 Assembly votes to continue development funds for Messianic Jewish congregations By Paula R. Kincaid The Layman Online Thursday, July 1, 2004
By a close vote – 260 (52 percent) to 233 (47 percent) – commissioners voted not to approve a recommendation of the overture from the Presbytery of Hudson River that wanted the denomination to "suspend funding of any additional proposals for 'Messianic Judaism' new church developments until such time as the General Assembly may hear the results of this study and approve a policy governing and funding such requests." Commissioners easily approved the first recommendation of the overture which called for directing the Office of Theology and Worship, the Office of Interfaith Relations and the Office of Evangelism to re-examine and strengthen of the "relationship between Christians and Jews and the implications of this relationship for our evangelism and new church development." Youth Advisory Delegate Matthew LeVan of Scioto Valley Presbytery said the "denial of new church development to one particular group" was wrong. He said the denomination wouldn't consider denying new church development funds to other ethnic groups. Rev. John Ames of Long Island Presbytery spoke in support of suspending funds. He said "very scarce" new church development funds were used for a Messianic Jewish congregation, which he called "a poor use of money from our church," and an "insult to our Jewish brothers and sisters." Former moderator Susan Andrews also spoke in support of suspending funds. She said she was at a meeting of Presbyterian leaders and Jewish leaders, where the Jewish leaders raised concerned about Avodat Yisrael, the Messianic Jewish congregation in Philadelphia. "They expect us to do evangelism as Christians, but this particular form of evangelism was something that concerned them," she said. Their concerns included how sacred Jewish objects and symbols were being used in that congregation. She said she believed that the approved study would help the church, but that the denomination "should stop funding further efforts like in Philadelphia until the study is done." Another former moderator, Fahed Abu-Akel, who had met and prayed with the minister of Avodat Yisrael, disagreed with Andrews. He said there were Messianic Jewish congregations all over. "I would like the General Assembly to support it for the simple reason if we listen to the opposition then Brother Peter and Brother Paul would not have written the New Testament," he said. "For me the gospel is for everyone." Rev. Nancy DeVries of Utika Presbytery said she wanted to remind commissioners that "it was Christians who were drafted into the covenant." She named several branches of Judaism that were opposed to Messianic Judaism. "We need to be very careful in taking up this kind of ministry … This is not an overture against evangelism." |
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