Conservative journal accused of 'perpetrating misconceptions'

by Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- 6-June-2001 -- The Congregational Ministries Division Committee (CMDC), reacting to what it angrily called "misconceptions perpetrated by The Presbyterian Layman," has adopted a statement affirming its covenant with the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters.

Meeting here June 6, the CMDC criticized the Layman, a conservative periodical frequently critical of General Assembly actions and staff, for an online article which said the church was "dissociating" itself from the Boy Scouts after CMD declined a request for a special grant from the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters (NAPS).

Questions were raised about the CMD- NAPS covenant at the division meeting last November while the U.S. Supreme Court was considering whether the Boy Scouts of America could ban homosexuals from leadership positions in the Scouts. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) policy opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The court subsequently sided with the Boy Scouts.

The CMD-NAPS covenant, which is reviewed annually and renewed biennally, was last affirmed in November.

When NAPS sought what CMD Christian Education and Leader Development Subcommittee chair Mike Gillespie called an "above budget" grant, youth and young adult coordinator Gina Yeager turned down the request and in her notification letter to NAPS expressed CMD's concerns about the Boy Scouts' arguments in the Supreme Court Case. She said CMD would seek clarification from NAPS about that organization's commitment to the church's non-discrimination policy in light of the Boy Scouts policy of excluding gay men from its leadership and the possibility that policy could be extended to membership in the Boy Scouts.

After obtaining a copy of the letter, The Presbyterian Layman wrote that CMD was "beginning to dissociate" the church from the Boy Scouts.

"We are not in an adversarial relationship with the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters," Gillespie said. "We have not begun dissociating from NAPS. We renewed our covenant with them last November and we will continue to be in partnership with them."

The statement affirming the November covenant agreement between CMD and NAPS was approved with only four committee members voting "no." At least two of those announced they were voting "no" because, in the words of committee member Jim Kirk: "We wouldn't even have this on the table if it wasn't for the press."

The full text of the CMD statement:

"The Congregational Ministries Division affirmed our covenant agreement with the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters (NAPS) at the November 2000 meeting. This covenant also involves annual reports and biannual reviews. We continue dialogue with NAPS (as with all our covenant groups) to strengthen that partnership."

If you like what you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and growing!

Please consider making a special contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve this service.

Click here to send a gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.

Or send your check, made out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to our PVJ Treasurer:

PVJ's Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, PVJ's Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!

Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

Got more blogs to recommend?