 Fla. elder ends challenge of confessing resolution By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, November 25, 2002 Norman F. Blessing, who accused his colleagues on the session of First Presbyterian Church in Sebastian, Fla., of violating church law with their Confessing Church resolution, has decided not to carry the case to the highest court in the denomination.
In a news release faxed to The Layman Online on Nov. 25, the counsel for Blessing said "recent concessions" by the counsel for the Sebastian church prompted the decision to end the case without pursuing an appeal to the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly. The news release, dated Nov. 23, did not spell out what those "recent concessions" were. Instead, the 1,275-word statement essentially argued some of the same points that were presented during the trials before the church courts of the Presbytery of Central Florida and the Synod of the South Atlantic. Even so, the news release declared, "The Synod PJC decision is final and must be honored." The complainant had sought to require that the Sebastian session publish for its congregation the synod court's decision – especially the last section, which was not an order. Rather, that section was a reference to G-3.0401a-d in the Book of Order, which constitutes a "call" to openness, diversity and ecumenicity. The Sebastian session published the eight-page order in the congregation's newsletter on Oct. 29. Two days later, Blessing's counsel announced that he would appeal the decision to the General Assembly court. The synod court's order did not change a single word of the resolution adopted by the Sebastian session. However, the court did say that the resolution could not be used as a "litmus" test to disqualify candidates for church office or require that candidates subscribe to the resolution's objectives. On the other hand, the court did acknowledge during extensive questioning that sessions have the authority to determine who is qualified to serve as deacon and elder. Blessing said the resolution "required church officers and ministers to subscribe" to certain nonconfessional tenets, but the language of the resolution did not express compulsion. Rather, it used two words – "implore" and "urge" in calling on Presbyterians to affirm that 1) Jesus Christ alone is Lord; 2) that Scripture is the Church's "only infallible rule of faith and life;" and 3) marriage between a man and a woman is the only relationship within which sexual activity is appropriate. The news release also seeks to require the Sebastian session to take action that the court did not require – including amending the resolution: "It behooves the Session of the Sebastian Church to amend its 'Resolution' by deleting the statement (referring to the 'confessions' contained in the 'Resolution') that it urges sessions and presbyteries "to declare that they will not ordain, install or employ in any ministry position any person who will not affirm them." "This statement is improperly requesting sessions and presbyteries to violate the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)," the news release said. The synod court, however, did not order the Sebastian session to amend its resolution. The following is the text of the news release from Blessing's counsel: In view of recent concessions by counsel for the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian in the case of Norman F. Blessing, Complainant, v. Session of First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian, Respondent; Mr. Blessing has filed a request that his appeal to the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly be withdrawn. The Session has not timely filed an appeal from the Synod PJC decision. Consequently, the Synod PJC decision is final and must be honored. The Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian, Florida, adopted a "Resolution" stating a four point "confession" to which it required church officers and ministers to subscribe. It further urged other sessions to adopt the "confession" and, likewise, restrict positions of leadership within the church to those who consented to its requirements. The 'Resolution" was similar to the "Sample Session Resolution" promoted by the Confessing Church Movement. The record at trial established that when Mr. Blessing objected to subscribing to the "confession," he was instructed to adhere to its terms or leave the Sebastian church, and when other members of the Church questioned the "confession" they, likewise, were instructed to submit to it or leave. When the Session refused to rescind the "Resolution," Mr. Blessing filed a complaint with Central Florida Presbytery. Both the Permanent Judicial Commissions of Central Florida Presbytery and the Synod of South Atlantic, on appeal by the Sebastian Session, have ruled that it is a violation of our Constitution for a "confession" or statement of faith adopted by a session to be used as a litmus test for ordination or installation of elders or deacons. "[T]he session may only decline to approve a person for ordination and/or installation in the context of the questions required by G-14.0207, using the standard stated in the final sentence of G-6.0108a." "The Session of First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian