1999 General Assembly to consider carryover issues from 1998
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, April 29, 1999
FORT WORTH – The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will revisit a number of old issues – including ordination standards – and consider a plethora of new ones during its annual meeting June 19-26 in Fort Worth.
The docket includes a proposal to hold a national referendum on having the General Assembly meet every two years instead of annually. A majority of the presbyteries would have to ratify the proposal if it is approved by the commissioners.
Overtures on 1999 agenda
More than 60 overtures have already been docketed for the 1999 General Assembly. Several seek to water down or eliminate altogether the “fidelity/chastity” standard required for candidates for minister, elder and deacon.
Some business from the 1998 General Assembly will be back on the docket. For example, commissioners will be asked to render a new determination on the future of the National Network of Presbyterian College Women.
The 1998 General Assembly, after finding that the Network resources promoted ReImagining God theology, lesbianism and pre-marital sex, and overturning the “fidelity/chastity” ordination clause, voted to end funding and sponsorship for the Network.
However, after an adjournment eve demonstration, commissioners decided to give the Network a reprieve and have a General Assembly task force review the organization and make a complete report to the 1999 General Assembly. The task force concluded that Network materials were unbiblical and in violation of the polices of the PCUSA. Nonetheless, the task force is recommending that the Network be continued and that its budget be doubled.
Revision of ‘Building Community’
Another carryover issue will be consideration of revisions for a document titled Building Community Among Strangers. The controversial study paper, which called for building community by denying the lordship of Jesus Christ, was derailed by the 1998 General Assembly by a vote of 418-86.
Drafted by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, Building Community was rejected because one of its central theses held that Christians can affirm Jesus Christ’s lordship for themselves while affirming the validity of other people’s gods. To illustrate its point, the paper included an image of a banquet in which the food is blessed not only in the name of Jesus, “but also in the name of Allah, the Lord Krishna, Siddhartha Buddha, and the Goddess Gaia.”
Text dramatically revised
The original text, which was strongly criticized by The Presbyterian Layman, has been dramatically revised to reflect a Biblical and Reformed motif for Presbyterians in their interaction with their communities and other religious groups. No longer is Christ depicted as one of many valid paths to God. “Disciples of Jesus, from the days of his earthly ministry until now, believe that he is that promised ‘light to the nations,” in whose grace all families of the earth are blessed and are to be blessed,’ the revision says.
Emphasis in the study document is placed on communities that that resolve issues of racism and sexism.
One overture that is expected to be hotly debated seeks a vote by presbyteries that would require that congregations use inclusive language in their worship services.
Candidates for moderator
In addition to considering overtures, task force recommendations and proposals that they introduce themselves, commissioners will elect a General Assembly moderator for the 1999-2000 term. The four candidates are Frank Diaz, Freda A. Gardner, Charles Kim and Walter J. Ungerer.
The Presbyterian Review and the Presbyterian Church (USA) web sites provide background material, including overtures, to the 1999 General Assembly. The Layman Online website includes a search engine for researching the status and background of many of the issues.