First, with regard to the paedocommunion issues in the PCA,
there were some encouraging developments. The minority report from the Committee
on the Review of Presbytery Records (CRPR) regarding Central Florida Presbytery
was adopted. Central Florida is now required to come back and report to next
year’s assembly. That’s another opportunity for the assembly to address the
issue. Second, Pacific Northwest Presbytery had to temper the language that it
has used in the past when they approve someone who holds to paedocommunion.
Those folks will no longer be told that they have full liberty to preach and
teach their exception to the standards. Second, PNWP had to make it very clear
that no one in the presbytery is now practicing paedocommunion, and no one will
be allowed to practice it in the future. If evidence comes forth that it is
being practiced, that will provide sufficient rationale for charges to be
brought. In addition, though Overtures 19 and 23 were ruled out of order,
Overtures 20-22 were referred to the Standing Judicial Commission (SJC). They
will have to deal with those overtures at their October meeting, and that
report will be dealt with at next year’s assembly. While many hoped that the
CRPR minority report on PNWP would be adopted, it was not. But we cannot
conclude that the PCA has decided that paedocommunion is an allowable exception
(in the sense of men being allowed to practice it). Thus it behooves us to pray
that the SJC would favorably regard the overtures sent to it for consideration.
Second, with regard to the “Insider Movements” (IM) report:
the entire report was sent back to the committee for reworking. My hope is that
whatever strengths were in the minority report can be worked into the majority
report in such a way that the author of the minority report will be satisfied.
I was pleased to see that the proposal to accept the whole thing—majority and
minority reports together—was defeated. The minority report has some good
intentions in giving practical direction to converts from Islam to Christianity
who still live in a Muslim context. But it was seriously undermined by less
than careful theological thinking and expression. It probably would have flown
in the PC(USA). I was glad it did not fly in the PCA.
Third, I was also heartened by the fact that the Committee
of Commissioners for the Interchurch Relations Committee (ICR) pressed the
issue regarding membership in the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
The NAE is a seriously flawed organization. The ICR Permanent Committee will
have to be more diligent in the coming year in reporting on what the NAE does.
Perhaps when all those actions are put together in list form, it will become
apparent to the PCA that we as a denomination have no business being part of
that association.
Fourth, I was thankful for Mr. Sloan’s personal resolution
regarding child abuse in the church and our pastoral responsibilities. It was
given to the Overtures Committee for perfecting, but what they submitted gutted
Mr. Sloan’s resolution. I was glad that it was sent back again, and will come
before the assembly next year.
I conclude with three general observations. There were
something over 1,200 registered commissioners at the assembly. Not great
attendance, but better than the past couple of years. However, on the occasions
when counted votes were taken, the total ranged from around 750 to about 900.
That means that for the most part one fourth to one third of the commissioners
were out doing something other than attending to the business of the assembly. Those
of you who registered and did not attend the business sessions, shame on you!
Particularly, shame on you if you led your church to believe that you would be
going to do the work of the assembly!
I do not want to cast aspersions on Mr. Terrell. Moderating the GA is a hard and thankless job.But Mr. Terrell did not seem to be ready to be
moderator. I am sure he is a fine executive, and a faithful ruling elder. But
the moderator of GA ought to be adept enough at parliamentary procedure that he
should only be glancing desperately in the direction of the Stated Clerk and
the parliamentarians in particularly difficult situations. It seemed that the
assembly ran more smoothly on the couple of occasions when there was a
substitute moderator at the podium.
Now is not the time to be looking to leave the PCA. Now is
the time to be devoting ourselves to prayer for our denomination and the
substantive issues that are facing us, and that will face us in the coming years.
I wonder how many of us spend as much time praying for our church as we do
complaining about our church.
4 comments:
As always, Ben, excellent insight. I am very grateful for your analysis. Even though it was here in town, I could not attend because of pressing matters. Thanks!
As always, Ben, excellent insight. I am very grateful for your analysis. Even though it was here in town, I could not attend because of pressing matters. Thanks!
Well stated and fair.
Thank Dr. Shaw for your recap and commentary on the GA. I especially appreciated your closing paragraph and agree!
"Now is not the time to be looking to leave the PCA. Now is the time to be devoting ourselves to prayer for our denomination and the substantive issues that are facing us, and that will face us in the coming years. I wonder how many of us spend as much time praying for our church as we do complaining about our church."
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