 Presbyterian Leaders’ Forum  Sept/Oct, 1997 A Message from the Stated Clerk I have received several letters recently suggesting that there really is no common ground among Presbyterians and that it is time for us to seek “an amicable divorce.” I fervently disagree! To a church in Corinth far more divided than our own the Apostle Paul urged not an amicable divorce, but rather a fresh commitment to seeing ourselves as diverse parts of the one body of Christ and to relating to one another in a genuine spirit of love. I believe that advice is very relevant to Presbyterians at the end of the twentieth century.There are ties that really do bind us together as a Presbyterian family. It is time to focus on those things we have in common which are far more precious to us than the things that divide us. For me those ties that bind us together are nowhere better stated than in the first four chapters of the Book of Order. Chapter one reminds us that Jesus Christ is the living head of the church. It is our commitment to the living Christ that binds us together. That chapter goes on to lift up the Great Ends of the Church (proclaiming the Gospel, nurturing the faithful, worshipping God, preserving the truth, promoting social justice, and living a Christian life). It ends with the Historic Principles of Church Order and Church Government that have held Presbyterians together for generations. These are genuinely values we hold in common! Chapter two focuses on what we believe. It makes clear that for Presbyterians our sources of authority are first of all Jesus Christ, then the scriptures as the inspired word of God, then our confessions. It lifts up ten great theological themes that bind us together – themes such as the sovereignty of God, the incarnation, the trinity, the conviction that salvation is by grace through faith, and the church as a covenant community. These are solid, bedrock Presbyterian convictions. Chapter three, one of my favorites, emphasizes that the church is a missionary society. We have received the love of God in Jesus Christ not to keep to ourselves but to share with all the world. There is a beautiful vision in this chapter which states, “The Church of Jesus Christ is a provisional demonstration of what God intends for all humanity” (G-3.0200). That is what we are all called to be. The fourth chapter focuses on unity and diversity. It affirms that the diversity of people on our planet is a gift of God. Such diversity should not lead to division but to a complimentary sharing of gifts among diverse members of the body of Christ. We as Presbyterians are not the body of Christ, but only one part of it, and thus committed to be an ecumenical people and a people seeking unity within our own family. It is no accident that the chapter on unity includes the Principles of Presbyterian Government. Our system of representative government provides a way for Presbyterians to deal with their differences and seek together the mind of Christ. The way Presbyterians deal with issues that divide us is through our elected representatives in governing bodies, not through the withholding of funds or the issuing of covenants of dissent. At a time in which we have deep disagreements on certain issues in the life of our church, it is important to remember that we are truly united on the things that really matter. We are indeed one in Christ, one in mission, and one in the search for Christian unity. – Clifton Kirkpatrick, GA Stated Clerk |
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