Redstone overture would not deal with defiance By John H. Adams The Layman Online Wednesday, April 30, 2003 In their arguments against the petition for a special meeting of the 214th General Assembly to deal with constitutional defiance, Moderator Fahed Abu-Akel and Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick both said the issue would be before the 215th General Assembly because of an overture from the Presbytery of Redstone in Pennsylvania. But the responses to that overture by the Advisory Committee on the Constitution and the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly – two groups that advised Abu-Akel and Kirkpatrick and also opposed the special meeting – essentially say that nothing needs to change. When he announced his decision not to call the special meeting – despite the fact that the petition bore the required number of signatures – Abu-Akel said the Redstone overture "assures that the matters in the petition will be before the commissioners to that [the 215th] assembly." Unlike the petition for the special meeting of the 214th General Assembly, the Redstone overture does not ask the commissioners to become involved in the ongoing disciplinary cases. It makes some suggestions, notably to "remind all synods of their responsibility for oversight of their presbyteries," but does not propose that the General Assembly intervene in the process of defending and preserving the denomination's constitution. The strongest language in the overture is reserved for the messenger, the Presbyterian media that have reported the acts of constitutional defiance and the failure of presbytery courts to exercise discipline. "The press continues to fan the flames of discontent with inaccurate and inflammatory reporting," the overture says in its rationale. It does not disclose what it considers "inaccurate and inflammatory reporting." In their responses, the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC) and the Committee of the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) both treat Redstone as an overture that will maintain the status quo. "The overture proposes no constitutional change and asks [for] no interpretation of existing constitutional text," says the ACC response. That response notes that Redstone's proposal calls on the General Assembly to "issue [unspecified] guidance and support to synods." But that's already being done, the ACC says: "We note that the Office of the General Assembly continues to produce such resources. A set of recommended forms and processes may standardize the ways in which governing bodies respond to alleged irregularities. However, no process within community will guarantee a result satisfactory to all." COGA's reponse applauds the Redstone overture because it affirms "the administrative review process outined in our Constitution." COGA proposes that the 215th General Assembly adopt an alternative resolution that would further distance the General Assembly from the business of enforcing the constitution. Here's a comparison of the two proposals: Redstone overture, 03-08 COGA's proposed resolution 1. Remind all synods of their responsibility for oversight of their presbyteries (including thepresbytery's oversight of its sessions) G-12.0102m, n. 2. Issue guidance and support to synods as they deal with a. the frustration of presbyteries who find themselves unwilling/unable to comply with the terms of G-6.0106b, b. the frustration of presbyteries dealing with sessions within their bounds who are unwilling/unable to comply with the terms of G-6.0106b, c. the frustration of those angered by the perceived failure of presbyteries and synods to adequately address such defiance within their bounds. 3. Urge synods to adopt guidelines or amend their standing rules to provide for appointment ofcommittees to address such issues. "The 215th General Assembly (2003) does the following: "1. Directs the Office of the General Assembly to develop procedural models and offer training for administrative review by middle governing bodies. "2. Encourages each synod, pursuant to its G-12.0102r1 authority, to adopt bylaws or standing rules that explicitly authorize some entity of the synod to undertake special administrative review (G-9.04082), or to give authority to the council or officers of the synod to appoint a committee or task force, between meetings of the synod. "3. Encourages each synod to undertake such review with the goal of working pastorally with thepresbyteries to assist them in fulfilling their obligations to comply with the Constitution." 4. Encourages synods to work in partnership with presbyteries, pursuant to their G-11.0103v3 authority, to adopt bylaws or standing rules that explicitly authorize some entity of the Presbytery to undertake special administrative review (G-9.0408), or give authority to the council or officers of the presbytery to appoint a committee or task force, between meetings of the presbytery." 5. Encourages synods to work in partnership with each presbytery to undertake such review with the goal of working pastorally with sessions to assist them in fulfilling its obligation to comply with the Constitution. The 215th General Assembly's Committee on Church Polity will consider the Redstone overture, the responses of the ACC and COGA and other testimony before making a report to the full General Assembly.

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