Monday, June 15

 Bohl calls for civility;
Stotts for balance

Robert Bohl
Covenant Network Co-Moderator

Jack Stotts
Former president of
Austin Theological Seminary

CHARLOTTE, NC - Rev. Robert Bohl, whose Covenant Network of Presbyterians suffered landslide losses in its Amendment A campaign, bemoaned the loss of civility among Presbyterians. At a General Assembly luncheon sponsored by the organization Bohl lashed out at his opponents: "They couldn't accept the word 'integrity,'" he said, referring to one of the words in the defeated amendment. "Now we know why. You can't accept what you can't demonstrate."

Bohl complained bitterly over mistreatment that he said he experienced at the hands of conservative Christians. "We have been villainized and victimized," he said. "I've never been the brunt of so much hate mail." Bohl complained that unnamed persons called him a "bureaucratic bastard and an ecclesiastical eunuch." He reported that the author of an unsigned letter told him, "I pray to God every day that you will die before you kill the church." Bohl said that although he did not know who sent it, he was sure it "represents one of the renewal groups."

"The issue is power and control," said Bohl. "If we do not do this, we will not be a church of love but a church of law." He referred to the Presbyterian Coalition's call for denominational reform as "a call for the destruction of the church as we know it."

Bohl's civility speech was intended to be an introduction to the Covenant Network's featured speaker, Jack Stotts, former president of Austin Theological Seminary. Speaking on the values of unity and diversity, Stotts pointed to the inherent tension between them and the necessity to maintain a dynamic balance. Excessive emphasis on diversity results in chaos, he said, and tilting toward unity leads to imperialism. Stotts lamented the war that has erupted between these forces in the Presbyterian Church. "The first victim in any war is truth," he said. Stotts suggested that "unity in Christ precedes diversity, presumes diversity, and is positioned to accept more equally just illustrations of unity in diversity."

As the meeting drew to a close, Pamela Byers reported plans for a Covenant Network conference in November at which Union Theological Seminary (VA) professor Douglas Ottatti will speak on Christology (the person and work of Jesus Christ). Ottatti has been a focus of controversy in the seminary community since it became apparent that he does not affirm the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

CHARLOTTE, NC - An overture to include abstinence teaching in youth educational material won a narrow victory, 26-24, Monday in the General Assembly's Committee on Health and Education.

As approved by the committee, the overture would essentially incorporate the constitution's "chastity in singleness" and "fidelity within the covenant of marriage" standards in educational material for young people.

During a hearing, young people offered strong support for the proposal. Jonathon Tony, a college student who described himself as representing the "Presbytery of the Chicago Bulls," said students need the support and encouragement of the church. Students who are not sexually active "are regarded as abnormal because we refrain from sex, as our Lord Jesus Christ commands." Another youth speaker, Betty Banaszak, said chastity was important because "it is about my relationship with Christ."

Opponents of the overture took other tacks. Kathleen Buckley, a former college chaplain, questioned the meaning of words in the overture: "I am concerned by phrases, 'sexual purity and chastity.' What do they mean? Who defines them? Our young people need relationships, not decrees."

Cleveland Evans, an elder in Omaha, Neb., and a psychology professor, opposed the overture by citing studies which, he said, demonstrated that purely abstinence based instruction has no effect on reducing sexual activity but does result in students "being less likely to use condoms."

Donna Riley of Pittsburgh Presbytery and a leader in Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns opposed revising youth material because "the denomination already has excellent curriculum, 'God's Gift of Sexuality,' which is "recognized by the experts as excellent." She said abstinence teaching does not work and that the most important factor in preventing young people from becoming sexually active is communication with parents.

"Just say no doesn't work anymore," said Glendon Morris, who described herself as a counselor.

Lois Green, an elder from San Francisco, said she feared that the emphasis on chastity and fidelity would say "if you're gay, tell them [young people] that their sexuality is wrong."

But Theresa Latini, executive director of One-by-One, a ministry to persons in sexual confusion, urged the committee to "encourage our youth to abide by our Constitution."

CHARLOTTE, NC - Young couples who do not have children, whether by choice or not, won a vote of support Monday from members of the General Assembly's Health and Education Committee.

The committee voted 44-2 to approve an overture that asks the General Assembly to adopt policy that would support childless couples. The vote came after one member of the committee described childlessness as a "pro-choice" option.

 CHARLOTTE, NC - After extensive debate about word meanings - especially the phrase "self-determination" in death - the General Assembly's Committee on Health and Education voted Monday to approve an overture on dying.

Advocates of the overture insisted that "self-determination" in death did not mean euthanasia or suicide - or assisted suicide. Nonetheless, the overture calls for a study by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy and the Office of Theology and Worship of the Congregational Ministries Division to prepare public policy recommendations.

Otherwise, the overture is limited to affirming "the right of self-determination for the terminally ill" and distributing an existing report titled "Euthanasia Study Materials."

"Euthanasia Study Materials" contains no recommendation on euthanasia or assisted suicide. Dr. Charles Wiley of the Office of Theology and Worship said the authors of the study materials were explicitly instructed not to come to a conclusion.

The committee voted 30-9, with seven abstentions, to approve the overture.

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