Theological commission becomes a task force
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, June 12, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Assembly Committee on Peace, Purity and Unity of the Church on Tuesday approved a totally rewritten Overture 33, which called for a commission to study the spiritual condition of the church and the causes for its unrest.
The revised version of the overture calls for a task force instead of a commission, and asks the task force to lead the church in the “spiritual discernment of our Christian identity.” The discernment is to include the issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power.
The task force also is to develop a process and instrument by which congregations and governing bodies may reflect on and discuss the matters that unite and divide the church. It is to make annual progress reports to General Assemblies until the 217th assembly, at which it will make its final report.
The committee took a majority of its docketed time rewriting the overture. One of the first actions on Overture 33 from John Calvin Presbytery was to change the commission to a task force.
After a presentation by Mark Tammin of the Department of Constitutional Services about the differences between task forces, committees and commissions, the Rev. Kim Rodrigue spoke against creating a commission. Commissions, she said, have to be made up of ministers and elders, “which would exclude having any gay or lesbian people on it.” That “already makes it untrustworthy,” she said.
The committee also deleted part two of the original overture, which read, “Earnestly entreat the session, presbyteries, synods and future General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to take no action on G-6.0106b, or on the authority of sessions and presbyteries in matters of ordination, and that no judicial cases on this subject be filed until the final report of the theological commission has been received by the 217th General Assembly.”
The Rev. Andy Ross made the motion to delete after hearing from a representative from the Advisory Committee on the Constitution, who said, “No, a General Assembly cannot restrict judicial process.”
The revised overture
The text of the revised overture states:
“Because we have all been baptized and professed our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savoir, gathering together at the Lord’s table, sharing in the brokenness as well as reconciliation, sharing a heritage of listening for the way in which Scripture speaks as we struggle with hard issues, sharing a common although diverse Reformed history and confessional heritage, the Presbyterian Church (USA) shall enter into a season of theological clarification of our Presbyterian identity by …
1. Directing the Moderator of the 213th, 212th, 211th General Assemblies, in consultation with the General Assembly Nominating Committee, to appoint a theological task force, as follows:
a. The task force is to be comprised of 17 members of Presbyterian Church (USA) with membership reflecting the theological and cultural diversity of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
b. The task force is directed to lead the Presbyterian Church (USA) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity, in and for the 21st century, using a process which includes conferring with presbyteries and congregations seeking the peace, unity and purity of the church. This discernment shall include but not be limited to the issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power.
c. The task force is to develop a process and an instrument by which congregations and governing bodies throughout our church may reflect on and discuss the matters that unite and divide us, praying that the Holy Spirit will promote the peace, unity and purity of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
d. The task force is directed to make a progress report to each General Assembly beginning with the 214th GA and concluding its work and making a final report by the 217th GA.
2. The 213th GA invites the church to unite in a sustained period of prayer and reflection on Scripture and our confessions seeking to promote the peace, unity, purity and mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”