 News Analysis Kirkpatrick announces retirement, won't seek fourth term as stated clerk By Craig M. Kibler Staff Writer The Layman Online Tuesday, September 11, 2007 The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick – who has been at the center of controversy as stated clerk over such issues as the denomination's ongoing decline in membership; ordination standards; the report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity; the preparation of "The Louisville Papers;" and others – has announced that he will not seek a fourth term in office and will retire when his current term expires at the 2008 General Assembly. Kirkpatrick, the top elected official in the Presbyterian Church (USA), first was elected as stated clerk in 1996. His tenure has been marked by controversy, leading in 2002 to what hundreds of evangelicals and more than 80 congregations in 28 states described as a "constitutional crisis" in the PCUSA because local church sessions and presbyteries – the denomination's ordaining bodies – either ignored the constitution or flagrantly violated its ordination requirements. They cited the growing number of individuals, churches and some presbyteries that publicly defied the constitutional standards regarding ordination standards, same-sex marriages, open communion – including prayers and teachings from other religions in worship services – and other issues. Despite all the reports to the contrary, Kirkpatrick claimed there was no constitutional crisis. Kirkpatrick, whose job is "to preserve and defend the Constitution" (G-11.0112e), repeatedly said it was not his job to enforce the constitution, but he also said ministers and elders have no right to defy the requirements of G-6.0106b. He also came under fire from a lawyer who accused 19 ministers and one elder of violating the constitution's ordination standards. That constitutional crisis spurred a petition drive that cited the "failed leadership" of Kirkpatrick and sought his resignation. Other issues for which Kirkpatrick has been criticized include:
The complete text of Kirkpatrick's letter announcing his retirement is as follows: "Dear Friends and Colleagues, "It has been an incredible blessing to be able to serve as stated clerk of the General Assembly for now going on twelve years, and to serve in leadership in the General Assembly and its mission for over twenty-six years. I give thanks to God for you who have been my partners in this journey, for the Presbyterian Church (USA), and for this unique opportunity to share in the service of Christ through this great church. This has been the best job I have ever had and a wonderful way to live out my call to ministry. "However, as the writer of Ecclesiastes says, "for everything there is a time." I believe the time has now come for me to conclude my service as stated clerk at the end of my third term, which runs through the 218th General Assembly next summer in San Jose. This has not been an easy decision to reach, but I have done so through soul searching and prayer, through helpful sharing with many friends and colleagues, and through seeking to discern the mind of Christ for me and for the church. "Serving as stated clerk has offered me a platform I would never have dreamed possible – a to serve the church I love and to give expression to my passions, my sense of call, and my gifts for the things that really matter. It has been a tremendous privilege to give voice to the witness of our church to the Gospel and to justice and peace in the world, to be a leader in the ecumenical movement, to guide the church (even in our contentions) toward unity in diversity, to uphold our Constitution, and to pioneer in new ways to express old truth as we seek to discern the mind of Christ and develop a polity and a church for the 21st century. "While this work has been a great blessing, it has also taken a significant amount of time and energy and has been accompanied with more than a fair share of stresses and strains. A change in my life patterns is probably in order. At the same time, I am also eager to have more quality time with my family, to be able to devote myself more fully to the responsibility I have undertaken since 2004 to serve as president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and to share in the life of the church, both locally and globally, in new and creative ways. "I am making this announcement now so that the Stated Clerk Nominating Committee, which was elected at the General Assembly last summer, will have ample time to search diligently and discern whom to propose to the 218th General Assembly (2008) for election as the next stated clerk. Know that I will continue my service as stated clerk for the next year with every ounce of 'energy, intelligence, imagination, and love' that I can muster. I also look forward to welcoming my successor in San Jose, and I trust that she or he will also find this service to be a blessing and a solemn opportunity to serve this church for the glory of God." Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications/Executive Editor of The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org. |
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