Marilyn Gamm and Tony de la Rosa at press conference following the announcement.
Tony De La Rosa, a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), has been named the interim executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA). He will begin work on Dec. 1.
In announcing De La Rosa as the interim, Marilyn Gamm, chair of the Presbyterian Mission Agency said that he “understands our corporate complexity while able to speak pastorally and theologically.”
“The PMA needs a huge injection of hope,” she said. “We are hoping this is the person to at least inject the agency and the wider church with hope. We love this person’s energy and passion for both the PMA and the PCUSA.”
De La Rosa spoke of how “grateful I am to Marilyn and executive committee for entrusting me with the monumental task of seeing the PMA through this crucial time in its history.”
Gamm introduces De La Rosa to the PMAB.
During a press conference, De La Rosa said he was “particularly excited to be working with people who I have grown up in this church knowing and working with that includes both staff and members of the board. … What I fear most is not being able to address some of the anxiety … in the church as a whole.”
Gamm said that De La Rosa could serve in the position anywhere from one to three years. De La Rosa and his husband, Michael P. Bendgen will relocate to Louisville later this year. They have been a couple for more than eight years and were married in June 2015 at Immanuel Presbyterian Church.
A life-long Presbyterian, he most recently served as a commissioned ruling elder and interim lay pastor of the 350-member Newport Presbyterian Church in Bellevue, Wash. He has also served as the interim executive presbyter of the Presbytery of New York City for three years.
De La Rosa has been a long-time leader of the movement to ordain practicing homosexuals in the PCUSA. He was also a member of the Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage in 2009-2010, which issue a report which stated in part, “We recognize that our interpretations of Scripture lead us to different conclusions regarding homosexual behavior and same-gender partnerships. We hold that the Christian life is one of sanctification, and we confess that Scripture holds out a transforming hope to radical change in Jesus Christ that requires us to be dead to sin and alive to all that is good. For some of us, that means same-gender couples should be encouraged to abstain from sexual relations; for others of us that means that same-gender couples should be encouraged to enter into faithful, covenanted, lifelong partnerships.”
Tony De La Rosa leads protest at 1996 General Assembly in Albequrque
He led a demonstration against the denomination’s prohibition against ordaining homosexuals at the 1996 General Assembly in Albuquerque, after commissioners voted to ask presbyteries to make the prohibition constitutional.
De la Rosa later served as chairman of the litigation committee that advised then Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick. He was the attorney for the administrative commission that deposed the pastors of First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, further exacerbating a congregational split.
De La Rosa received Bachelor of Arts, Master of Divinity and Juris Doctor degrees from Yale University.
Presbyterian Mission Agency Executive Director Search Committee minus Kears Pollock, who was not able to attend the meeting because of health issues.
Following the announcement, the PMAB approved the nominating committee’s recommendation of members for the Presbyterian Mission Agency Executive Director Search Committee. They include:
- Marsha Zell Anson, ruling elder
- Joseph Morrow, teaching elder
- Jeffrey Joe, , ruling elder
- Kears Pollock, ruling elder
- Wendy Tajima, teaching elder
- Landon Whitsitt, teaching elder, (Chair)
- Patsy Smith, ruling elder
Ex-Officio members of the search committee include Gamm, General Assembly Moderator Heath Rada and a representative to be named by the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly.
The former executive director — Linda Valentine — resigned the job effective July 10. She was first confirmed by the General Assembly in 2006, 2012 and in 2014.
The Presbyterian News Service conducted an email interview with De La Rosa prior to the announcement of his appointment. The questions and his unedited responses can be found here.
23 Comments. Leave new
The readers of this website may wish to jump on board the matter of his orientation, which would be very easy, but that would lead to the wrong conclusions. He could have been married with kids to the same women for 40 years, and a paragon of sexual biblical virtue. That is not the point.
The point is by his training, background, and past experience in the denomination, he is a creature and creation of the system. A system which is corrupt, inept, and arrogant. For the PCUSA, the message is business as usual, same methodologies apply, a double down on the failed corporate practices that got PMA into trouble in the first place.
This is the PCUSA, do you think they would choose anybody else who would rock the boat or tell them anything else but what they want to hear? The ship sinks and he is having coffee in his cabin.
Peter, on a different note, the practical problem many of our Churches face is the departures of members because of what is seen as a departure from the Bible. When you couple this action and others like it within PCUSA with the decline in traditional Protestantism; you have Churches hanging on by their fingernail trying to survive. It is very hard to move out of PCUSA because of a Gracious Dismissal policy which is anything but Gracious. So what is left, to dwindle and die in place. Many of our members feel as if PCUSA continues to kick them while they are down.
Don:
I do not think God wishes any of us to dwindle and die in place. God calls us thrive and never give up on hope. Many traditional-conservatives have and will continue to leave flee the entity, and will continue to do so, others still will remain for a variety of reasons. No matter how or where we find ourselves, I think God still calls us to be faithful and be of good witness, in or out of the apostate, political entity.
