Leaders of College Women’s Group issue statement By Jerry L. Van Marter Presbyterian News Service Tuesday, October 13, 1998
The statement, dated Oct. 2, was issued after the Sept. 17-20 meeting of the Coordinating Committee, which meets once each semester and is comprised of 12 Presbyterian college women. It was released by Rebecca Barnes of The College of Wooster, Ohio, and Melissa Thomas of Brown University in Providence, R.I., co-moderators. NNPCW came under fire in Charlotte from critics who charged that the content of some of the network’s resources is contrary to biblical teachings, is in violation of the “Book of Order” and promotes lesbianism as an acceptable Christian lifestyle. NNPCW denies the charges. The Assembly first denied funding and official sponsorship of NNPCW and then, after a demonstration on the floor of the Assembly by NNPCW members and their supporters, continued funding ($50,000 in 1998) for one more year while a special task force investigates the charges leveled against the group. General Assembly Council moderator the Rev. Cathy Chisholm recently announced her appointments to the special task force (see Oct. 9 “NEWS BRIEFS,” #98311, p. 13). The full text of the statement: “As young women in college connected by our Christian faith, our concern for women’s struggles in the world, and our desire to find a faith perspective that empowers women, we, the members of the Coordinating Committee of the National Network of Presbyterian College Women, give thanks to God for the opportunity to develop our faith and leadership potential through this valuable ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). “College women’s groups to which we belong around the country, many of which we created ourselves, continually draw women who seek deep religious discussion where faithful reflection is genuinely heard and respected. Campuses also use NNPCW within a larger ministry with women and men to lift up stories of women in the Bible, in Christian history and in the world today. Biblical, social and theological reflection lie at the heart of our mission and serve as the foundation of our faith. This ministry is needed, it is irreplaceable and it continues to grow as more women become aware of its existence. “We are genuinely surprised by the criticism of NNPCW revealed at the 210th General Assembly. It is strange to us that a church so concerned about the growing number of young people leaving the church during and after college is poised to push out a ministry that is actively reversing this process. NNPCW keeps young women planted in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and ready to serve long after their college days are completed. “We have read in various PC(USA) publications that NNPCW is “demonic,” we “deny Christ,” we “promote pornography” and are “prodigal daughters” who will not repent. Fortunately, these critiques come from people with whom we have never interacted and who therefore do not know us. We find it hard to believe that members of the church we love could be so hurtful as to say we do not know God. We hope that in the future, people will think more carefully about what they say and how their words impact others. “Our response, however, must be one of love and continued faith in the One who teaches us to love God will all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our faith in God, our commitment to Christ, and our reliance on the Holy Spirit have deepened significantly in the past several months. We look forward to speaking directly with the members of the task force created to review NNPCW, and we give thanks for the many who have supported and nurtured us in our Christian journey.” |
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| PresbyWorld offers a brief analysis of the NNPCW statement | ||
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