Rooted and Grounded …Tossed To and Fro

An Evangelical Perspective on the 213th General Assembly in Louisville, KY

Jack Haberer, D.Min.

June 9-16, 2001

Everywhere you looked you saw the same motto. It was written on tee shirts, rectangular buttons, banners, projected Powerpoint images on huge screens. The images all said the same thing: "Rooted and grounded in love." Such language extended a warm welcome to several thousand Presbyterians arriving at the Kentucky International Convention Center, located just three blocks from the Presbyterian Center in downtown Louisville. Drawn from Ephesians 3, the theme chosen by the Local Arrangements Committee evoked vivid imagery: being rooted in our past, our heritage, our values, our faith, our God; and being grounded on terra firma, ready to endure the worst storms. "Rooted and Grounded in Love" offered a hopeful theme for the General Assembly a succinct expression of our Christian love ethic …and a possible mooring for a church caught in a whirlwind of conflict.

Arriving commissioners well knew that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is getting "tossed to and fro and blown about" (Eph 4:14) by new winds of doctrines, by never-ending conflicts, and by the worst of human sins: unbridled passions, a lust for power, and a spirit of contempt for others.

Could the PC(USA) find peace? Could power mongering give way to loving service? Tony Campolo seemed to think so. Then again, he's not a Presbyterian.

Rooted and Grounded in Love

At one of the many early morning banquets, the Rev. Anthony Campolo-that iconoclastic American Baptist scholar/preacher-reminded those present that the desire for power "is all too evident in the church of Christ." He elaborated, "'Love and power end up being diametrically opposed." While cracking jokes on Baptists and Presbyterians alike, he called upon his Presbyterian sisters and brothers to love one another sacrificially.

Consistent with that charge, the Assembly took numerous actions that express God's love pointedly.

The Assembly decided to extend the "Year of the Child" to the "The Decade of the Child," to run from July 2001 through July 2011. They commissioned all related entities to explore new and innovative ways to minister to children's needs "spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, psychologically and socially."

The commissioners adopted a "Resolution on the Ministry of Caregiving in Relation to Older Adults," encouraging, among other things, the development of parish nursing programs and the strengthening of support for retired pastors.

For the first time ever, the denominational leaders adopted a resolution asking forgiveness for Presbyterians' complicity in slavery.

They adopted a landmark study, "Turn Mourning Into Dancing! A Policy Statement on Healing Domestic Violence," which includes 60 recommendations for action.

Through these and other pieces of legislation, the commissioners were aiming to be rooted and grounded in love.

Rooted and Grounded in Christ

This General Assembly also aimed to be rooted and grounded in Christ, and well it needed to be. Controversy had exploded within the church at its annual Peacemaking Conference, held in August, 2000, when one speaker called into question the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. The speaker, Dirk Ficca, the director of the Congress on World Religions, even asked provocatively, "So what's the big deal about Jesus?" The General Assembly Council responded by issuing statements clarifying the centrality of Christ, but those words came sluggishly and somewhat blandly. In reaction, a "Confessing Movement" began to emerge in early 2000, with nearly 300 church sessions having subscribed to it by the opening of the General Assembly.

As expected, on opening day the moderatorial candidates were asked their opinions on the Confessing Movement, and the candidate with the strongest theological credentials gave a blisteringly critical response. This retired theology professor, Dr. Jack Rogers, was then elected to the post of moderator, suggesting that this assembly was not going to join any confessing movement of any kind.

Rogers took a surprising turn two days later. He acknowledged that he had misjudged the intentions of those confessing their faith. He apologized to those he had offended. He then said, "I want to be known as the confessing moderator" and proceeded to call the assembly commissioners to confess their faith by reciting portions of the church's confessions in each of the plenary sessions.

Given the mixed message inherent in the moderator's change of tack, it followed that the commissioners also would find difficult the task of responding to that question of all questions, "So what's the big deal about Jesus?"

The Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Educational Issues responded to the question by recommending that the Assembly direct the Worship and Theology Department of the national staff to provide materials for Presbyterians to "better understand the theological richness of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the Book of Confessions and Book of Order; the imperfections in our daily responses to God's calling; and ways in which congregational and individual witness can be strengthened." Needless to say, many folks deemed that to be a terribly inadequate response to that pressing question. A minority report was developed-and signed by the committee chair, Jerry Andrews, the co-moderator of the Presbyterian Coalition-calling for the commissioners to declare among other things that "Jesus Christ, fully divine and fully human, is the singular saving Lord as understood through Scripture, our confessions and Book of Order…"

The minority report was quickly rejected. Three concerns were voiced either explicitly or implicitly: 1) the unfamiliarity of the wording, 2) the fear that this would become a new litmus test held over the heads of ordination candidates, and 3) the larger fear that this would revive the policy of "subscription" required by the fundamentalists one hundred years ago. The emergence of the Confessing Movement, with its three statements of belief, had unleashed no small amount of anxiety among those who still live in the memory of the five-point fundamentalist movement. The prospect of "giving in" to what was feeling like a whole new era of coercion brought out a backlash against subscriptionist language.

Then again, the majority report was amended significantly, borrowing language from "The Crucified One is Lord," a policy paper of the Reformed Church in America, which declares the uniqueness of Christ using language more consistent with that already used in confessions. The amendment to the majority report added the following:

"…As a witness to what we believe, we affirm the following statement:

We confess the unique authority of Jesus Christ as Lord. Every other authority is finally subject to Christ.

Jesus Christ is also uniquely Savior. It is 'his life, death, resurrection, ascension and final return that restores creation, providing salvation for all those whom God has chosen to redeem. Although we do not know the limits of God's grace and pray for the salvation of those who may never come to know Christ, for us the assurance of salvation is found only in confessing Christ and trusting him alone. We are humbled in our witness to Christ by our realization that our understanding of him and his way is limited and distorted by our sin. Still the transforming power of Christ in our lives compels us to make Christ known to others."

This response was adopted overwhelmingly.

Conservative Presbyterians suddenly found themselves in a quandary, struggling to decide whether this statement should be seen as a satisfactory response to Ficca's question. Some, especially some signers of the minority report, were committed to the expression, "singular saving Lord." The lack of such a phrase caused some to reject the response as inadequate. However, Presbyterians for Renewal, the largest and longest established evangelical organization, saw that differently. They stated:

"Presbyterians for Renewal empathizes with those who preferred the language of the minority report. At the same time, however, PFR gives thanks that the Assembly affirmed the Lordship of Jesus Christ. At the urging of Moderator Jack Rogers, the Assembly commissioners are regularly confessing in unison their faith in Jesus Christ through readings from the Book of Confessions. How good it is for brothers and sisters to profess together their fervent faith in Jesus Christ!"

On one other front, the theological attention of the church was drawn to the "Left Behind" series of books, with the commissioners warning that the books reflect an interpretation of the Bible that is not consistent with our Reformed understanding of Covenant Theology. They directed the Office of Theology and Worship to make available to all congregations the booklet, "Between Millennia" as an aid in the study of Revelation.

Remembering the declaration of the 1994 General Assembly, "Theology Matters," this assembly did aim to help the church to be better rooted and grounded in Christ.

As mentioned above, Moderator Rogers did apologize to those hurt by his remarks on the Confessing Movement. In the process, he was modeling one other rooting and grounding that directed the efforts of this GA. He was reminding us that we also must be…

Rooted and Grounded in Reconciliation

As the Confession of 1967 has highlighted, one summary word for the work of Christ is that of "Reconciliation." He came to reconcile us to God and to one another. Accordingly, he has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2Cor. 5:18). This assembly took that calling seriously.

On the ecumenical front, some of our denomination's leaders had recently elevated our reconciling efforts by following in the footsteps of the World Anglican Communion and the World Lutheran Federation by beginning a process of building closer ties between reformed churches and the Roman Catholic Church. This assembly blessed those efforts and encouraged an intensification of such work toward reconciliation.

