 Fahed Abu-Akel elected moderator of 214th General Assembly By Paula R. Kincaid The Layman Online Sunday, May 16, 2002
Totals in the first ballot were 219 votes for Abu-Akel, 166 for Stuart and 136 for Tankersley. In his five-minute speech to commissioners before the vote, Abu-Akel said he wanted to focus on three things if elected -- spiritual renewal, a renewed commitment for mission and a focus on unity in the midst of our diversity. "God is calling us to be a united church," he said, "Jesus Christ is the only hope for a broken world." Abu-Akel was nominated by commissioner Ann Beran Jones of the Presbytery of Chicago. Describing him as "a Palestinian Arab Christian from Israel," Jones said Abu-Akel came to the United States in 1966 and became an American citizen in 1981 He is the founder and executive director of the Atlanta Ministry with International Students and teaches world religion at Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. Abu-Akel said he was born in a small Palestinian Arab village and, as a child, was influenced by his parents who, on a regular basis, would recite the Psalms and the gospels. Following five-minute nominating speeches and five-minute speeches from the candidates, a 45-minute question-answer session was held. Elder Terry Diggory of Albany Presbytery spoke of the defeat of Amendment 01-A and the wounds that remain. "What words have you to say to help in the healing process?" he asked the candidates. "I am discovering … the people who are pro-Amendment A love Jesus Christ 100 percent -- and I am discovering the people who voted against Amendment A love Jesus Christ 100 percent. As moderator of the whole church, that is very important for us as we move forward. The problem is not our love for Jesus Christ," Abu-Akel said, but "Do we love one another and respect one another?" Stuart said that, with the defeat of Amendment A, the church has spoken three times on the issue -- and the last time spoke strongly. "I hope now we can stand down from those battles, but step up out of the camps that have been formed. … I hope that sometime, by God's grace, we might be led to a new resolution on this matter." "Feelings are wounded and hurt on almost every side," Tankersley said. "Almost every group feels alienated and angry. We must reach out and listen to one another." He said the denomination has gone through a constitutional process defined in the Book or Order and the church must respect the results and respect the constitution. "I will listen and learn, but I also want to stay close to the Scriptures and our Book of Confessions." Commissioner Randall Bush of Milwaukee Presbytery asked the candidates for "words to and about the activities of the Confessing Church Movement." Stuart said the "Confessing Church Movement is part of us. They have led us to a more active investigation about the Book of Confessions." He said he would like to broaden he conversation so that "we can get back into the whole Book of Confessions. … We could extend the process they have begun. They have led us in a way that might not be as destructive." Tankersley said that while his congregation at Laguna Beach Presbyterian Church has not joined the movement, it believes very much in the three confessions it is lifting up. "The Confessing Church Movement represents a deep cry in the church that our denomination is in a theological drift. … We need to be brought back to the centrality of Jesus Christ, and in that I believe the Confessing Church Movement has done our church a great favor." Abu-Akel spoke of the time he spent at the Confessing Church Celebration held earlier this year in Atlanta. The three confessions those Confessing Churches bring forward, he said, "I find them in the Book of Confessions and the Book or Order. There is nothing they are bringing that is new. I salute them. I look at them as a sign of the spirit moving." Nancy Lindell Sautter of the Philadelphia Presbytery asked the candidates what they thought of using the judicial process with gay and lesbian officers of the church. Tankersley drew his answer from Matthew 18 -- if you have a complaint, go and talk with the person, and then go again with an elder, then bring it before the church. "I think it is a big mistake to file charges. All people are created in the image of God and we are called to care for, nourish and affirm and stand alongside of all. … Ultimately, we do have to accept the results of the votes and we must respect the constitution, but in the spirit of Christ's love." "We do have a constitution and we need to abide by the constitution," said Abu-Akel, adding that he thought the denomination needed to depend on pastoral care. "Moving in that direction without a lot of pastoral care is not healthy for us." Stuart called using the judicial process a mistake. "It's one thing to have standards, but another thing to go after each other." |
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