|
Here
are news stories (and links to longer stories) posted between the summer
of 2000 and December, 2000.
|
| Questioning
the stated clerks' analysis of Amendment A
Janet Tadano Arbesman, a minister member of the
Presbytery of Grand Canyon, raises questions about the supposedly
neutral comments on Amendment A, offered by some of the Stated Clerks.
It is less than objective, she suggests, and ignores the realities of
our history. Their interpretation would thus strike another blow against
any progress toward becoming a truly inclusive church. |
| PC(USA)
is one of 15 denominations in Ecumenical Christian coalition organizing prayer
campaign for peace in the Middle East |
| The
Heartland Presbytery has voted NOT to concur with Overture O 116 to
127. They also voted not to concur with a local overture from the
Gashland Church to permit "Gracious and Amicable
Separation." |
| Baltimore
Presbytery passes Overture to Delete
B.13. (Demonstration Ban) |
| Attorney
Doug Nave offers reasoned arguments for
rejecting Amendment O |
Synod
judicial decision upholds installation of gay elder in Connecticut
An appeal to the top ecclesiastical court is under way |
| General
Assembly Council chair Peter Pizor has
announced he will delay his plan to appoint a
conference-planning-review task force
|
Clinton
signs "Jubilee" debt relief measure, notes influence of
religious communities.
Elenora Giddings Ivory of PCUSA Washington Office
is there.
|
| Advocacy
Committee on Women's Concerns urges opposition to Amendment A |
Brian
Blount calls for attention to the "Living Word," which is
never the "last word."
With apologies for the delay, here is our summary report on the
third of the major addresses at the Covenant Network conference. |
| Executive
presbyter Dennis Maher raises questions about Detterick statements
Former
Witherspoon president Rod Martin
comments, praises Peacemaking Conference |
| Research
released from a Princeton University study of mainline Protestants shows
overwhelming support for
denominational lobbying in Washington, even though most pastors have
little or no contact with their church's capital offices. |
| Synod
of Northeast PJC rules in favor of ordination of gay elder first First
Church Stamford (CT). Appeal is planned to GA PJC. That All May
Freely Serve has a report, plus the full text of the decision.
[11/11/00] |
| Board
member tells Coalition to face the
fact that divisions in PC(USA) are deep and lasting
But most evangelicals reject calls for leaving the
denomination
from PNS, 11-7-00 |
| For
the latest on the controversy, over Dirk Ficca's talk at the Peacemaking
Conference, and GAC Executive Director John Detterick's statement to the
Presbyterian Coalition, click here.
|
| Gene
TeSelle offers some thoughts on dealing
with Amendment O in our presbyteries |
| Covenant
Network draws nearly 600 to ponder Biblical authority and current
tensions in the church
"Biblical Authority and the Church" is theme
|
The
General Assembly Council's Executive
Committee has issued a letter, dated Oct. 25, 2000, responding to
the conservative criticisms of the presentation by Dr. Dirk Ficca at the
Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference this summer. They affirm the
denomination's tradition position on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, while
also affirming Ficca's right to hold and express his views.
|
Union
Seminary symposium looks at the
challenge to mainline Christianity
10-26-00 |
The
Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) is sending to synods
a draft policy statement on
domestic violence, suggesting that the church become a
"responsive church community" in dealing with issues of
violence among its own members. Studies on Africa
and on the changing family are also in
process.
[10-26-00]
|
| Presbyterian
United Nations Office hosts seminar on
Gender Justice as follow-up to Beijing conference. UN
Office staffer Jennifer Butler sees proclamation of the Gospel as an
integral part of work with the UN. |
Detroit
congregations cross racial barriers through Bible study and frank
discussions of racism
10-26-00 |
Howard
Rice, a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church and professor at San
Francisco Theological Seminary, shares his dreams
for our church -- and challenges us to act together with courage to
face the challenges of this year.
|
| Jane
Hanna, Witherspoon's new President, reflects on the Society's past
and present commitment to a vision of the Gospel as calling us to work
for the common welfare -- for justice -- as well as for personal
freedom and happiness. |
Are
we becoming The Incredible Shrinking
Church?
In the latest issue of Presbyterian Outlook, the
Rev. John Wimberly, of Washington, DC, warns that our Presbyterian
Church is may drive away many of our new members, by imposing forms of
narrow moralism that make no sense to them. |
| Highland
Park session says the PC(USA) is "delinquent" and must
affirm "Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Lord." |
| A
Princeton Seminary alumnus notes that, for all the right-wing attacks on
the National Council of Churches, two
Princeton alumni have been elected as officers. |
Members
of GAC express concerns about the ranking of church's mission
work. Click
here.
|
| People
have asked for thoughts about Amendments
A and O, coming to presbyteries soon. |
| A
series of consultations on the doctrine
of the Trinity, open to all, is still going on. You may want
to join one and make your witness for a progressive view of a
traditional and vital doctrine. An additional East Coast event
has been added for Philadelphia,
Nov. 28. |
| David
Bos at Downtown Church, Rochester, calls for church progressives to
issue another 'Auburn Affirmation' |
| The
whole Gospel ...
