| |
Archives: August 2003 |
Reports from the 215th General Assembly are
indexed on another page. Reports from July are
listed on the July archive page.
All our reports from June
are indexed on the June archive page.
Check earlier months through the
general archive
page.
|
8/30/03 |
Jensen suit against former Moderator Abu-Akel
dismissed by California court
The Orange County (California) Superior Court
has ruled in favor of the Reverend Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator
of the 214th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The court dismissed the slander lawsuit brought against him by
Paul Rolf Jensen, for lack of "subject matter jurisdiction over
the allegations of the complaint."
Details from Presbyterian News Service |
"Holy Land" - What is it and who owns it? A Christian
transformation of the question
Land - "holy land" - and who owns it is at the center of
the terrible, seemingly endless conflict in Israel/Palestine.
The Rev. Thomas C. Davis, pastor of Hanover Street
Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware, decided to preach
two
sermons exploring the notion of holy land in the Hebrew scriptures,
and its radical transformation in the New Testament. In the first sermon,
"God's Abode," he points to Jesus' insistence that God's presence was now
to be found not in a place - the Temple or the Land - but in the Person of
Jesus (the Way), and thus in all persons.
And in the second sermon, "Everywhere Lies Holy Ground,"
he traces the pattern of "ethnic cleansing" from the ancient Hebrews'
conquest of the Promised Land, through their Puritan descendants' conquest
and extermination of the native peoples of North America, to the apartheid
system in South Africa. He shows how, again, Jesus overturns the idea of a
"holy land" as the property of one people; now all land is holy, for God
moves among all peoples.
"The Jews can't lay exclusive claim to [the Holy Land]
any more than they can to holy ground. Everywhere lies holy ground,
because the spirit blows where it wills." And so, he concludes,
"Christianity, in Luke's view, is not tied to any specific land. It''\s
mission is to the ends of the earth."
Note: Both sermons are posted on the
same page; the link above will take you there. |
Oct. 26
designated Bread for the World Sunday
Anti-hunger group offers free worship resources
Bread for the World, a Christian anti-hunger group, has
produced a new worship resource to help congregations renew their
commitment to fighting hunger during an annual day of observance called
"Bread for the World Sunday."
Most observances this year will take place on Oct. 26,
although congregations are encouraged to choose any Sunday between World
Food Day (Oct. 16) and Thanksgiving (Nov. 27). |
Rosemary Radford Ruether calls for a healthier sexual
ethic, partly to replace the Administration's "puritan" ethic being forced
on African nations in the fight against AIDS
Rosemary Radford Ruether, Carpenter Professor of Feminist Theology at the
Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, calls for a new sexual
ethic that contrasts radically with the neo-Puritan ethic being demanded
by President Bush - even in Africa, where it will harm rather than help
efforts to combat the rising incidence of AIDS.
What's needed, she says, is not merely sexual freedom,
but an end to "sexual illiteracy," which can come only by replacing the
still-current "male ethic of sexual exploitation" with a truly egalitarian
sexual ethic, which allows learning through experience - but experience in
stages of growing maturity and responsibility.
Her essay is published in Conscience, the "newsjournal"
published by Catholics for a Free Choice. |
8/27/03 |
Teaching on
the Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments
are a pretty big deal these days. But they've been around for a while, and
may not evaporate with their removal from a governmental display of them.
A couple years ago we posted a helpful essay by the Rev.
Bruce Gillette on "teaching the Ten Commandments, which includes a list of
good resources.
If you have other good material, or thoughts
of your own on this issue,
please send
us a note to be shared here!
|
A Witherspoon chapter has just
been formed in Montana The
Rev. John Shuck, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Billings, Montana,
reports:
Witherspoon-Montana has now been formed
and about 45 folks (so far all in Yellowstone Presbytery--but we know some
Glacier Presbytery folks will hop aboard, too) have signed on to
participate in conversation, education, action and dancing regarding
social justice issues in Montana in church and society. We hope to have
some programs and speakers, BBQ's, talent shows, and what all to show that
social justice and inclusiveness can be fun as well as important
especially when we do it together!
And he invites you to visit their
very own
website!
