Overture calls for evangelical advisers to theological task force By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, May 12, 2003 The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) says the denomination "will seek to initiate, maintain and strengthen its relations to, and engage in mission with, other Presbtyerian and Reformed bodies and with other Christian churches, alliances, councils, and consortia." That's the declaration of G-15.0102 in the Book of Order, a commitment that is applied selectively. The denomination generally steers clear of alliances with Presbyterian and Reformed bodies that maintain an evangelical perspective. An overture to the 215th General Assembly calls for an end to the bias against evangelical bodies, such as the Presbyterian Church in America and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, both of which broke away from the mainline denomination. The Presbytery of Mississippi has asked the commissioners to invite representatives of evangelical Reformed and Presbyterian denominations to send observers-advisers to the meetings of the PCUSA's Theological Task Force on Peace, Purity and Unity. During the 18 months the task force has been in business, the closest thing to having an adviser was when Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick addressed its members to promote his proposal for an abbreviated constitution that diminishes denominationwide standards. The overture specifically singles out five denominations: the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Christian Reformed Church, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in America, the Presbyterian Church in America and the Reformed Church in America. All are more theologically evangelical than the PCUSA, although the Reformed Church in America is considered to be in both the mainline and evangelical camps. It is the only evangelical Reformed denomination in the U.S. that applied for dual membership in the liberal National Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals. The task force was chartered by the 213th General Assembly (2001) and asked to conduct a multi-year assessment of some of the most divisive issues in the PCUSA, including whether Jesus is Lord of all, Biblical authority and interpretation, the constitutional "fidelity/chastity" ordination requirement and how power is divvied up in the denomination. Despite the fact that Presbyterians in the pews are overwhelmingly opposed to the ordination of practicing homosexuals and adulterers, the 20 members of the task force are about equally divided on the ordination issue, which many believe will be the thorniest issue. Based on their current position, all of the five denominations listed in the overture would oppose ordaining practicing homosexuals. By inviting observers-advisers from the evangelical denominations to the task force's meetings, the denomination would live up to its "obligation set forth in the Book of Order," the overture says. "This obligation is especially incumbent upon the task force in light of the public attention drawn to the work of the Presbyterian Church (USA) as the largest Presbyterian and Reformed body in the United States." The Mississippi overture is on the agenda of General Assembly Committee on Catholicity and Ecumenical Relations.

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