Two things today:
1. I have mentioned Phyllis Tickle’s, The Great Emergence, in several posts. If you are not wanting to read it, perhaps a 41 minute video would suffice. She’s engaging and it is a pretty good overview of what is in the book. This seems to be the operating ethos behind the COGA Commission — thus, as you watch (or as you read), keep in mind the authority/responsibility that would be vested in 21 people.
2. Leslie Scanlon of The Presbyterian Outlook reported on the COGA Commission as part of her article, “Mission Council Sets Stage For Messy General Assembly.” Key paragraphs:
The backdrop for this proposal is a growing sense that middle governing bodies — the denomination’s presbyteries and synods — are struggling, trying to find their way in a financially precarious time. And some Presbyterians are frustrated that the General Assembly has too much work to do in too short a time; they long for some creative discussion about how things might be done better.
So COGA is proposing that the 2010 General Assembly authorize the creation of a General Assembly Commission on Middle Governing Bodies. The idea is to create a 21-member commission to consider the mission and function of middle governing bodies, and develop models to show how presbyteries and synods can operate well in a changing context.
One possibility is that such a commission, which could have power to make decisions between the every-other-year assemblies, could reduce the amount of work the assembly itself has to deal with, said Gradye Parsons, the PC(USA)’s stated clerk.
“We have some presbyteries that are doing some really fantastic stuff,” he said. “We have some that are really floundering.” Some are having transitions in leadership, some are running out of money, some because of internal political disputes “are on the road to destruction or something close to it.”
Why Is This Important?
It seems to me that this is the most important piece of business coming to the 219th General Assembly. The implications are huge.
Yes, ordination standards, the definition of marriage, the confessions, Israel, Caterpillar, and a number of other issues will be the headline issues; but none of them have the potential for immediate impact as this commission. This commission would grant 21 people the authority to order changes regarding property and administration that would impact mission and ministry. It is an efficient way to effect change at the General Assembly level; wrought with both the blessings and the curses of efficiency.
My concern — perhaps unfounded because we are just past Easter and three months out from the convening of the 219th General Assembly — is I feel like I am the only one out here making noise about it. This discussion cannot wait until July. Failing to consider:
- What is the operating assumption behind the proposal for the commission (that’s where the video comes into play);
- What are the goals intended;
- The scope of the consequences possible;
- The problems created; and,
- Possible refinements that could improve its effectiveness
means that we will either put in place something we have not considered — or, if it is not approved, missed an opportunity to do something that would bless this denomination. In fact, I might have missed some things we should be considering.
Rev. Bob,
Please do continue to bring your perspective to this issue that
is coming to the GA. The changes to the Book of Order (NFOG) along
with this issue may bring great changes to our denomination.
How the “Great Emergence” fits into all of this is a little bewildering.
You might want to watch the interview at
http://theooze.tv/thinkfwd/phyllis-tickle-beyond-denominations-the-hyphenated-chruch
Phyllis makes a statement there that seems to imply that there would be an end to “denominationalism” as we know it in 18 months……
I am not sure what she means – except that there is a growing community of believers who are organizing and joining around the four tenats she
talkes about i.e. liturgical, social justice, renewal, and conservative.Does she leave out “Scripture” and right belief as the basis for authority for the
sake of unity?
Thanks for bringing this to the attention of the larger audience.
L.Lee
Bob,
I just watched the video. This sounds picky but I mean it as more or less a metaphor for how I feel about most of the video. Tickle says that “How Great Thou Art” is one of the great hymns that came out of the Reformation. But it is a song that George Beverly Shea of Billy Graham fame wrote the music to. And a contemporary woman wrote the words. When you take little pieces of historical information (and not all of it is accurate) and put them together in great sweeping systems of history you can do too much damage using it for plans for the future. I was concerned with the commission, I am now even more concerned. Thank you for writing on this. I hope you will keep writing on it.