Analysis
General Assembly: Double-minded
Analysis by Carmen Fowler LaBerge, The Layman, July 24, 2012
Correction and clarification
posted 8/31/12
The confusion arose because Mr. Sayyid M. Syeed of the Islamic Society of North America was identified both by the moderator and on the screen at the assembly as an “Ecumencial Guest.”There are Ecumenical Advisory Delegates and there are Interfaith Representatives. The OGA has since clarified that Syeed was indeed an interfaith representative. As an invited Interfaith Representative to the assembly the following rules would apply to Syeed.
“f. Interfaith Represenatives — Three observers of other faiths or religious traditions, who shall be representatives chosen by recognized religious bodies of non-Christian religious traditions and/or faith communities shall be present at that assembly at the invitation of the General Assembly Committee on Ecumencial Relations. The interfaith representatives shall be present with the church in its deliberations, and to speak to the assembly for the purpose of conveying greetings or messages, or bringing information germane to the decision-making process. The assembly shall assume the expense of housing and on the same basisi as the expense of commissioners, but shall not reimburse any travel expense to the assembly site.” (Manual of General Assembly 2012, page 12).
The 2012 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met June 30-July 7 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
The assembly, speaking out of both sides of its mouth on several critical issues, was double-minded:
Christian marriage standards are questionedbut no sexual ethics for ordination
- The assembly declined to affirm Christian marriage and called for a two year study.
- However, on ordination, the assembly said “that faithful Presbyterians earnestly seeking to follow Jesus Christ hold different views about what the Scriptures teach concerning the morality of committed, same-gender relationships.”
The public affirmations of the pro-gay agenda were evident throughout the assembly. From opening worship where rainbow colored fabric was draped over the communion table and cross, to the ever-present hand-knit rainbow scarves draping the necks of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) advocates, to the choice of having a partnered gay man preach in assembly worship just prior to the vote on marriage, the stage was literally set. The assembly’s own act of electing to the office of vice moderator a pastor who, in April, admittedly signed a marriage license and performed the solemnization ceremony for two-women, contrary to the church’s constitution, revealed its real convictions. Declarations on the floor of the assembly by pastors who admitted to performing gay weddings went unchallenged.
The confessions matter but the Book of Order matters more
- In one act the assembly affirmed the importance of the confessions, adopting both a new translation of the historic Heidelberg Catechism and restarting the process of adding the Belhar Confession to the Book of Confessions.
- However, the assembly received without challenge the advice from the stated clerk and the Advisory Committee on the Constitution that the two parts of the constitution are rightly “bifurcated.” This ruling means that the Book of Order trumps the Book of Confessions. Polity is elevated above theology, allowing the church to “believe” one thing but freely do another.
Abortion affirmed but corporal punishment by parents disavowed
- Efforts to achieve a relief of conscience for those who do not want their charitable contributions used to pay for a medical plan that provides abortions were all disapproved.
- However, the assembly ruled that spanking in all cases is disallowed. One commissioner noted, “So, you can abort them before they are born but you cannot spank your own child as a form of parental discipline?” By its vote, the assembly said, “yes.”
Sacred music matters but secular music is good enough for the GA
- With great fanfare, the assembly approved a new hymnal.
- However, in a bizarre scene, the moderator lifted up a profane song, Red Solo Cup, as a toast. Throughout the assembly, each time there was a break in plenary, the loud speakers would fill the convention center with secular music including: Dancing Queen, Do you want a Revolution? and Born this Way. On July 6, the moderator stripped down to a T-shirt to the theme of 2001 Space Odyssey. Then he lifted a red solo cup, as did most of the others on the platform.
PCUSA General Assembly Moderator Neal Pressa (standing, right) raises a red Solo Cup
Swaying their cups they paid homage to the young adult advisory delegates, as the drinking song by Toby Keith played. (click here for video and advance to the 1:51 mark) Caution, the lyrics are offensive:
- Now a red solo cup is the best receptacle, For barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals
And you, sir, do not have a pair of testicles, If you prefer drinking from glass.
A red solo cup is cheap and disposable, And in 14 years they are decomposable
And unlike my home, they are not foreclosable, Freddie-Mac can kiss my ass. Woo!
Red solo cup, I fill you up; Let’s have a party, let’s have a party
I love you red solo cup, I lift you up; Proceed to party, proceed to party.
The song then refers to casual sexual encounters, getting lucky, underwear and the friendship enjoyed with the red solo cup. The lyrics conclude:
Red solo cup, I fill you up; Let’s have a party, let’s have a party. I love you red solo cup, I lift you up; Proceed to party, proceed to party.
How do these actions glorify God, edify the church, or dignify the moderator or stated clerk? Christ was not lifted up, even as the red solo cup was.
On some matters, the assembly’s actions were tragically consistent
Any exclusive claim to Jesus was regarded as passé. A Muslim interfaith representative spoke at the assembly. A Hindu prayed over the assembly with appeals to a variety of gods.
The assembly voted to advocate Presbyterian participation in the National Council of Churches Words Matter project. That project promotes feminist “expansive language” in reference to God and the elimination of language that promotes patriarchy or “kyriarchy,” including references to Jesus as Lord or King.
Efforts to create a relief of conscience for conservatives or evangelicals in the PCUSA were struck down.
No relief was granted from mandatory participation in the Board of Pensions which will begin covering the same-sex partners of plan members in Jan. 2013.
No relief was granted on the PCUSA’s assertion of trust over all local church property.
No relief was granted through non-geographic or flexible presbytery models and an effort toward a national dismissal policy was ruled out of order.
The assembly may have strained a gnat on marriage, but it swallowed a camel.