This is not an Assembly Committee with business that gets me too excited. There are nine items.
Item 11-01 on “Lifting Up the Call to Restore the Creation.” No new money required, it “1. Lifts up; 2. Commends; and, 3. Urges.” OK. I did not read it that carefully, but I did not know that the 202nd GA approved this statement and probably won’t remember what the 219th General Assembly did.
Item 11-02 On Endorsing the “Charter for Compassion.” This is a little different. Look at paragraph 3:
“We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies. (emphasis added)
That’s kind of loaded. Gideon acted disdainfully of the Ba’al. Elijah did not encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity. Hosea’s children bore names that suggest God does not have an appreciation of religious diversity: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah (I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them); and Lo-ammi (for you are not my people and I am not your God.) Peter declared, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” I am all in favor of being respectful of other people, I am not in favor of denying the gospel in order to justify a “positive appreciation of religious diversity.”
“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25 NRSV)
Item 11-03. This gets the “timing is everything” award. This item offers the opportunity for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to make a direct, positive response to the BP oil spill. Whether the specific actions requested are appropriate responses may be a different question, but at least the topic of “destruction and loss of coastal wetlands” is before the Assembly.
Item 11-04. ACSWP’s “Human Rights Update 2010.” It does not require new money. It does not request a new study. It is simply a report. Now, this is one of the unfortunate realities of life at the General Assembly: I am sure there are important pieces of information in this report; but unless something dramatic is done in committee to amend it, I am not going to follow it.
Item 11-06. Another ACSWP generated item. This one advocates some measures of gun control and financial support for the Washington Office for that purpose (Recommendation #11). I do not own a gun, do not handle them, and would probably be dangerous to myself if I did. I am not sure anyone is in favor of gun violence, and am not sure how much this cost to produce a document that states the obvious that gun violence is bad. I get concerned about the understanding of what worship is perceived to be when I read recommendations calling for, “church liturgies [that] not only call for periodic preaching on gun violence but also contain prayers for the victims and perpetrators of gun violence and confession of our own complicity in the perpetuation and toleration of violence in all its forms in the culture.” (Recommendation #4). Prayers, yes; but periodic preaching on gun violence? Really? Again: I’m not in favor of gun violence; however, I am not sure that it is a priority topic for the pulpit.
Item 11-07: On Living A Human Life Before God. Yet another ACSWP generated item. Actually, it is a non-response to the task they were assigned, using this as a springboard to do something completely different. And, it requests new money for ACSWP to continue developing resources unrelated to the original assignment. I read this awhile ago, have forgotten most everything in it, but remember that it seemed like more of the same from ACSWP. And when I say “more of the same“, I mean it.
Item 11-08: Moratorium on Executions. No new money requested.
Item 11-09: Cultural Proficiency. I think “cultural proficiency” is a term of art. This one would impact the six GA related entities — BOP, Foundation, GAMC, OGA, PILP, PPC . BOP is the only one to comment thus far; they do not seem opposed.
Item 11-10: On Forming a Committee to Study the Nature of the Church for the 21st Century. This one cracked me up. Look at the composition of the nine persons for this proposal: 5 within the institution; 4 at large. Hmmm… do you think they will see a future for denominations?