‘Panel asks permanent committee to investigate charges against EPC
Charles F. Burge, The Layman, June 25, 2008
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A General Assembly committee has asked the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s national governing body to refer an investigation of charges against the Evangelical Presbyterian Church to a permanent committee.
Overture 07-03 from Florida’s Peace River Presbytery charges the EPC with “actively pursuing a strategy to persuade Presbyterian Church (USA) churches to disaffiliate with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and be dismissed to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.” The recommendation by the Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations was a response to the request that the investigation be conducted by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), to which both the PCUSA and the EPC belong.
Overture advocate the Rev. Clinton Cortnell referred to a link on the EPC Web site, which, he said, “provides directions on how to leave the denomination you’re in to join the EPC. This is only a request for the executive office of WARC; if the EPC is found guilty, action will then be taken.”
The EPC established a transitional presbytery in 2007 for congregations in the New Wineskins Association of Churches. The overture advocates referred to the New Wineskins as a reason for the action.
Peggy Hedden, New Wineskins board member, spoke against the overture during Monday’s open hearing, saying it was “like using a tank to attack a gnat.” She called the overture “overkill … for two alleged attempts of orchestration. This hardly warrants the time and energy that is on display here.”
The vote on motion to refer was 53-1-1. If approved by plenary, the action would go to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations, which is scheduled to meet next in the fall, before being referred to WARC.
Dismissal to transitional presbyteries
In related business, an overture from the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC), addressing the transfer of ministers and congregations to transitional presbyteries, was approved unanimously. This would affect the New Wineskins Association of Churches (NWAC).
The proposed authoritative interpretation says that, “Presbyteries may dismiss congregations … to denominations whose organization is conformed to the doctrines and order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).” It also advises that presbyteries “satisfy themselves … in matters of doctrine and order” and be “doctrinally consistent with the essentials of Reformed theology as understood by the presbytery.”
New Wineskins Executive Director Renee Guth welcomes the overture. In a letter to GA commissioners, Guth said, “We will regard this as an invitation, even a mandate, to every presbytery, to establish what that presbytery understands to be the ‘essentials of Reformed theology.’ “
“In order to examine the EPC and NWAC essential tenets in light of the essentials of Reformed theology, the dismissing presbytery must identify their own essentials. … That comparison makes for a clarifying, revealing interaction. Such questions must be raised about both sets of essentials,” Guth said.
The overture (07-13) passed through committee on a vote of 57-0-1 and now goes to GA plenary.