Commissioners respond to NNPCW statement By Robert P. Mills The Presbyterian Layman Wednesday, October 21, 1998 Leslie Day Ebert and Katie Moffett raised concerns about the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW). Now, in response to a statement from the NNPCW, Ebert and Moffett have issued their own press release. The NNPCW's statement followed the appointment of General Assembly-mandated work group to review the NNPCW's activities. Work group members, appointed by General Assembly Council chair Rev. Cathy Chisholm, include GA moderator Douglas W. Oldenburg and GA vice moderator James E. Mead. Also appointed were Lynda Ardan (chair) of Clarks Summit, Pa., who just completed a term as vice moderator of the GAC; Beverly Barr of Lietchfield, Minn., a former high school and junior college teacher who has also worked for an educational research center; the Rev. Jeffrey Bridgeman, pastor of Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church in Solvang, Calif., and a member of the GAC; Miriam Pride, president of PC(USA)-related Blackburn College in Carlinville, Ill.; and Dianne Wright, an educator on the staff of New Harmony Presbytery in Florence, S.C. Commissioners' press release The complete text of Ebert's and Moffett's press release is as follows: "As the authors of the Commissioners' Resolution that brought the matter of the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW) to the attention of last year's General Assembly, we would like to respond to their press release of October 13. "Unfortunately, the young women of NNPCW are caught in the crossfire of a theological and ideological conflict that is currently being waged in the Presbyterian Church. We are concerned about the welfare of these young women, and about their spiritual well-being. Further, although we have never heard the accusations leveled against these young women that they personally 'deny Christ,' are 'demonic,' or that they are 'prodigal daughters,' we reject such judgments out of hand. "What we continue to assert, however, is that the organization to which they belong has come under the influence of theologies and ideologies that are beyond the bounds of our Presbyterian confessional heritage and constitutional standards. For example, Young Women Speak, the NNPCW resource, is significantly influenced by and openly advocates the popular but heterodox re-imagining ideology, as well as a view of human sexuality that has been rejected time-and-again by our presbyteries and opposes the teaching of Scripture and the constitutional position of our church. "Because we are not 'computer tekkies,' we are disinclined to comment on the matter of Internet links to pornographic sites that are 'two or three clicks' away from the NNPCW site. We will say, however, that we think that it is significant that the NNPCW Internet site did directly link to an outside site (as a resource) which openly advocates the normalization of homosexuality. Presbyterian standards "Further, we are not convinced that the NNPCW statement that 'deep religious discussion,' or reflection that is 'genuinely heard and respected' are the standards by which the faithfulness of Presbyterian organizations should be measured. The standards for Presbyterians are the centrality of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, faithfulness to the plain meaning of our Book of Confessions, and congruence to our Book of Order - in that order. "We deeply regret the pain that our sisters in NNPCW are feeling because we raised this issue. But, we regret even more that they have been guided into an expression of faith that fails to conform to our denominational standards. So, while this process of examination may be painful, it is necessary, and hopefully will result in new health and vitality in our church's ministry to young women." |
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