And click here for more
information about forming your own chapter.
|
Keep Space for Peace Week:
International Days of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space, slated
for October 4-11, 2003 is being publicized by
The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space |
Houston pastor is 1st candidate for moderator
The Rev. David Garth McKechnie, pastor of Grace
Presbyterian Church in Houston, TX, has become the first candidate for
moderator of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
The Presbytery of New Covenant voted unanimously to
endorse his candidacy on Aug. 23. His presenter, the Rev. Gerald Hurst,
pastor of Southminster Presbyterian Church in Missouri City, TX, called
McKechnie "one who will work with both sides of the aisle toward the
peace, unity and purity of the church ... (and) the healing and
reconciliation of the church."
Check
out the Presbyterian News Service report. |
"Be Doers of the Word of God"
Carolyn Gillette's hymn for this Sunday (August 31st) and September 7th is
"Be Doers of the Word of God." Built on texts from James 1, Ephesians, and
1 John 3, it is
posted on
the Church World Service website.
Email:
Bruce.Gillette@ecunet.org |
8/25/03 |
Washington Office urges participation in
Witness for Civil
Liberties Weekend,
October
24-26, 2003
October 26,
2003 is the two-year anniversary of the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act and
the last day before the Muslim holiday Ramadan. The weekend is a fitting
time for people of all faith traditions to affirm and celebrate
fundamental freedoms. Through education, worship, and community action,
participating congregations can help to ensure that freedom in the United
States is truly for all people. -- regardless of citizenship, nationality,
race, or religion.
For a complete list of the national religious groups sponsoring Witness
for Civil Liberties Weekend, see:
www.witnessforcivilliberties.org
|
New Resource:
Transgender, Intersex and the Church
Made in God's Image: A Resource for Dialogue about
the Church and Gender Differences is a
groundbreaking educational booklet combining valuable information,
personal sharing, and resources. A perfect starting place for any
congregation, family, or individual.
Erin Swenson, a
transgender Presbyterian minister, recommends this booklet as a resource
for anyone seeking more understanding of transgender issues, and for use
in helping any congregation discuss those issues. |
8/23/03 |
Two very
different sources welcome the Episcopal Church's decision to confirm a gay
priest as Bishop. One, an honorary canon
at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, responds to Katherine
Kersten's widely note attack on the decision as substituting a "gospel of
inclusion" for the true demands of scripture.
The other, a gay man who grew up with no faith and now
is seeking a grounding in the Christian community, finds he is at last
made to feel welcome by the affirmation of a gay man as bishop. |
8/21/03 |
TURN BACK:
HOPES AND FEARS FOR THE PRESBYTERIAN FUTURE
Barbara Wheeler, President of Auburn Theological
Seminary in New York City, joined with the Rev. Jack Haberer, pastor of
Clear Lake Presbyterian Church in Houston, TX, and current member of the
Board for Presbyterians for Renewal,
in a conversation for the Semper Reformanda
gathering at the beginning of the General Assembly in Denver, on May
23, 2003.
The participants engaged in a free-flowing conversation,
but each of them provided written texts from earlier presentations as
helpful background.
Ms. Wheeler provided an address she gave at Fuller
Seminary on January 21, 2003. We posted the text of that address
during General Assembly, but have just discovered that we posted only part
of the full text.
The
Presbyterian Layman Online has recently published an article quoting
extensively from Ms. Wheeler's writing, and we have been asked to be sure
that the full text is made available here. We apologize for an
incomplete publication in the past, and appreciate Ms. Wheeler's help in
providing -- at last -- the full
text. |
8/20/03 |
A call to
the March on Washington
40th Anniversary -- August 21-24, 2003
This week the SCLC, the NAACP, the Urban
League and many of faith groups including the National Council of Churches
will convene a march to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the historic
March on Washington.
The National Council of Churches has sent out
a message from Martin Luther King, III
president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and a detailed
list of events. |
Presbyterian Resources for Worker
Justice The National
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, with headquarters in Chicago,
encourages interfaith action to improve wages, benefits, and working
conditions for workers, especially low-wage workers.
NICWJ has just published a twelve-page
booklet entitled "Presbyterian Resources for Worker Justice." Mark Wendorf
traces the Reformed heritage, Richard Poethig reminds Presbyterians how
they dealt with industrial change in the twentieth century, and Noelle
Damico writes about the Taco Bell boycott. Presbyterian statements about
labor rights are quoted, and a timeline highlights major turning points.
