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The report of the
Theological Task Force
on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church
page 2 |
General
Assembly backgrounder: Theological Task Force
Recommendations on ordination standards provoke intense debate
[Doug King - 5-23-06]
by Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE -- May 22, 2006 – The 20-member Theological Task Force on Peace,
Unity and Purity of the Church (TTF) was created by the 2001 General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) during a time of particularly
acrimonious debate over a number of issues "to lead the PC(USA) in spiritual
discernment of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century."
The group, chosen purposefully to reflect the theological spectrum in the
church, was specifically charged to address "issues of Christology, Biblical
authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power."
After five years of work -- a period during which the prospect of schism in
the PC(USA) has increasingly been voiced -- the task force voted unanimously
to submit its final report and six recommendations to this year's 217th
General Assembly.
In its first four recommendations, the task force urges the church to stay
together, to prayerfully study divisive issues together, to study the
theological reflection section of the TTF report and "to explore the use of
alternative forms of discernment and decision-making as a complement to
parliamentary procedure, especially in dealing with potentially divisive
issues."
The last two recommendations of the task force have raised the level of
acrimony to new heights. Not surprisingly, those recommendations address
ordination standards for church officers.
Recommendation 6 calls for the retention of the current standard --
G-6.0106b of The Book of Order, which restricts ordination to those who
practice "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman
or chastity in singleness." That standard, established as church policy in
1978 (as "definitive guidance" and then "authoritative interpretation") and
codified into church law in 1996 -- has provoked sustained opposition from
those who support the ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians.
The task force's recommendation 5 calls for a new "authoritative
interpretation" of G-6.0108 that would give ordaining bodies some leeway in
determining whether any candidate's "departure (from scriptural and
constitutional standards for ordination) constitutes a failure to adhere to
the essentials of Reformed faith and polity--" If the answer is "no," the
ordaining body could proceed with ordination, subject to review by church
courts.That recommendation has ignited a firestorm
of criticism from supporters of G-6.0106b. A coalition of 11 Presbyterian
"renewal" organizations and two dozen conservative leaders issued a
statement last fall that the TTF report "constitutes a blend of truth and
error that, if adopted, will undermine the church's purity and exacerbate
the denomination's disunity. Indeed, it will promote schism by permitting
the disregard of clear standards of scripture and the Constitution of the
PC(USA)."
This spring, 34 large church pastors issued a statement
expressing "our deep concern for the most troubling implication of the
Peace, Unity, and Purity Task Force report -- the adoption of a new
authoritative interpretation regarding standards for ordination creating
'local option.'"
Task force members argue that there is an important distinction between
"essentials" and "standards," which it says are "aspirational in character."
The TTF says that its proposed authoritative interpretation -- which, unlike
constitutional amendments, would not have to be sent to the presbyteries for
ratification -- reaffirms the historical balance between national ordination
standards and "the duty of ordaining and installing bodies to apply those
standards in determining fitness for office and compliance with essentials."
The Advisory Committee on the Constitution recently issued its opinion that
the TTF recommendations are constitutional.
A statement endorsing the TTF report has been issued by all but three of the
living former General Assembly moderators and another endorsement has come
from the presidents of all 10 PC(USA)-related theological seminaries.
The Covenant Network of Presbyterians, the largest pro-gay and lesbian
ordination organization in the church, has taken a more neutral stand by
saying it will not "advise" commissioners how to vote "on various issues"
though it will "continue to support" overtures calling for the deletion of
G-6.0106b.
Nine overtures have been submitted to the Assembly, most of them directed at
amending or removing Recommendation 5.
The report of the TTF will be handled by Assembly Committee 6 --
Ecclesiology.
To read this story online go to
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2006/06281.htm
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