On the home front, the picture looked a lot less rosy. As suggested above, the christological controversy had set an ominous cloud over the PC(USA). The Confessing Movement certainly posed the obvious question, "Will this lead to a split?" And these recent developments had followed on the heels of the previous year's General Assembly, which had rejected a proposal to "declare an impasse" over matters of human sexuality-all the while, so many Presbyterians considered such an impasse to be an undeniable reality. Last November, over 100 presbytery executives and stated clerks had released a letter to the denomination urging the GA to seek a "Third Way" through its conflicts on sexual ethics (the first way being traditional prohibition against homosexual practice and the second being the acceptance of homosexual practice). An overture from the John Calvin Presbytery called upon the GA to form a commission to "study the spiritual condition of our church and the causes for unrest." Outgoing Moderator Syngman Rhee echoed those appeals by urging the commissioners to convene such a commission-first in a letter to commissioners and then in his final sermon on the second day of this year's Assembly. He summarized his intent in the sermon:

"We Presbyterians, here and now, are heirs to the promise of reconciling power available to us in Jesus Christ. Today God calls out to us one more time to learn to love God and our neighbor. God calls us to become ambassadors of reconciliation to a church and world rich in things and poor in soul, a world crying out from every corner for peace, for healing, for hope beyond hope."

Those concerns were echoed by appeals by Stated Clerk Cliff Kirkpatrick and General Assembly Executive Director John Detterick. For the first time in memory, a special "Peace, Purity and Unity Committee" was formed for commissioners to take up such a proposal. The committee did as suggested. They directed the moderator and the two most recent past moderators to appoint a seventeen-member task force in to "enter into a season of theological clarification of our Presbyterian identity." The commissioners supported that proposal by a lopsided 91% vote.

Rooted and grounded in reconciliation …a laudable and energetically supported goal for the church.

However, one other action of the Assembly seems to have done just the opposite. Instead of bringing the church together, instead of quieting stormy waters, this General Assembly launched the church into a storm-driven sea to be…

Tossed To and Fro

For all their efforts at rooting and grounding the church in love, in Christ, and in reconciliation, this General Assembly also initiated a season of even greater conflict, even more intense division, even more polarized actions and counter actions. Like the fishing boat caught in the Perfect Storm, the PC(USA) may be facing the most dangerous ecclesiastical tsunami it has seen in decades.

In addressing yet again our differences on the hottest hot-button issue for the past decade, the ordination of gays and lesbians, the GA started a whole new war. Not that they were wanting it that way…

In 1998, several Presbyterian leaders had urged the denomination to stand down from writing new legislation on this volatile subject. The Call to Sabbatical was endorsed by the 1999 General Assembly, which specifically adopted a two-year moratorium on legislation. In anticipation of the end of that respite, 28 presbyteries wrote or endorsed overtures to this year's GA, mostly calling for the elimination of the "fidelity within a marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness" requirement of all those being ordained or installed into the office of deacon, elder or minister of Word and Sacrament. Believing the categorical prohibition of gays and lesbians from ordination to be unjust and believing that "justice delayed is justice denied," advocates for change set their sights on this GA. They were encouraged by the recent rejection of legislation that would have explicitly prohibited the performance of same-sex unions; "perhaps it suggests a loosening of Presbyterians' views," they thought. An overall liberalizing of views on homosexuality in the culture would suggest that the church might be ready for such change. The election of a moderator-who, being a long-time leading evangelical, conservative leader that had changed his views and become an advocate for ordination of gays and lesbians-strengthened their resolve. And hearing no hints of compromise from their conservative opponents hardened their determination. Spurred on by the growing Covenant Network's advocacy and by the development of a professional "Powerpoint" presentation that claimed that "local option" is indeed the "third way" being sought by the presbytery executives and former moderator Rhee (frankly, co-opting their intentions), the Committee on Ordination Standards adopted the most radical of the overtures offered it. On the floor the commissioners debated respectfully. They rejected a minority report and several attempts to substitute and to amend the motions. Finally they adopted a course of action to be sent to the presbyteries for vote:

1. …that deletes G-6.0106b - "those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic, confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of Word and Sacrament."