is enjoined from requiring any person to affirm the four point 'confession' stated in the 'Resolution' [adopted by the Session of the Sebastian Church] ... as a prerequisite for his or her ordination and/or installation as an officer, and from requiring anyone to affirm said 'confession' as a prerequisite to employment in any ministry position." The Presbytery and Synod PJC decisions confirm the validity of Mr. Blessing's original complaint that it is beyond the authority of the Session to require subscription by an elder to a "confession" adopted by the Session and that such required subscription infringes on his freedom of conscience, as recognized by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It behooves the Session of the Sebastian Church to amend its "Resolution" by deleting the statement (referring to the "confessions" contained in the "Resolution") that it urges sessions and presbyteries "to declare that they will not ordain, install or employ in any ministry position any person who will not affirm them." This statement is improperly requesting sessions and presbyteries to violate the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The "Sample Session Resolution" set forth on the Confessing Church Movement's web site has misled many sessions, including the Session of the Sebastian Church, to violate the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Confessing Church Movement, which provided support including substantial financial support to the Session of the Sebastian Church, must amend its "Sample Session Resolution" by deleting the statement identical to the above mentioned statement which has been held unconstitutional. Similarly, the churches, which are members of the Confessing Church Movement and have adopted a "Resolution" containing the same or a similar statement, must also delete the statement. Subsequent to the decision of the Synod PJC, Mr. Blessing moved to have the order amended to include certain provisions that had been inadvertently omitted. A key element of that request was that the decision be provided to the congregation of the Sebastian Church, a common provision in any order involving a dispute within a session. Understandably, these proceedings have created some debate within that Church and it is important for church members to read the decision themselves to evaluate it as opposed to reading summaries of it from sources which are not always candid in their discussion of its essential points. Surprisingly, the Sebastian Session opposed Mr. Blessing's request that the congregation be so informed, arguing that disseminating the decision "would be confusing to our typical member." Such a position, unfortunately, attempts to denigrate the ability of members of the Presbyterian Church to understand matters essential to our reformed tradition. Because of the Sebastian Session's opposition, Mr. Blessing was required to appeal the decision as the time for doing so was expiring. However, counsel for the Sebastian Session has now conceded the importance of disclosing to the congregation the full decision and has undertaken steps to do so. Accordingly, the appeal has now been withdrawn. We would like to personally commend Mr. Blessing for his work on this matter. Mr. Blessing has been a dedicated member of the Presbyterian Church and a committed church officer. As an elder he recognized that, in requiring that ministers of the word and sacrament, church officers, and prospective officers subscribe to a so-called "confession" outside of our Book of Order as a condition of ordination, that the Session was engaging in conduct inconsistent with our Constitution. When he was instructed to subscribe to it or leave the Church he followed our Presbyterian judicial process by instituting a remedial action. For taking this action he has received unfair criticism and personally critical remarks from certain individuals within the Church and some members of the press. It is unfortunate that we have those within our church who choose to resort to misleading characterizations and personal insults as opposed to reasoned debate in discussing matters of Church polity. Perhaps lesser individuals would have succumbed to such criticism, but Mr. Blessing did not, despite his own serious health concerns. Mr. Blessing, as a church officer, knew that our Constitution must be upheld and his convictions were affirmed by both the Presbytery and Synod PJC's. There will be those within our Church who will continue to be critical of Mr. Blessing and the decision of the Synod PJC. Some individuals and members of the press will continue to create turmoil within our denomination by seeking to infringe on the beliefs of others within the Church, despite those beliefs being consistent with our reformed tradition. In closing we would like to remind those individuals of the admonition of the Synod PJC, which recognizes that as Presbyterians there may be matters of faith on which we disagree but we respect the beliefs of all those within our reformed faith. The Synod PJC directs the attention of the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian to G-3.0401, which states:
John Coventry Smith, Jr. David C. Smith Alan J. Pickering |
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