Growing out of the recent Witherspoon executive
committee meeting -- and the GAC
decision to give priority to "evangelism and discipleship"
-- is a new Witherspoon commitment to discerning the meaning the
"the whole Gospel" and how it can be lived out in our churches
and our lives.
Former president Gene TeSelle offers some first
thoughts on what promises to occupy us for some time to come. Click
here. |
| An
overture has been passed by the Presbytery
of New York City, seeking to reverse our denomination's prohibition
on ordained service by gay and lesbian persons. |
Kent
Winters-Hazelton preached on Sunday, Sept. 24, reflecting on the new
list of GAC priorities in light of Mark's account of the Transfiguration
and what followed it. The Gospel, he suggests, is not about
"Me," but about welcoming the Other. Click
here for "The Road Less Traveled."
|
| Suzanne
Souder offers one
commissioner's view of the politics of GA, suggesting the pressures
were not as great as some have thought. |
The
GAC in a 4-hour meeting on Friday, Sept. 22, ranked its programs on
the basis of a scale valuing evangelism and discipleship above social
and justice concerns. This will help guide 2002 mission budget.
|
Toward
more democracy in our church and in our government
Chris Iosso looks at the implications of the
action of the 2000 GA approving a program of voluntary funding
disclosure by groups relating to the PC(USA). |
| An
inner-city pastor challenges well-off evangelical suburban churches to partner
with inner-city churches and service agencies. |
| Martha
Juillerat, director of the Stoles Project,
preaches on why she is not giving up on the PC(USA), in a sermon on I
Cor. 12 entitled "Next
Year's T-shirt" |
| Former
General Assembly moderator and stated clerk William
P. Thompson and his wife, Mary, have been honored by the
establishment of an ecumenical scholarship fund in their names. |
| John Detterick, Executive Director of the
GAC, has now confirmed his plans to
shift funding priorities to a major emphasis on evangelism and church
growth.
Click here for his statement.
And here for an updated
commentary by outgoing Witherspoon president GeneTeSelle.
[9/12/00]
Witherspooner
Jean Rodenbough adds a comment
from her experience in social ministry. |
| Lew
Daly, the author of A Moment to Decide, has prepared a careful analysis
of the 212th General Assembly which applies the analysis
of the book to our latest national meeting.
[added 9/11/00] |
| Ten
Presbyterians, from right and left sides of the spectrum, joined for a
weekend of Bible study in search of a basis for unity. Click
here for the PNS report. [9/12/00] |
Unity,
diversity, and boundaries ... all of them are needed, but how do
we define them?
Gene TeSelle offers some thoughts.
[added 9/6/00] |
The
state of the PC(USA) -- It's all
just a "power play"
Sam Lanham, a retired pastor living in Fredericksburg,
Texas, sends this comment on the state of the PC(USA). We share it here
with his permission. [added 9/6/00] |
| For
reports on the controversy over the recent Peacemaking Conference and
statements by speaker Dirk Ficca, click
here. |
| Gene
TeSelle offers theological reflections on the
openness of true orthodoxy. |
| The
chair of GAC and its Executive Director issue a strong statement
in favor of theological openness. |
| Williamsport,
PA session calls for a "season of prayer
and fasting" to repent of the "Particularist-Pluralistic
Dynamic" advanced by Dirk Ficca in his presentation at the
Peacemaking Conference. [added 9/11/00] |
| Recent
Presbyterian News reports of interest to Witherspoon folk -- added on
9/2/00 |
| Advocacy
committees join to affirm the unity of justice and evangelism |
| Peace
activists do jubilee -- helping set a prisoner free |
| James
Emerson named interim president of SFTS |
|
For reports and comments on the
212th General Assembly
click here |
|
Other news of the PC(USA) |
|
The
Women's Gathering in Louisville --
a progressive perspective
Your WebWeaver wasn't there, alas -- but if you haven't already found
reports from the Women's Gathering in Louisville, click
here for links to some of the reports, and for a personal report
from Witherspoon officer and college chaplain Vicki Moss
|
| Voices
of Orthodox Women now regrets that "GAC [broke] the rules" to
extend its review of the Women's Ministry Program Area
But of course, they were just doing what VOW
demanded
Click here for a comment by Doug King |
| The Office of
Environmental Justice in Louisville will pay for the training of new Restoring
Creation Enablers. If your presbytery acts to name such a
person, they will be eligible for a training program next May. |
| GA
PJC issues decision in
Northern New England case -- says presbytery may not remain
silent when a congregation intends to disregard the constitution |
A
minister gives up his ordination because he is gay -- and explains
why.
And one church session explains why
they think it's a good thing.
|
The Washington Office -- the best-kept
secret in the PC(USA)?
How to make use of it! |
