Montreat,
N.C., session accuses
PCUSA council of delinquencies
By
John H. Adams
The
Layman Online
Monday,
October 30, 2000
MONTREAT,
N.C. – The session of Montreat Presbyterian Church has
accused the General Assembly Council of a number of "delinquencies"
in its response to the 2000 Peacemaking Conference where a
Presbyterian minister said other religions provide valid paths
to God.
The Montreat session concluded that an Oct. 25 response by
the council's executive committee to a similar complaint by
the session of Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas did
not address the "delinquencies" or provide remedies.
That
response basically agreed with the theological assertion
that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone but concluded
that freedom of conscience allowed a Presbyterian minister to
say otherwise at the Peacemaking Conference.
Citing General Assembly Council duties set forth in the Book
of Order, the
session's
12-page letter said the General Assembly Council failed:
- to warn or bear witness against error in doctrine or
immorality in practice in or outside the church by
neglecting to correct the keynote address of the Rev. Dirk
Ficca. [Ficca, who is executive director of an
international inter-faith group that includes neo-pagan
religions, asked at one point during his address, "What's
the big deal about Jesus?"
- to review the work of General Assembly agencies and
bodies in light of General Assembly mission directions,
goals, objectives and priorities by neglecting to call the
peacemaking unit to act in accord with the creeds and
confessions of the denomination.
- to uphold the great ends of the church by not declaring
the necessity of the proclamation of the gospel for the
salvation of all humankind.
The complaint proposed eight "cures" of
delinquencies:
- A written and published rebuke "of error
concerning the serious doctrinal violations" in
Ficca's presentation.
- A written and published "summation of the teaching
found in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
concerning the nature of Jesus Christ and the necessity
and sufficiency of Jesus Christ alone for salvation of all
people everywhere."
- Guidelines to govern "the office of Peacemaking,
in specific, and all other agencies in general in
arranging all future programs and conferences of the
Presbyterian Church (USA)."
- Requiring all denominational staff to "assent
annually in writing to abide by the Constitution" of
the PCUSA in their official actions, pronouncements,
program, presentations and functions.
- "Issue an affirmation of the mandate for missions
and evangelism … to encourage faithfulness to the
great commission."
- "Publish a call to exalt Jesus Christ in the world
by praying, supporting and encouraging more Presbyterians
to engage in missions and evangelism."
Both the Highland Park and Montreat sessions wrote their
complaints before the deadline elapsed for judicial action
against the General Assembly Council. Neither session has
indicated whether it will file a formal complaint with the
Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly. |