’02 Assembly gets chance to cool down controversies Commissioners will weigh fallout from ’01 Assembly By John H. Adams The Layman Volume 35, Number 3 Posted June 3, 2002 The 214th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), which will meet in Columbus, Ohio, on June 15-22, faces a number of sizzling issues that have been on the front burner – and an opportunity to cool them down. Top Issues 1. Who is Jesus? Once again, the General Assembly will be asked to affirm Biblical and confessional teaching about the Lordship of Christ as a response to a two-year-old controversy in which a speaker at a denominational event asked, “What’s the big deal about Jesus?” 2. Upholding the constitution The highest court in the PCUSA has ruled that church sessions may not defy constitutional requirements. Yet, several churches are publicly defying the constitution. Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick must report the court’s decision – which he failed to do in 2001 – and the General Assembly may consider additional steps to ensure compliance. 3. Biennial Assemblies Commissioners will consider whether to begin meeting every other year instead of annually. 4. Book of Order The commissioners will consider a number of overtures that would make it more difficult to amend the Book of Order. 5. Life issues Proposals call for further study of euthanasia, assisted death, assisted suicide, abortion and infanticide. It has been a turbulent year for the denomination since the 2001 General Assembly elected Jack B. Rogers as moderator, waffled on the Lordship of Christ and called on presbyteries to authorize the ordination of gays and lesbians as church officers. Rogers denounced evangelicals and the Confessing Church Movement and prompted a backlash that has sapped contributions that pay for the denomination’s bureaucracy and its missions. Statement on Jesus Both the General Assembly and the General Assembly Council adopted statements that fell short of affirming that Jesus Christ alone is Lord and Savior. The denomination’s Office of Theology and Worship provided some damage control with “Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ,” which declares that Jesus is who he says he is – the Way, the Truth and the Life. The commissioners will decide whether they agree or whether they will maintain a theological view that leaves open the possibility of other deities. With 73 percent of the denomination’s 173 presbyteries voting against Amendment 01-A – the 213th General Assembly’s proposal to repeal the ordination standards – this year’s commissioners face a different task: Whether or not to enforce the standard. Liberal overtures ask for a moratorium against enforcement. Conservative overtures ask for a moratorium against bringing up the issue again. Furthermore, commissioners will consider a report that shows that no steps have been taken to require compliance by one defiant session, even after the denomination’s highest court said defiance was not an option. The General Assembly staff lines up squarely behind a proposal that calls for meeting every other year instead of annually. Biennial assemblies have been proposed – and rejected – in the past, but there appears more impetus for this year’s consideration because of the denomination’s economic plight. A number of overtures reflects growing resistance to amending the constitution or removing sections. The overtures generally follow one of three courses: 1) requiring a super-majority (two-thirds) vote by the commissioners before an issue could be submitted to a referendum; or requiring a super-majority by the presbyteries; or both. The denomination has considered reports in the past on life issues – euthanasia, assisted death, assisted suicide, abortion and infanticide. This time, the commissioners will be asked to approve a moderator-appointed task force that would consider sweeping changes. Other matters: In 2001, the only official recognition the Confessing Church Movement drew was Rogers’ scorn just after his election during the first plenary session. The 214th General Assembly will be asked to call for an assessment of the movement. Money will be a major concern for commissioners. Because of general economic conditions and reduced contributions to the denomination, budgets have already been slashed. Commissioners will decide whether to try to revive, in particular, foreign missions (34 missionaries were cut out of the 2003 budget) and new church development. They will receive a proposal for a $40-million fundraising campaign. Putting Christian educators under the jurisdiction of presbytery committees on the ministry. Amending the constitution and setting aside a General Assembly directive that requires presbyteries to pay the per-capita apportionment that is not paid by a session. Authorizing an inclusive language version of the Confession of 1967 for liturgical use. Endorsing the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Prohibiting the Board of Pensions from paying for partial-birth abortions. Directing the Office of the General Assembly to study the costs and consequences of litigation seeking disciplinary and/or remedial action against church officers and sessions that declare their open defiance of G-6.0106b, the “fidelity/chastity” ordination standard.

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