of the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Book of Order will be put off for two years for study.
The Form of Government Revision Committee voted 45-20, with one abstention, to recommend Tuesday that the full Assembly refer the proposed revision of 18 chapters of the current Form of Government “to the Office of the General Assembly for a period of consultation and study with churches and presbyteries.”
A task force was established in 2006 by the 217th General Assembly to prepare a revised Form of Government for the PCUSA’s consideration at the next general assembly. Last year, the task force produced a 120-page report with its recommendations for revisions.
Concerns expressed about the revisions included vague language on some key issues and silence on others. For example, it could nullify the constitutional premise on which previous authoritative interpretations were based. That includes one from the 217th General Assembly that allows ordaining PCUSA bodies to ignore the constitutional prohibition against ordaining practicing homosexuals. This “conscience” clause (G-6.0108) frees ordaining bodies from any rule they deem non-essential.
In the new FOG, all prior rulings on constitutional ordination standards would no longer exist – possibly nullifying two February 2008 rulings by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission. Those decisions said that presbyteries considering candidates for ordination or installation cannot depart from the “fidelity/chastity” requirement. That could mean new challenges to the requirement.
Another concern was that presbyteries wouldn’t have their say in revising the FOG. However, the committee’s recommendation Tuesday included language that “strongly urged” presbyteries to participate in the two-year review.
The recommendation states that the review would occur “through a system or systems designed and implemented by the FOG Task Force and members of the 218th General Assembly Committee on the Revision of the Form of Government.” The task force would be expanded, with new members chosen by GA Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow and the revision committee’s moderator and vice moderator.
The new task force would revise the proposed FOG by “taking into account the concerns and suggestions gleaned from the consultation and study process.” Advice from the Advisory Committee on the Constitution, various presbytery overtures related to FOG, as well as GA Committee comments, would also be referred to the new task force “for serious and studied consideration.”
The revised report would be due to the denomination’s new stated clerk by Oct. 15, 2009, “for distribution to the church at large no later than Jan. 15, 2010, for consideration by the 219th General Assembly.”