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Published On: Jul 24, 2008 04:42 PM
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Published On: Jul 24, 2008 04:42 PM
PCUSA GA
The biennial General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (USA) opened over the weekend. Not a Presbyterian? So why should you
care? There are over 2 million members of the PCUSA in this country. That's
not a huge chunk, but it is substantial enough to matter in elections. In
addition, the PCUSA is one of the richest denominations in a country where money
talks. You may not care much about religion or the PCUSA specifically, but
consider what the fundie takeover of the Southern Baptists just a couple decades
ago has brought upon this country (no, the Southern Baptists weren't always that
fundamentalist).
The GA kicked off with the election of a progressive Moderator. In PCUSA terms, the Moderator is basically a public figure-head of the denomination, but in our egalitarian church, he doesn't have any more power than any other member. He gets one vote on issues, just like the rest of us.
There are several big issues to be debated, among them is eliminating the ban on LGBT ordination, and another is affirming same-sex marriage. The election of a progressive moderator might be an indication of where this GA may be heading, but it probably isn't. The GA has elected progressive moderators for years now, but so far the denomination hasn't seen fit to reverse the ban on LGBT ordination (this is, I think, the first time a same-sex marriage overture has been sent to GA -- not entirely sure about that one though.)
After the last GA, many predicted a schism as the right wing fundie churches left. I predicted, at most, a slight chipping. I was right. According to the Stated Clerk's report given at GA this weekend, a total of 12 churches have left the denomination in the past year for some other denomination. Wow. 12? Really? I'm so ... underwhelmed. Meh.
The denomination has been tip-toeing around the fundies for years now, afraid that if anything ticks them off, they'll leave. Well, just as I predicted, clearly they won't. Though I do wish they could find some way to resolve their issues instead of just picking up their toys and leaving, I'm not interested in seeing the denomination continue to compromise for fear that they'll leave, especially when they won't leave.
So, I'll probably be writing a little more this week about the PCUSA and it's decisions at GA.
The GA kicked off with the election of a progressive Moderator. In PCUSA terms, the Moderator is basically a public figure-head of the denomination, but in our egalitarian church, he doesn't have any more power than any other member. He gets one vote on issues, just like the rest of us.
There are several big issues to be debated, among them is eliminating the ban on LGBT ordination, and another is affirming same-sex marriage. The election of a progressive moderator might be an indication of where this GA may be heading, but it probably isn't. The GA has elected progressive moderators for years now, but so far the denomination hasn't seen fit to reverse the ban on LGBT ordination (this is, I think, the first time a same-sex marriage overture has been sent to GA -- not entirely sure about that one though.)
After the last GA, many predicted a schism as the right wing fundie churches left. I predicted, at most, a slight chipping. I was right. According to the Stated Clerk's report given at GA this weekend, a total of 12 churches have left the denomination in the past year for some other denomination. Wow. 12? Really? I'm so ... underwhelmed. Meh.
The denomination has been tip-toeing around the fundies for years now, afraid that if anything ticks them off, they'll leave. Well, just as I predicted, clearly they won't. Though I do wish they could find some way to resolve their issues instead of just picking up their toys and leaving, I'm not interested in seeing the denomination continue to compromise for fear that they'll leave, especially when they won't leave.
So, I'll probably be writing a little more this week about the PCUSA and it's decisions at GA.
Posted: Mon - June 23, 2008 at 10:05 AM