Presbyterians Release Report on Core-Beliefs
After four years of debate and discussion, a key Presbyterian task-force released its draft report on issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power.
After four years of debate and discussion, a key Presbyterian task-force released its draft report on issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A.’s Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church (TTF) released its long-awaited report for public view, during closed-door meeting on Tuesday.
The report is the first fruit of the task force, which was created by the 2001 General Assembly to “lead the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century.” Specifically, the group was instructed to find ways for the church to address contentious issues – such as homosexual ordinations and the understanding of Christianity - in a non-confrontational manner.
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“The Task Force was created in response to a whole slew of theological disputes that have been creating increasing amounts of rancor," explained Jerry Van Martyr, communications director for the denomination. "The hope is that this report will give Presbyterians everywhere the tools to discuss controversial issues.
This means the task-force merely puts the issues on a discussion table; it does not answer key questions about which view is right or wrong.
In the report that was released Tuesday, the 20-member TTF gave several guidelines on core Presbyterian beliefs. These “bedrock convictions” included the belief that: “God loves us,” “God saves us” and “God empowers us with a commission and calling.”
Because Christian identity “is centered in the love of the triune God” which “runs through the confessional tradition of the church,” the report urges the church “to continue to renew this core commitment of the faith,” they wrote.
That identity is rooted in God’s adoption of believers through grace; expressed in the proclamation of God’s word; sealed in Baptism; nurtured in the Lord’s Supper; and strengthened in discernment and service, the report says.
The group also reaffirmed church traditions.
The report states that the TTF “decided to approach Christology first from the standpoint of historical tradition.” That led the group to “affirmations that the church has made through its history about Jesus Christ, the one in whom we receive life and salvation.”
This common faith in Jesus Chris “gives us hope, indeed assurance, that we should hold on to each other and bear with each other as we grapple with the other difficult issues before the church,” the report states.
According to the Presbyterian News Service, the task force agreed that Jesus Christ is at the heart of scripture; that the focus should be on the plain text of the Bible, dependence on the interpretive guidance of the Holy Spirit and the doctrinal consensus of the church; that all interpretations should be in accordance with the two-fold commandment to love God and neighbor; that right interpretation requires earnest study using the best available resources; and that particular passages need to be interpreted in light of all the Bible.
“We have guidelines (for interpreting scripture),” said New York pastor John Wilkinson, “but a lot of people don’t know that we have them, or what they are.”
Despite setting up these general guidelines, the TTF did not address the scarring debate over homosexual ordination – an issue that nearly split the denomination apart in recent years.
The report, however, agreed on several points related to homosexual persons: It is a grave error to deny Baptism or church membership to gay and lesbian persons or to withhold pastoral care to them and their families; Those who aspire to ordination must lead faithful lives. Those who demonstrate licentious behavior should not be ordained; It is damaging and dangerous to teach that sexual behavior is a purely personal matter that is not relevant for Christian discipleship, leadership and community life; and sexual orientation is, in itself, no barrier to ordination.
Ultimately the group concluded that the unity of the church is not based on the different views and stances each Presbyterian holds on certain issues. Rather, unity is based on the indivisibility of Christ.
The purity of the church is based on the belief that “truth, holiness and righteousness matter as pathways to discipleship, in both the life of the church as a body and the lives of its members,” they wrote. And the peace of the church is to be found in “the pursuit of truth … where differing voices are not only respectfully engaged, but also honored as full partners in our common pursuit of God’s will for the church.”
The report concludes: “The whole church at every level, including the General Assembly, would be well served by more regular use of communal efforts to discern the mind of Christ through the scriptures, nurturing communal attitudes and practices that allow us to live faithfully with difference while we seriously engage in the quest for common understanding.”
According to the 20-member group, the task force’s general goals are threefold: To deepen our understanding of our Christian and catholic identity and clarify key themes of the Reformed theological and constitutional heritage; to study and evaluate the sources of health and promise as well as the causes of dissension and unrest in the church; and to recommend ways for the church to move forward, furthering its peace, unity and purity.
The third part of their task - recommendations - was not released in the initial draft paper.
The task force held their meeting at the American Airlines Training Center near the Dallas Ft. Worth airport, July 18-21.
The next meeting is slated for Chicago from Aug. 24-25. The final report will be released on Sept. 15, and task force members will travel throughout the church to seek reflections and interpretations on the report before presenting their findings the General Assembly next summer.
