PASTOR’S SUMMARY

An Incarnational Approach to Controversial Issues

The report by the Theological Task Force on peace, Unity and Purity of the Church was accepted by this year’s General Assembly.  The FRPC Session has carefully studied this report and asked me to write a brief summary.  

The paper, about 50 pages in length, is divided into five major sections plus a study guide.  Section one lays out the theological basis for the report.  Section two describes the plan and progress of the Task Force which met over a period of four years.  What is most remarkable is that given the diversity of the group they were able to come to a unanimous decision.  While still disagreeing on important issues they were able to find strong common ground.  Section three describes the three issues before the Task Force:

    A. Christology

    B. Biblical Authority and Interpretation

    C. Sexuality and Ordination

Section four provides resources that the Task force used and that are available for all Presbyterians.  

1.  Stay together.  We are one body called to live in harmony even in our diversity.  

2.  In the face of difficult issues Presbyterians should follow the example of the Task Force and engage in processes of intensive discernment through worship, community building, study and collaborative work.

3.  The theological reflection, which is a part of the report, should be studied carefully.

4.   Those who plan and moderate meetings of governing bodies should explore the use of alternative forms of decision-making as a complement to parliamentary procedure, especially in dealing with difficult issues.  

5. This recommendation is for an “Authoritative Interpretation” of our constitution (comprised of the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order).  This is the most controversial part of the report and the most difficult to summarize in this brief article.  The heart of recommendation five is the reaffirmation that while the whole church determines the standards for ordination it is the responsibility of the ordaining body (Session or Presbytery) to determine weather any candidate has deviated from these standards and if that deviation is also a failure to adhere to the essentials of the Reformed faith.  

The key to this authoritative interpretation is understanding the difference between “standards” and “essentials”.  Here I quote from the report, “Standards are aspirational in character.  No one lives up to them perfectly (for this reason, G-6.0108 permits ‘departures’ from standards that bare not deemed essential.  Essentials are those matters of faith and polity that the officer-elect’s governing body discern are indispensable for ordained service.”

The reason I used the word “Incarnation” in the title of this summary is because this approach requires face to face engagement with real people and resists adjudicating issues from a removed distance.  This is best summarized in the following quote from the report.

Thus every ordaining/installing body, in every case, must decide what departures can be tolerated and which are so serious that essential matters of faith and practice are compromised.  The interpretation proposed here makes clear that standards may not be compromised merely because they are unpopular in a particular locale.  At the same time, ordaining/installing bodies, which have the most direct connection and responsibility for people seeking to enter their membership, have the responsibility for making judgments about whether these actual, fallible human beings have the self-awareness, commitment, and capacity to exercise faithful ministry.

I hope this brief summary is helpful for you to have a basic understanding of our church’s discernment with regard to these difficult issues.  It is this kind of prayerful and careful, incarnational theology and practice that I celebrate as a Presbyterian.

If you would like to talk more about this report and its implications please talk to me.