 Overture seeks constitutional revision with 'essential tenets' By John H. Adams The Layman Online Tuesday, October 7, 2003 The Presbytery of John Calvin in Missouri has approved an overture calling on the 216th General Assembly "to reorganize and improve" three sections of the Book of Order and label them "essential tenets" to which Presbyterian officers must subscribe. Those sections come from Chapter 2 of the Book of Order and deal with theological principles that the Presbyterian Church (USA) has in common with all other Christians, principles that were distinctive to the Protestant Reformation and those that are classically Reformed. Currently, although many Presbyterians consider Chapter 2 a listing of the essentials, the denomination has said that there are none that candidates for deacon, elder and minister must subscribe to. However, as the Presbytery of John Calvin points out, the language of "essential tenets" remains in the constitution. "The constitutional questions require all candidates for ordination to affirm that they 'sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith' (G-14.0207c), and the Book of Order does not explicitly identify or describe these 'essential tenets,'" the overture says. As the matter now stands, the overture says, the denomination's "failure to respond adequately to repeated requests for guidance" on the essential tenets "leaves the impression that we are unwilling or unable to express our faith when asked to do so, contrary to the great tradition of our confessional church, which has always sought to hold forth to the world a clear statement of faith." To transform Chapter 2 into a listing of essential tenets, the overture would make some reorganizational changes and add a subhead and texts referring to "essential tenets." Currently, there is no list of "essential tenets" in the denomination and Chapter 2 does not use that phrase. The proposed changes would have to be approved by the presbyteries as an amendment to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The following is the text of the overture: Overture 04-3. On Reorganizing and Improving the Presentation of G-2.0300, G-2.0400, and G-2.0500 Without Material Alteration to its Actual Content – From the Presbytery of John Calvin. The Presbytery of John Calvin overtures the 216th General Assembly of the PC (USA) to "reorganize and improve the presentation of G-2.0300, G-2.0400, and G-2.0500 without material alteration to its actual content. Whereas the constitutional questions require all candidates for ordination to affirm that they "sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith" (G-14.0207c), and the Book of Order does not explicitly identify or describe these "essential tenets", as such, and the failure to respond adequately to repeated requests for guidance in this regard leaves the impression that we are unwilling or unable to express our faith when asked to do so, contrary to the great tradition of our confessional church, which has always sought to hold forth to the world a clear statement of faith, and the Book of Order (G-2.0300 and G-2.0400) contains an eloquent summarization of the "essence" (or core substance) of our Reformed faith, but it has existed in a presentation which is not easily recognizable for what it is, nor has it been arranged in such a way to draw sufficient and helpful attention to itself, and current tensions in the church may cause some to suggest that "important" matters of the faith are "essential" (i.e., belonging to its core substance) when, in fact, they are "important" matters which, although susceptible to error in an imperfect church, are unworthy of schism in the Body of Christ. The Presbytery of John Calvin seeking to "further the peace, unity, and purity of the church" (G-14.0207g), recommends that 216th General Assembly to: Reorganize and improve the presentation of G-2.0300, G-2.0400, and G-2.0500 (a copy of this section of the current Book of Order is attached for comparison on the page following this report), without material alteration to its actual content, by replacing this section of the Book of Order with the following: G-2.0300 The Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith Among the tenets deemed essential to an understanding of the Reformed Faith, as expressed in the confessions of the Presbyterian Church (USA), are: a. The faith of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church in the recognition of canonical Scriptures and the formulation and adoption of the ecumenical creeds, notably the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds with their definitions of the mystery of the triune God and of the incarnation of the eternal Word of God in Jesus Christ. b. The affirmations of the Protestant Reformation in the rediscovery of God's grace in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. The Protestant watchwords – grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone – embody principles of understanding which continue to guide and motivate the people of God in the life of faith. c. The central affirmation of the Reformed Tradition expressing faith in the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. d. The great themes of the Reformed Tradition which are related to its central affirmation:
Reflect a Particular Stance Thus, the creeds and confessions of this church reflect a particular stance within the history of God's people. They are the result of prayer, thought, and experience within a living tradition. They serve to strengthen personal commitment and the life and witness of the community of believers. Sent to the Office of the General Assembly by Email on 17 February 2003, by the Stated Clerk: William K. Knudsen |
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