by Pastor Dan Baumgartner

One defining characteristic of the city of Seattle is our collective inability to make a decision. Let me just say three words: “Alaskan Way Viaduct.” But Seattle is not alone in its indecisiveness. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Bethany’s denomination, is vying for equal billing.

For those less familiar with the PCUSA, the General Assembly (GA) is the decision-making body above local churches, presbyteries and synods. It meets every two years, and in July they gathered in Minneapolis. That means around 700 official commissioners (a mix of elders and pastors), and lots of advisors and observers. Major decisions are passed from GA back out to the 173 presbyteries around the country to vote on and pass or fail by simple majority.

Most GA meetings inspire a multitude of resolutions, statements, overtures and angst. All of these things were present in Minneapolis. When the dust settled, there were a few substantial things decided, or at least decided enough to send on:

Form of Government

Presbyterians are governed by God, the Scripture and our Constitution, in that order. The Constitution is made up of the Book of Confessions (see letter “c” below) and the Book of Order, which contains the “nuts and bolts” of our polity. Over the years the Book of Order has grown so cumbersome that some people feel the church is run by a plethora of rules rather than guided by basic principles. After many years of conversation and work, GA will send a greatly revised Form of Government to the presbyteries to be voted on. Advocates say it will put more decisions and flexibility into local presbyteries and churches.

Middle East

A report written for GA on Middle East issues was solidly approved…AFTER significant rewriting during the week. The amended report approved by 82% of the GA commissioners has a relatively balanced tone, calling for a cessation of violence from both sides, affirming Israel’s right to exist, and calling for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

A New Confession

The Book of Confessions contains eleven historical documents of the Church. These documents are drawn from times when the Church has felt compelled to stand up and say “This is who we are.” GA approved sending a new addition to the presbyteries for a vote (2/3 required on this one, then back to GA in 2012). The new confession is the Belhar Confession, written in 1982 in South Africa as a theological statement against the tyranny of apartheid in that country.

Middle Governing Bodies

GA also granted considerably more flexibility to middle governing bodies (presbyteries and synods) to try new models which would make sense for this era in church leadership. In recent years many people have questioned the continued validity of synods, and pushed presbyteries to redefine themselves in way that serve current mission vision.

Sexuality and Marriage

It will be no shock to anyone in the PCUSA or many other denominations that there continues to be struggle over the issue of homosexuality and the definition of marriage. I have written about this and preached on it several times. This GA voted, for the 4 th time since 1997, to send to presbyteries for vote a recommendation to remove from our Book of Order the current language which requires ordained pastors and elders to practice fidelity if married (one man and one woman) or chastity in singleness. This recommendation has been defeated the last three times it was voted on by the presbyteries. GA also urged the PCUSA Board of Pensions (which handles the benefits programs) to extend benefits to same gender partners of church employees by 2012. On the other hand, GA refused all of the overtures which asked them to change the definition of marriage from “a man and a woman” to “two people.”

How do I personally feel about these actions?:

a) I think the PCUSA Form of Government needs radical revamping. Somehow we need to move away from being governed by rules in a Book of Order and back towards more theological agreement and integrity. If this is a step in that direction, I like it.

b) The Middle East situation is incredibly complex. While I’m glad that the report was perhaps improved, it remains a report. No action is forthcoming. If you want a book to read to connect the issues with your heart, try Sandy Tolan’s The Lemon Tree.

c) The Belhar Confession. I like it, and I like that we can reflect another historical time when at least a minority in the Church stood up to confess Christ over the injustices of the day. Like the Barmen Declaration which spoke against the Church’s capitulation to the Nazis, Belhar speaks to the horrors of apartheid in South Africa and deserves our attention.

d) I have long felt that the 4-fold structure (local church, presbytery, synod, GA) was antiquated. Some of the roles played by middle governing bodies in years past are no longer relevant. Anything that will provide flexibility for the church to respond in significant ways to a rapidly changing world is worth a try.

e) I’m glad GA refused to change the definition of marriage as the church has defined it for centuries. I remain opposed to changing the qualifications for leadership in the Book of Order. In my opinion, the fidelity and chastity language has offered some clarity to today’s terrible confusion around sexuality and practice. I’m disappointed that it continues to consume so much precious time and energy, as it has for the last 30 years, and I hope if this 4 th attempt at deletion fails that the PCUSA might give the topic a rest for awhile.

So, the simple summary: presbytery votes are coming in 2011 on the simplification of the Form of Government, the addition of the new confession and the removal or retention of the leadership language of fidelity and chastity. If these sound like the same things that have been debated for years, then you’ve been paying attention. See you on the Viaduct.