An open letter
The non-negotiables of producing the PCUSA’s
adolescent human development resources
August 18, 2008
To: Joe Small, Director of Theology, Worship, and Education
Mark Hinds, General Editor, Congregational Ministries Publishing
Michael Harper, Associate for Curriculum Development, Youth & Young Adult
Dear Joe, Mark, and Michael,
Since General Assembly resolution 12-08 directed the GAMC to “produce adolescent human development resources based upon Scripture and the Reformed theological tradition,” I assume that the responsibility falls upon you to plan and execute a response to the directive. Thank you for the care and thought you will be giving to this project.
We are all aware of the lasting controversy over the previous materials, and so I don’t envy you in your task to develop a new curriculum for adolescents. I am sure that a lot of people will lobby you for aspects or viewpoints they want you to include, and you will not be able to please all sides.
My sending this open letter is perhaps unnecessary, but I did want to make clear the non-negotiables of your responsibility for the materials. These requirements aren’t someone’s idiosyncratic wants being pressed on you; they are requirements set in place by the authority of the General Assembly. Thus, you may find these requirements actually freeing – allowing you to follow them rather than the perhaps insistent desires of another nature that will press upon you from individuals and interest groups.
Here are the requirements as I read them:
1) The resources must be “based upon Scripture.” That’s a great place not only to start, but to remain. Anything without clear, direct scriptural warrant needn’t be considered.
2) The resources must be “based upon … the Reformed theological tradition.” Of course, the best place to find authoritative Reformed tradition (as contrasted with something someone claims to be Reformed) is in our Book of Confessions. Everything in the resources should conform with the confessions; nothing should be at odds with the confessions.
3) “These resources would explore all facets of adolescent development, including human sexuality.” The resources would place human sexuality within its context of adolescent development, using, of course, the morality and ethics found in Scripture and our confessions.
These three first requirements come from the 218th General Assembly. But, you probably remember, there are two more requirements that remain in place from the 217th General Assembly in 2006. Item 12-11 from 2006 directs: the General Assembly Council (Congregational Ministries Division) and all other PC(USA) entities to use the biblical and confessional teachings that sexual relationships belong only within the bond of marriage of a man and a woman as the standard for the development of any future materials or recommendations for materials in print or in its website. The curriculum should include information on reproductive health to allow for an open discussion between teachers and youth in light of our understanding of God’s plan for sexuality.
Thus, there are at least two more requirements:
4) “to use the biblical and confessional teachings that sexual relationships belong only within the bond of marriage of a man and a woman as the standard for the development of any future materials or recommendations for materials in print or in its website.” This means that premarital, extramarital, nonmarital, and homosexual sexual relationships cannot be condoned, accepted, encouraged, or held to be of no consequence. This would be the requirement not only for the materials you develop, but also for any other materials that the curriculum would recommend, and it would apply to print and electronic materials. Thus if you have persons or interest groups seeking favorable treatment in the materials for any of these other sexual expressions, you have a sure and simple response: “We are required to use the standard that sexual relationships belong only within the bond of marriage of a man and a woman.” Of course, you will not please everyone, but you will be faithful to the requirements of your task.
5) “The curriculum should include information on reproductive health to allow for an open discussion between teachers and youth in light of our understanding of God’s plan for sexuality.” You need to include information on reproductive health. While allowing for “open discussion,” the information would need to fit the other requirements of the curriculum. Again, I suspect that none of this is new for you. But a good start on the project would entail a common understanding of the bedrock requirements placed on the materials. And, that understanding, which takes into account the resolution from 2006, can be a sure place from which you can withstand the pressures that are certain to be placed on you by parties not necessarily aligned with the standards you must uphold.
You must do what you are required to do. After that and apart from that, you have some leeway and can possibly grant some wishes. May your path be perhaps easier than might be expected. I would be pleased to assist in any way possible, and I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor.
Sincerely,
James D. Berkley
Director of Presbyterian Action
A committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy
www.TheIRD.org
Washington, DC