2. …that all the Authoritative Interpretations of the constitution issued on the subject of ordaining homosexuals "shall be given no more further force or effect" and that only other requirements expressly stated in the BO "hereby are affirmed as the sole and exclusive standards for ordination by ordaining bodies acting in prayerful discernment of the leading of Almighty God."

3. …and added to G-6.0106a (regarding those called to ordained office) the sentence, "Their suitability to hold office is determined by the governing body where the examination for ordination or installation takes place, guided by scriptural and constitution standards, under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ."

By so doing, the commissioners to the 213th General Assembly have called the church back to a legislative battle that, for all intents and purposes, boils down to "Winner take all." If adopted, the proposal will effectively erase every policy approved by the PC(USA)-whether by legislative development or judicial ruling-since the issue of ordaining gays and lesbians was first raised in 1976. It would put the denomination on record has having no official position regarding the sexual moral standards of those being ordained, leaving all such policy development and enforcement to local ordaining bodies-namely presbyteries as they ordain ministers, and church sessions as they ordain elders and deacons.

For the present, nothing changes. But for the next ten months, each of the 172 presbyteries will meet and vote. In every case, if a majority of present ministers and elders vote to adopt the proposal, then that presbytery counts as one vote. If a total of 87 presbyteries garner a simple majority, then this policy change will go into effect at the time of next year's gathering at the 214th General Assembly.

Sadly, the immediate impact of this ruling is that is sets the denomination into a state of ecclesiastical war. Since it establishes a blunt, clear plan-either maintaining the traditional standards or eliminating them wholesale-it leaves no room for negotiation, no "Third Way" for the Theological Task Force to seriously consider. For those of us who have worked hard to build bridges between factions of the denomination, this proposal hands us M-16s and sends us into bunkers-our primary task being that of rallying votes for "our side" against "their side." Moreover, in an atmosphere of tension that has been heightened by the christological controversy, the Confessing Movement promises to intensify both in numbers and anger, leading to the prospect that the final vote on ordination standards will set into motion either a "takeover" mentality among victorious conservatives or a "we're outta here" exodus by defeated and disaffected conservatives.

Moderate Presbyterians are understandably dismayed at the whole prospect of such a vote. I for one wish it had not come down to this.

Rooted and Grounded …and Tossed To and Fro

In closing, let there be no doubt that the commissioners were following their consciences as they believed themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit. They prayed much, they confessed their faith repeatedly, they listened intently and they voted as they believed to be God's leading. But, as I reflect upon this Assembly, three troubling thoughts continue to challenge me.

First, the dialogue regarding the uniqueness of Christ perhaps brought the greatest dismay to these ears. Frankly put, most arguments-regardless of the point of view-were being presented on the merits of personal experience, not on those of theological faithfulness. Most points made about Jesus' life and mission were presented on the basis on the speaker's own personal spiritual journey, or on the people of faith that she or he knows, or upon other anecdotal modes of argument. Frankly, most points were shallow-whether being argued by liberals or conservatives, young or old, traditionalists or progressives. At the heart of the problem, it was evident that we are quickly losing our ability to do theology. Not that this is a particularly Presbyterian problem. In fact, it's not even a particularly mainline Protestant problem. While the liberal movement may be blamed for trying too hard to make the gospel relevant-taking its cues from the secular environment-the mega-church movement among conservative Christians focuses on "application," presenting sermons that focus on people's practical lives, relieving them of the need to hear exegetical, expository, theological sermons. All across the land, Sunday schools are being pushed aside in favor of easy religion, dumbed-down thinking, and pop psychology. We need desperately to reclaim the theological endeavor in our Christian education programs for young and old.

