Closed meeting provision approved
By Parker T. Williamson, The Layman Online, July 1, 2001
LONG BEACH — The 212th General Assembly has approved a loophole in its open meeting rule by exempting some meetings from the requirement that they be open to observers.
By a vote of 446 to 66, commissioners decided to exempt certain non-business meetings if the subject group is “small” and its purpose is to deal with “personal issues of faith and life.” Neither “small” nor “personal issues” are defined.
Speaking for the majority, Virginia Rainey from the Presbytery of the Cascades emphasized the fact that measure would not apply to business meetings, which, she said, were the real intent of the Open Meeting Policy. She said she believed that the new policy “clearly defines the situations in which this policy would apply.”
But Donald Wassinger from Philadelphia Presbytery disagreed. Speaking for a minority report that would have sent the proposed policy back to the General Assembly Council for refinement, Wassinger said that the policy’s language suffered from a lack of clarity.
“How small is a ‘small group?'” he asked. Who will determine the number? Under what conditions can a meeting be closed? What kind of process will be used to close a meeting? I am not asking the General Assembly to reject this idea, but to perfect it with clear language.”
Kate Holbrook, a youth advisory delegate from Baltimore Presbytery, urged the Assembly to approve the proposed policy. She said she had attended a meeting of the National Network of Presbyterian College Women and was offended by the presence of reporters from an organization called Voices of Orthodox Women.
“They were constantly taking notes on everything that was said,” she complained. “I was unable to participate fully in worship.” Ms. Holbrook said that the reporters were “intrusive and invasive” and that they crossed “emotional and spiritual boundaries.”
The National Network of Presbyterian College Women has come under heavy criticism in recent years for publishing materials that promote “ReImagining god” themes and promoting authors whose writings deny the lordship and atonement of Jesus Christ. In 1997, the network’s website contained links in its “recommended resources” section that opened the door to a lesbian dating service and pornographic websites.
Commissioner John Goertz, of Prospect Presbytery urged the Assembly to adopt the minority report. “Who is going to decide whether the personal issues that a small group wants to discuss are ‘issues of faith and life?'” he asked. “How big is a small group? We need clarity on this in order to create a policy that engenders trust.”
Russell Cowden of Muskingum Valley Presbytery said he recognized that there were problems with the policy’s ambiguous language, but he said that he favored it anyway. “I hope that the GAC will continue to struggle with this policy and bring back new and improved versions,” he said. “If we don’t vote for this, we will be left without any policy at all, and we need something.”