Committee won't endorse Declaration on Marriage, doesn't want to affiliate with Catholics, Baptists By Paula R. Kincaid The Layman Online Tuesday, June 29, 2004 2004 General Assembly Richmond, Virginia June 26-July 3, 2004 General Assembly news index RICHMOND, Va. – The National Issues Committee of the General Assembly will recommend that the General Assembly not endorse "'A Christian Declaration on Marriage' as an apt expression of the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s commitment to work ecumenically and practically to strengthen marriage." But committee members did vote to "ask all church members to join in a year of prayer for marriage renewal and reconciliation, and to urge synods, presbyteries and local congregations to seek ways of working with other Christian bodies in their areas toward these same purposes." After the original motion for the committee to answer the overture by the action it took in approving the Transforming Families paper, was voted down, the Rev. Donald Wade of the Greater Atlanta Presbytery made the motion to approve the Christian declaration overture. Moderator James H.Y. Kim then made the decision to vote on each recommendation of the overture separately. The committee's vote on the first item of the overture, which was endorsing the Declaration was 29 for, 32 against, and one abstaining. Commissioners then questioned what that vote did to the remaining items of the overture which included: Direct the stated clerk to communicate the endorsement to U.S. Christian communions that have endorsed the declaration Instruct GA entities to seek ways of working with other Christian communions in prayer and spiritual support for stronger marriages; encouragement for people to marry; education for young people about the meaning and responsibility of marriage; preparation for those engaged to be married; pastoral care, including qualified mentor couples, for couples at all stages of their relationship; help for couples experiencing marital difficulty and disruption; influence within society and the culture to uphold the institution of marriage Urge synods, presbyteries and local congregations to seek ways of working with other Christian bodies in their areas toward these same purposes Ask all church members to join in a year of prayer for marriage renewal and reconciliation A motion was made to combine the last two bullet points, and use them to answer the overture. That was the motion approved by the committee. Wade informed the moderator and committee members when the final vote was taken that he was considering filing a minority report in favor of the overture to present to the full assembly later in the week. Committee debate During the committee's debate on the overture, the main objections to the Declaration of Marriage seemed to be who else had endorsed it – namely Southern Baptists and Roman Catholics, and that the document was not Reformed. Speaking for the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy was the vice moderator of the committee. "This document refers to marriage as a holy union," she said, "but it was signed by the Roman Catholics and they believe marriage is a sacrament." She added that the Southern Baptists had also signed the document, and they have said that the wife should be submissive to the husband. Committee member Deborah DeBoer of Northern New York Presbytery admitted having difficulty with the ecumenicism. "They are not the usual suspects with whom we often relate and with whom we share Reformed faith. This does not uphold our Reformed theology and it does not have inclusive God language." Wade said he saw no conflicts of theology. "What the overture is asking us to do is lift up some things we said in the Transforming Families paper. … When we talk about sisterhood and brotherhood with Catholics and Baptists, we back off that. This overture asks us to link arms with brothers and sisters in Christ." Committee member James Tennyson of San Jose Presbytery said he had been married 63 years and "I feel strongly about the importance of marriage and sad about the status of marriage. … The role of the church is to minister to the world. We need to make people think. I don't see anything in here to make people think. … We owe it to ourselves to stand apart on this." Committee member Gene Rollins of Providence Presbytery praised the Transforming Families paper the committee approved earlier in the day. "The Transforming Families paper was very welcoming, inviting, asking for dialogue – we don't need to hook our wagon to this. I don't care if it is one million other Christians – and polarize" some in the church.

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