There are a reproducible "labor litany" and "labor prayer."
The price is $1 each for 1-20 (plus $3
shipping and handling), 50 cents each for 21-50 (plus $5), and 25 cents
for 50-100 (plus $7). You can phone them at (773) 728-8400, or go to their
web site,
www.nicwj.org/pages/materials.Presbyterian.html.
Thanks to Gene TeSelle |
After the big blackout ... what about energy?
TomPaine.com is an excellent source for news and opinion with a
progressive perspective. They have just posted a very helpful list of
resources on the energy crisis that didn't just happen last week.
They call it
An Energy Solutions Reader
|
Another take on right-wing efforts
to gain control of the United Methodist Church
The political right wing, operating through
a number of so-called "renewal groups," particularly one named the
Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), has acquired the money and
political will to target three mainline American denominations: The United
Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the Episcopal Church.
Gene TeSelle
recently noted the publication of United Methodism @ Risk: A Wake Up
Call by Leon Howell. Andrew J. Weaver, a United Methodist pastor
and a clinical psychologist, has recently published another review
(entitled
"The Fighting Methodists" ) on Martin Marty's website version of his
newsletter, Sightings.
Following a fairly heated
response from Mark Tooley, who directs the United Methodist committee
of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD),
Dr. Marty offered his thoughts on the rhetoric involved, drawing two
conclusions:
First, infighting within denominations
inspires inflaming rhetoric unmatched by most of that in politics.
Somehow, when people invoke the name or cause of God they tend to
demonize "the other" more readily than they do in the affairs of the
republic. On such premises, for instance, discuss stem cell research or
homosexuality or policies toward Israel, and soon you will be debating
what God had in mind back in creation or has in mind with the second
coming of Christ to Israel. Pity would-be reconcilers on such fronts.
Second, such rhetoric points to the
fact that the "day of denominations" is not over. People fight fiercely
over their fates and meager spoils. And we see that denominations do not
belong simply to the private sphere but they lead public lives and what
they say and do has a bearing on the cultural and social worlds.
Thanks
to Bruce Gillette |
8/16/03 |
What's the role of
religious beliefs in a civil society?
A recent
article by
syndicated
columnist Jonah Goldberg, published in the Philadelphia
Inquirer, posed the interesting
(and currently pressing) question: "Should judges be disqualified
if their religious beliefs impact their votes?" Goldberg suggests
- or even asserts - that it is religious prejudice to object to
Supreme Court nominees who take strong positions on the basis of
their faith.
This is an issue of great concern to many
conservative Presbyterians (among lots of others), as evidenced by
its inclusion in the
PresbyWeb
listings for Thursday, August 14, 2003.
Witherspoon Issues Analyst
Gene TeSelle offers
some thoughts on various ways our society and our theologians have
tried to define a proper - and properly limited - role for
religious faith in political discourse.
Take a look, and send us your comments! |
For another take on this question try:
"America is a religion"For
another perspective on religion and politics in America, you might
consider a provocative essay in The Guardian, by George Monbiot.
To explain why the Bush administration is
so selective in its "intelligence" about the world, and specifically about
Iraq, he says that
The United States is no longer just a
nation. It is now a religion. Its soldiers have entered Iraq to liberate
its people not only from their dictator, their oil and their
sovereignty, but also from their darkness. As George Bush told his
troops on the day he announced victory, "wherever you go, you carry a
message of hope - a message that is ancient and ever new. In the words
of the prophet Isaiah, 'To the captives, "come out," and to those in
darkness, "be free."
So American soldiers are no longer
merely terrestrial combatants; they have become missionaries. They are
no longer simply killing enemies; they are casting out demons.
He concludes:
The dangers of national divinity
scarcely require explanation. Japan went to war in the 1930s convinced,
like George Bush, that it possessed a heaven-sent mission to "liberate"
Asia and extend the realm of its divine imperium. It would, the fascist
theoretician Kita Ikki predicted, "light the darkness of the entire
world". Those who seek to drag heaven down to earth are destined only to
engineer a hell.
The full text of this article is
available on
Monbiot's
own website and on
The Guardian's site.
Who is this man Monbiot? You can check
the "Who I am" page on his website. When you finish you may wonder
what he does for adventure.