I happen to find myself in a uber-liberal presbytery, cold, hostile, dry bones, and dying by the day. Champion of Palestinian terrorists. Has not changed my witness or that of the church. Bloom where you happen to be planted, no matter where God chooses to plant. God and Christ is far greater than the little, dysfunctional and inept bunch that is the PCUSA. He has the final word, not the Stated Clerk out of Louisville. Praise God.
How do you weigh this decision in light of the firing of four conservatives: Roger Dermody, Eric Hoey, Philip Lotspeich, Craig Williams ?
Then there is the resignation of Ms. Valentine . Is this evidence of the division at the top levels that brought about the lack of grace and the letting go of these leaders. Is this a power push born out of the win at the last GA and the Presbyteries vote to change marriage definitions? Is this a picture of what we can expect going forward and at the next GA?
Nothing subtle here…..no effort to heal the wounds of the denomination. Their agenda / mission is clear and bold in the face of a divided church.
There is a weariness that is too deep …..seeing this decision and facing the sadness of my church going through discernment at the local level and the cost these leaders have put on the churches.
Peter Gregory, the only ray of sunshine in the vast “apostate, political entity” that is the whole of every person in every PCUSA congregation – oh what it must be to be you, Peter…
@peter
Okay we understand you have no respect for anyone who works for the church at the national level. The adjectives “inept, corrupt, vain, arrogant…” appear in most of your posts. There is little grace in your attitude. it is getting tiresome and also disrespectful.
So what is your final point and remedy? Of course you could run for Moderator, or put one of your ilk up for office. Or will you just sit and b…?
Except for the fact that his main mission over the years has been to change the PCUSA into a Gay church. This will be his crowning achievement. But the denomination is now officially DEAD!!!!!!
***change the PCUSA into a Gay church.**
That is the only way the gays can build a church or denomination. They do so by infiltrating and driving out the Elect in Christ since they have no message but political, mans way of working without the Gospel of Christ.
So proud of my friend, and mentor Tony De La Rosa. He will serve the church well as he has done so for many years.
God bless you, Peter Gregory. It has been said that the best way to judge a person is not by the friends who praise him but by the enemies who rail against him. On this site “Pres-Child,” “the_Person,” “James” and others just can’t seem to stop foaming at the mouth whenever you share your thoughts. It says a lot about them that the best they can do to counter what you say are silly ad hominem attacks on you. Game, set and match to you, Peter. Keep up the good work.
There is one troubling thing I see about Tony De LaRosa.
He was the attorney for the Administrative Committee that worked to depose the pastors of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. At a time of such contention in the churches and with “gracious separation” being thwarted, this is very much a problem.
Presumptuous to characterize the 4 former PMA employees as “conservative”. I highly doubt they (at least 2 of them anyway) would buck at the label.
Correction: highly doubt they would welcome such a label.
My post was addressed to Peter Gregory directly. Comments by others regarding the post, as Perry Mason used to say, are incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.
…from someone who fails to recognize that discretion is the better part of valor.
So sad. My family and those before have been Presbyterian since the Reformation. I was the last one and now I have left. This entire situation reminds me of someone giving a drowning man a drink of water.
Pres-Child, you often comment on posts and almost always with snarky insults directed toward those with whom you disagree. I am quite sure that you will continue to do this. It is a reflection of the kind of person you are. Hear me clearly, I did not say that you could not comment on my post, I said that your comments on my post are incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial. And so they are. If you need to continue to spew out more venom, however, then by all means be my guest.
Thanks….I welcome that correction and will monitor my posts accordingly!
“Pres”,
You did not disappoint me. Thank-you for proving my point.
I suspect that my path was similar to what you experienced. I was a part of the PCUS/PC(USA) all of my life, until the time came after last year’s General Assembly when I simply could in good conscience no longer remain. It was a very sad business, to be sure. I am convinced, however, that being faithful to God will always be rewarded. I pray that the road ahead for you will bring you blessings and peace.
Same here. We were Presbyterians from way back (at least 1600’s). One branch helped start the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. My grandmother was a missionary. Since we’re moving to ECO I guess I can still claim to be a Presbyterian, with the clarification that I am not one of THOSE Presbyterians.
I’m with you. Our church is also our family and we will remain loyal as long as we are left alone. My wife and I were born in the Presbyterian church. It is doubtful our kids(grown now) will remain Presbyterians with their families and I know that should I ever move and need to find another church, it will not be this denomination. Acceptance is one thing, what is happening now is quite another. If this is the right thing for the church, then where is the money and where are the members? Both should be exploding but I dont see that happening nor do I see it ever happening. What do you tell the missions that depended on your dollars? That political agendas trump the needs of those helping the less fortunate. That is the only message I see right now
Yes, it is troubling. However, it is consistent with previous statements and actions of the PCUSA. It is strictly THEIR way or the highway, and by the way you can leave your property behind when you leave. My guess is that this is the last year for congregations to experience anything resembling ‘gracious departure’. Anyone remaining after 2015 will experience the left boot of ‘friendship’ from the justice/love wing of the denomination.