Second, as an evangelical, I identify with the many brothers and sisters who feel compelled to stand for the authority of holy Scripture as it speaks to matters of sexual morality and theological faithfulness. While attending this GA, for the first time since my high school years, I carried 3x5 cards in my shirt pocket on which were typed memory verses-to keep some of those scriptures ever before me. The one card to which I referred most confirmed to me that we are ever to be fighting against the "influences of the flesh," namely, "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, … drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." Evangelicals stand together in speaking out, proclaiming, and confronting such immoral and heterodox practices. But in order to resist such practices we evangelicals have adopted a the method of fomenting "enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, …[and] envy." Funny thing about that scripture card I was carrying around the GA: the Apostle Paul lists both sets of behaviors in one aggregate list, followed by the words, "I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, to battle against the one set of sins by committing the other set of sins makes us just as guilty of disobeying the Word of God. Indeed, as the scripture card continues, Paul rejoins, "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal. 5:19-22). While it is essential that people of faith speak up for biblical morality and ethics, we need to be ever-vigilant to be sure that our advocacy for good things not take on a methodology that rebels against biblical ethics regarding our treatment of one another in the body of Christ.

Third, I find myself wanting to say to all my friends in the denomination, "Whoa, Nellie." The battle over the new amendment, coupled with the expanding Confessing Movement, all coming on the heels of the christological controversy-all these points of issue are pushing the PC(USA) headlong into what is looking increasingly like an inevitable division of the church. As appealing as this may feel to some who are battle-weary, I cannot warn loudly enough of the horrifying results that will ensue if such a course is pursued. The severing of friendships and even families always results at such times, and the cause of Christ becomes far more damaged than anything we are experiencing now. Moreover, the present momentum pushing toward division is being fueled by contemptuous judgments being foisted upon one another in the church-most especially by us evangelicals toward our more liberal/progressive counterparts. Our differences do exist, and they are substantial. Our structures deserve to be reworked and revised. But we need to stand down-long before we reach a point of no return, long before we drive ourselves into effectively "renouncing jurisdiction" due to our maintaining a "superior" form of the faith. Remember that when the apostle urged the believers to put on spiritual armor, he then said, "Now having done everything to stand," he ordered, "stand." Not attack, not lash out, not retreat, but stand. Let us stand in peace.

In closing, I return to the central theme of the General Assembly…

A couple weeks before the General Assembly, I visited a few hours with Rev. Paul Johansson, the president of Elim Bible Institute in Lima, NY, whom I have counted for nearly 30 years to be one of my most significant ministry mentors. He was reflecting on the role that I have played in the PC(USA) as an evangelical who sometimes seems to "lean to the right" and on other times seems to "lean to the left." "What people don't understand," he said, "is that we are called to be like the palm tree. Given its location, which is often right up by the ocean, the palm cannot depend upon a forest to protect it from the weather. Rather it sends out a wide and strong network of roots, which gives it a broad base of support. As the wind blows, it can bend way over to one side or the other, but the roots keep it secure. In your case and in all of our cases," he summarized, "God calls us to be rooted in the Word, so that we too can bend way over to the right or to the left, but always knowing that the Word keeps us grounded and secure."

On a similar vein, evangelical pastor Heidi Husted preached in the General Assembly's Monday morning worship service, calling upon the GA not to be liberal or conservative but, rather, to be radical. In so doing she reminded everybody that the word radical comes from the Latin radix, which means root. "Be rooted," she exhorted the commissioners.

So too, we need to be a people willing and able to "bend over backwards" to listen to one another, to hear the cries of peoples long silenced, to seek out the lost, to learn new and disruptive lessons. In fact, even with the challenge of an amendment vote battle looming, we still can be an effective outpost for the mission of Christ to the world, as long as we are rooted …in love …in reconciliation …Scripture …and in Christ himself.

Toward that end may we pray for each other, even as an apostle once prayed for our sisters and brothers in Ephesus,

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (3:16-21)