Go see for yourself. |
Are you one of those good Presbyterians who worries that
our church is too committed to 'DIVERSITY'?
Well, it seems that for one highly respected Presbyterian-related college,
Davidson in North Carolina, DIVERSITY HAS ITS LIMITS.
Dean Leslie Marsicano, Director of Residence Life, is
quoted in Newsweek on finding compatible roommates for new
students:
"We
had a match that seemed perfect, until we discovered that one was a cattle
rancher's son and the other was a vegan." |
"Saving" Liberia ...
with or without US troops?As the Bush
administration deals with a very different situation in Liberia from the
most recent "crisis" in Iraq (or whatever you want to call it), it may be
helpful to think beyond issues of military intervention.
Foreign Policy in Focus,
a progressive "Think Tank without Walls," has posted a thorough
analysis of the real
needs in Liberia. They conclude that "If Liberia is to break its cycle
of violence and decline, six major peace-building tasks will need to be
undertaken - all of which would benefit from American financial and
technical assistance: establishing a governing structure; enforcing peace;
stemming the flow of weapons to the region; kick-starting the economy; and
recovering looted assets."
Click here for a quick summary. |
An Ounce
of Precaution may equal a pound of environmental cures
In June, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-2
to adopt the Precautionary Principle, consolidating the city's
environmental laws into a single code to "create and maintain a healthy,
viable Bay Area environment for current and future generations," reports
Rachel's Environment and Health News.
The study's findings concluded:
 | Every citizen has an inherent right to "live healthy,
fulfilling. and dignified lives," with access to clean air, water,
earth, and food. |
 | Environmentally harmful activities have historically
been identified only after people and the environment have been harmed.
To effectively repair the damage, the city must "[move] beyond finding
cures for environmental ills to preventing the ills before they do
harm." |
 | Citizens are equal partners in decisions affecting
their environment. |
The five elements needed for the Precautionary Principle
to succeed are
summarized on Utne's Webwatch.
Go to
the full article in Rachel's Environment and Health News.
|
8/12/03 |
A new look
at the real aims of the war in Iraq -- and their threat to what America
really means
"We
Stand Our Ground"
William Rivers Pitt, the Managing Editor of
www.truthout.org, gave the keynote
speech at the Veterans for Peace National Convention in San Francisco,
earlier in August. He gave one of the most comprehensive surveys I've seen
of America's shifting reasons for its war against Iraq and whoever else
might turn up. The old reasons (weapons of mass destruction, support of al
Qaeda, and all that) have faded into the mists of the falsehoods they
were; the new reason, given by one administration aide, is "to see the
spread of our values, and to understand that our values and our security
are inextricably linked." |
Theological
Task Force convenes again
We offer links to a few of the reports |
The
Episcopal convention is over, but the effects are still being pondered.
We've excerpted and linked to
more comments
about the election of the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal
Church. |
Covenant Network announces plans for a
Northwest Regional Conference, Oct. 11, 2003
What Do We Believe, Anyway?
Questions about
Scripture, Theology and Polity Facing our Church Today |
|
8/7/03 |
Conservative
Episcopalians find shelter in a Presbyterian church
The
New York Times reported this morning (August 7, 2003) on the
variety of ways in which Episcopalians at the National Convention are
expressing their objections to the Convention's action in confirming the
election of the Rev. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
One of the most conservative of the right-wing groups,
Forward in Faith, is mentioned (though not by name) as meeting at
Westminster Presbyterian Church, just a couple blocks from the Convention
Center.
According to The Times, "A few blocks away, about
300 opponents of approving Bishop-elect Robinson, some 20 bishops among
them, prayed together in a worship service at Westminster Presbyterian
Church. In the pews, several people wept. Some spoke of the decision [to
approve Robinson's election] as a death."
We contacted the pastor of Westminster, the Rev. Dr. Tim
Hart-Andersen, to ask about this apparent support by a Presbyterian church
for the far right of a sister denomination. He explained that Westminster
was contacted by the organization months before the convention, and asked
to rent their chapel to the group for daily morning worship. Westminster,
said Hart-Andersen, agreed as a matter of simple hospitality, and without
knowing much about the nature of the group.
