Robert L. Howard, Chairman
Presbyterian Lay Committee
In rejecting this year’s perennial assault on biblical ordination standards, the 211th GA issued two significant directives. It instructed the stated clerk: (1) to make available throughout the PCUSA resources that would assist the denomination in developing conferences and discussions on “The nature of the unity we seek in our diversity;” and (2) to recommend to the 212th GA that any further attempts to revise G-6.0106(b) should be deferred to the 213th GA (2001) so that dialogue could be accomplished.
The open question is whether this two-year period will be rightly used to take seriously the command of the Christ of Scripture, to be reconciled and healed through his transforming power, or whether we will allow it to be misused by the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender alliance to pursue its strategy of subverting our biblical standards to the idol of cultural correctness.
Supporters of the pro-gay-ordination agenda increasingly advocate a strategy of active disobedience to our denomination’s constitution, while they parse its language in judicial cases and pile up redundant overtures to consume the time of our governing bodies. They are now predicting that two more years of dialogue, while they pursue that strategy, will assure removal of “fidelity and chastity” from our ordination standards.
Unity in diversity conferences will be productive and edifying for our denomination only if they truly honor Presbyterian polity and theology:
1.
Dialogue must be constrained by Reformed Theology. The only theological positions guaranteed full participation and access by G-4.0403 in the decision making of the church are those “consistent with the Reformed tradition.” Too often over the past 20 years, debate and dialogue have polarized us because they have been skewed by writings and presentations from theological positions clearly inconsistent with the Reformed tradition, while the majority, orthodox, reformed and evangelical position has been underrepresented, or ignored.
2.
Dialogue must include significant lay participation. The first national unity in diversity conference last spring was sparsely attended because, as originally announced, it did not adequately include majority theological viewpoints and it did not include even one plenary presentation from the loyal laity who faithfully fund the ministry and mission of the Church. Many lay men and women can passionately articulate the unity we seek in Christ while upholding diversity. Leadership of the Presbyterian Renewal Network and the Presbyterian Coalition and their supporting congregations should be consulted in planning the conferences.
3.
Reconciliation requires acceptance of objective truth. Even in the secular world, mediation and conciliation will not work unless parties and advocates give up their purely subjective viewpoints and accept an objective basis for evaluation of their competing claims. Insistence on subjective truth inevitably polarizes. Our Reformed faith provides the objective truth of God’s Word written and incarnate, which can transform our minds and hearts beyond culture’s relativistic and subjective views of truth. Conferences structured to appeal to the whole church can promote the unity we seek. We can sing with one voice – “Rise up, O people of God, Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength, to serve the King of Kings!”
Robert L. Howard of Wichita, Kan., is chairman of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.