One of the ordination vows for teaching elders, ruling elders, and deacons is “Do you promise to further the peace, unity and purity of the church.” (Book of Order, W-4.4003 g)

I have been amazed at the consternation some people have been able to find in this question in recent months and years.  So I offer some observations that have helped provide me with clarity and calm.

The sequence of these three ways of living is important.  Living in peace makes unity possible.  Living in peaceful unity contributes to the realistic possibility of purity.

Some people openly change the order of these three important aspects of being the church.  Many of those who speak of the need for a group that is “like-minded” seem to reverse the order – some even openly state that in their speaking.  Purity then unity then peace.  If we as human creatures are willing to strive to live in peace and unity then we are more open to let God do God’s work of purity.  Those who feel a need for human judgment of purity standards are attempting to do God’s work.

One more point – unity and uniformity at not synonyms.  Unity implies the presence of diversity while uniformity implies the absence of diversity.  I am convinced that if God wanted us all to be alike then God certainly could have accomplished that – after all would it not be easier to create copies of a single human person rather than the complexity of working to create each of us uniquely in God’s image.

Finally – peace and unity are also more than just tolerance.  I have always loved the wording that has been part of our denomination since 1789 with the meeting of the first General Assembly in Philadelphia:

That, while under the conviction of the above principle we think it necessary to make effectual provision that all who are admitted as teachers be sound in the faith, we also believe that there are truths and forms with respect to which men* of good characters and principle may differ.  And in all these we think it the duty of private Chrsitians and societies to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other. (Book of Order, F-3.0105)

As I understand those words we are called to exercise mutual forbearance together in unity not in separation and schism.  More tomorrow . . .

Grace and peace

*  From a footnote to the text: The words “men” and “man’s” throughout this quotation from the eighteenth century should be understood as apploying to all persons. (Book of Order, page 11, footnote 2)

Last night it was my privilege to join with a group of friends and colleagues who had gathered for the purpose of examining people who had been chosen through the voice of the congregation to provide our congregation with leadership as deacons and ruling elders for the next three years.  I have participated in this process for a number of years, but something was refreshingly different this year.  The gathering had the aroma of celebration from beginning to end and it reminded me of the following statements – the first from The Shorter Catechism and the second from the newly revised Book of Order.

Q. 1.  What is the chief end of man?  A.  Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Standards for ordained service reflect the church’ s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life. (G-2.0104 b)

As part of the preparation for this final session our Pastor listed the following five practices in preprating for “Management of Anxieties in Systemic Change”: Keeping a non-anxious presence; Giving clear self-definition; Staying connected; Avoiding sabotage; Being playful.

During the meeting there were lots of smiles, good amounts of laughter, and an infectious spirit of joyful submission.

This truly was the Body of Christ living together in relationship!!

The Confessions as Statements of the Faith of the Church Catholic – In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) witnesses to the faith of the Church catholic.  The confessions express the faith of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church in the recognition of canonical Scriptures and the formulation and adoption of the ecumenical creeds, notably the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds with their definitions of the mystery of the triune God and of the incarnation of the eternal Word of God in Jesus Christ.

The Confessions as Satements of the Faith of the Protestant Reformation – In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) upholds the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation.  The focus of these affirmations is God’s grace in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures.  The Protestant watchwords – grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone – embody principles of understanding that continue to guide and motivate the people of God in the life of faith.

The Confessions as Statements of the Faith of the Reformed Tradition – In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition.  Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who in Christ and by the power of the Spirit creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love.  Related to this central affirmation of God’s sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:  The election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation; Covenant life makred by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God; A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God’s creation; and The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation fo society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God.

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  Part II: Book of Order, 2011-2013

And so tomorrow we will begin a conversation about so what does all of this mean for us, for the way we live in creation, and the way we live in relationship with others.

Grace and peace

Yesterday’s post considered the “standards for ordained service” as described in the current Book of Order section G-2.0104b.  In this post we continue our study by giving consideration to the next section G-2.0105 which reads as follows:

It is necessary to the integrity and health of the church that the persons who serve it in ordered ministries shall adhere to the essentials of the Reformed faith and polity as expressed in this Constitution.  So far as may be possible without serious departure from these standards, without infringing on the rights and views of others, and without obstructing the constitutional governance of the church, freedom of conscience with respect to the interpretation of Scripture is to be maintained.  It is to be recognized, however, that in entering the ordered ministries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), one chooses to exercise freedom of conscience within certain bounds.  His or her conscience is captive to the Word of God as interpreted in the standards of the church so long as he or she contiues to seek, or serve in, ordered ministry.  The decision as to whether a person has departed from essentials of Reformed faith and polity is made initially by the individual concerned but ultimately becomes the responsibility of the council in which he or she is a member.

The following footnote is added to this section:

Very early in the history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, even before the General Assembly was established, the plan of reunion of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia contained the following sentences: ‘That when any matter is determined by a majority vote, every member shall actively concur with or passively submit to such determination; or if his conscience permit him to do neither, he shall, after sufficient liberty modestly to reason and remonstrate, peaceable withdraw from our communion without attempting to make any schism.  Provided always that this shall be understood to extend only to such determination as the body shall judge indispensable in doctrine or Presbyterian government.

Tomorrow’s post will give consideration to the third vow that is taken at the time of ordination:  Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?

Grace and peace

Over the last almost two years many conversations in our denomination – Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – have been dominated by discussion of what is known as “Amendment 10-A” – a constitutional amendment approved by the General Assembly of our denomination in July of 2010, in-turn approved by a majority of our presbyteries, and now section G-2.0104b in our Book of Order.  Throughout this time and process I have been struck by the number of people who have entered into these discussions having never read – by their own admission – the actual language of the amendment, but relying solely on what they assumed it stated or what others – including publications and press releases – had told them about what it said.

The remainder of the posts on this blog this week – one each day – will be dedicated to a prayerful and thoughtful conversation about this section of our Book of Order.  Today we begin with only the actual wording of this section:

Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.  The council responsible for ordination and/or installation shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of ordered ministry.  The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation.  Councils shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying stardards to individual candidates.

Tomorrow’s post will consider the implications of the section that follows this section G-2.0105 Freedom of Conscience.

I hope you will join the conversation!

Grace and peace