In case you're wondering, a quick search on the Web
reveals that
Forward in Faith is indeed pretty far to the right. They regard the
American Anglican Council, which has led the fight against Robinson's
confirmation, as a bit too far to the left. The Council, for instance,
allows for the ordination of women, while Forward in Faith does not. In
their efforts to restore true worship to their denomination, they use the
1928 Book of Common Prayer.
Hart-Andersen explained that the group has gathered at
9:30 each morning for "Mass," as they prefer to call it, with perhaps 100
people present. Wednesday morning there were far more there, with many in
tears. Since they could not all fit in Westminster's chapel, they were
invited to use the much larger sanctuary. They preferred to stay in the
chapel, largely because it is "more Anglican" - with an altar rather than
a communion table, and so on. |
|
8/6/03 |
On the
confirmation of Gene Robinson as the first out gay bishop of the Episcopal
Church We offer some
editorial reflections from
your WebWeaver -- about how this momentous event came about and what
it might mean for us in the Presbyterian Church |
For a couple stories just reporting on the confirmation of
Gene Robinson as the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire:
The
Minneapolis
Star Tribune provides a fairly complete and informative report.
And the
Episcopal News Service gives a shorter version
ENS has also posted a lengthy and interesting
interview with Robinson, just after the bishops' vote, in which he
"shares his spiritual journey and vision for the church." |
Who's
threatening to split the church? We've
noticed in many of the headlines over reports of this event the
implication that the election of a gay bishop threatens to split
the Episcopal Church. The New York Times, for instance,
offers this headline:
Gay Bishop Wins in Episcopal Vote; Split Threatened.
Some coverage carries the implication further,
as in the headline on PresbyWeb's
link to the Times story:
Gay bishop wins in Episcopal vote,
threatening split
Conservatives: This body has divided itself
Let's be clear here: The schism, if it comes
(and many suggest that while a number of individuals may leave the
denomination, as happened with the ordination of women, and then
the ordination of women as bishops), will be the choice of those
who leave, not the main body of the church. |
Not all African bishops are railing against the ordination of a gay
bishop!
Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane,
in a lengthy and thoughtful statement commenting on the Episcopal
convention in Minneapolis, said among other good things:
Dialogue, listening, sharing stories and experiences
are the ways to understanding the complexities of our humanity. Adopting
a hard-line stance does nothing to enhance church unity, which is, we
understand, the desire of Christ for the church. The way of Jesus, on
the other hand, seems to have been to listen and talk and include,
rather than refuse to listen and exclude people. Indeed those deemed
"other" in Jesus' own day were the very people Jesus seems to have
sought out and included in his circle - women, lepers, Samaritans, tax
collectors and other so-called undesirables were those to whom he showed
love.
|
A comment from South
Africa:
"Queer Church Logic"
Michael Worsnip, programme manager for
the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in South Africa, takes "all
this recent stuff in the news about gay bishops" in stride, saying that
gay bishops are nothing new; it's the honesty and integrity that are new,
and very welcome.
He adds:
Do you remember the big fuss about
divorcees? Do you remember the big fuss about women priests? The church
was wrong. And eventually (but after how long and after how much pain and
undeserved suffering?) it changed the rules. I have no reason to believe
that anything different is going to happen here. Eventually, dragged
kicking and screaming by a prophetic society, rather than the other way
around, the church will change the rules on this issue as well.
|
The Witherspoon Society continues to serve as the one
independent voice in the Presbyterian Church offering a broad witness to
our church's historic commitments to peace and justice -- in our church,
our nation, our world. We invite you to
join your voice to that witness.
Please become a member! |
8/5/03 |
7:00 PM CST: The Rev. Gene Robinson has been confirmed by the
Episcopal House of Bishops as the bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire.
The
Minneapolis
Star Tribune reports that Robinson was confirmed early this evening by
the Episcopal House of Bishops, by a vote of 62 for out of the 107
eligible to vote.
The charges against him were dismissed decisively a few
hours earlier by the bishop named to investigate them, the Rev. Gordon
Scruton of western Massachusetts.
Do you have comments to share?
Please send a
note and we'll post it here! |
The latest from Minneapolis:
Episcopalians Schedule Vote on Bishop
Investigation Ends
Day After Misconduct Allegations Emerge
The Washington Post reports that Episcopal Church officials have
finished investigating last-minute allegations against the Rev. V. Gene
Robinson, allowing senior bishops to debate and possibly vote today on
whether to confirm his election as the church's first openly gay bishop,
the presiding bishop said.
The story says that sources are implying that if the
investigation had found anything true in the charges, the election would
not have been allowed to proceed. |
More on the
challenge to a gay candidate for bishop in the Episcopal Church
Out of the many press reports on the events at the General
Convention of the Episcopal Church, here are two that seem to offer
helpful background and analysis.
The
Minneapolis
Star Tribune also draws on wire service reports.
(You may be asked to register to access this page, but
there's no charge, and it's pretty painless.)
The
Boston Globe offers good information about Gene Robinson's
accuser, and about the website which he is accused of supporting.
But also ...
We've seen this before
It's happened before that people opposed to a particular candidate for
high office in a church - this time the Presbyterian Church (USA) -
brought forth accusations at the last minute to derail the election of an
apparently good candidate. In fact, there were not even accusations in
this instance, but mere rumors. And they were enough to do the job. It
happened at the 204th General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (USA) in Milwaukee. Check
out the rest of the story. |
8/4/03 |
More from the Episcopal General Convention
Wouldn’cha know it?At the last minute,
one
David Lewis of Manchester, Vt
has charged that the Rev. Gene Robinson, now awaiting the last
vote to confirm his as bishop of New Hampshire, "inappropriately touched"
him "a couple of years ago."
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold has appointed Bishop
Gorton Scruton of Western Massachusetts to conduct an investigation.
Efforts by Episcopal News Service to reach Lewis by
phone have been unsuccessful.
Does this sound familiar to Presbyterians? |
Equal Partners in Faith says:
Same-sex marriage is a matter of equality
|
The website
tompaine.com offers a sharp analysis of
plans by the Bush
administration to use the gay marriage issue as a "wedge issue"
to strengthen its hold on voters in a number of conservative states. |
A Work of Hospitality - a review Witherspooner Don
Beisswenger reviews a new book offering some 90 short articles reflecting
the remarkable mission of The Open Door community in Atlanta - a
pioneering venture in hospitality and solidarity with the homeless and the
imprisoned. |
Are you wondering how much our little war in Iraq is costing? Just
go to our "War on Iraq" page and check out
the counter near the top of the page. |
From the
Episcopal General Convention - doors may be opening!
Episcopal House of Deputies approves Gene Robinson as bishop
from Episcopal News Service, posted 8/3/2003
Gene Robinson's journey to becoming bishop of New
Hampshire passed a crucial milestone Sunday afternoon when the House of
Deputies voted to consent to his election as bishop coadjutor.
In a vote by orders on resolution C045, lay deputations
voted 63 yes, 32 no, and 13 divided. Clergy deputations voted 65 yes, 31
no, and 12 divided. With the deputies' action, the final decision now
rests with the House of Bishops, which will take up Robinson's consent at
2 p.m. Monday.
Ritual for same-sex blessings may be approved
Convention Daily. Posted 8/3/2003
The Episcopal General Convention's committee on Prayer
Book, Liturgy and Music offered a compromise resolution Sunday on
preparing rites for same-sex blessings that would allow for local option.
The new resolution, which combines resolutions C005,
B007, C022 and C051, directs the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music
to prepare ""rites for possible inclusion in Enriching Our Worship by
means of which support and blessing may be expressed for same-sex
relationships with the permission of the ecclesiastical authority."
The resolution now goes to the House of Bishops for
consideration.
For more news from the Episcopal Church's General
Convention, click
here.
And there's more:
If you're a perplexed Presbyterian trying to understand
to voting system in the Episcopal Church, check out a report by Martha
Sawyer Allen, religion reporter on the
Minneapolis
Star Tribune.
She also provides good glimpses of the arguments for and
against the confirmation of Gene Robinson as the first openly gay priest
to be confirmed as a bishop in the Episcopal Church - or anywhere in the
world-wide Anglican communion.
NOTE: You need to register to access the Star
Tribune website -- but it's free!
|
Reports from the 215th General Assembly are
indexed on another page. Reports from July are
listed on the July archive page.
All our reports from June
are indexed on the June archive page.
Check earlier months through the
general archive
page.
|
| |
|
GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
 |
Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
 |
Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
 |
Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
|
|
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Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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