June 2002

Archive for June, 2002

Click here for the listing of all our reports and commentary from the 214th General Assembly.

6/19/02

From the General Assembly: Dr. Doug Ottati's presentation at the Witherspoon Luncheon on Sunday, "Some Characteristics of Progressive Presbyterian Theologies," has already been reported in abbreviated form. Now, in response to many requests, we have the full text available.

If you want the text on paper, please stop by the Witherspoon booth if you're at GA, or contact your WebWeaver.

It will also be published in the next issue of Network News.

6/16/02

The 214th General Assembly

Fahed Abu-Akel elected as Moderator

About 9:00 on Friday evening, the 214^th General Assembly elected its new moderator. On the second ballot, the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, born in Palestine and now ministering with international students in Atlanta, was elected by 296 votes (57%), with 153 votes (29%) going to the Rev. Laird Stuart, former Co-Moderator of the Covenant Network, and 71 votes (14%) to the Rev. Jerry Tankersley, whose stated positions have been generally conservative.

6/15/02

We need even-handedness in the Middle East

The Rev. Arch Taylor, a former Presbyterian Japan missionary, has sent this letter to President Bush, commending his even-handedness in dealing with the Pakistan-India conflict, and urging the same kind of approach to the Israeli-Palestinian situation.

6/14/02

Capetz discussion of C-67 draws a critical response from Presbyterian Forum [6-13-02]

At the Stony Point conference on the Confession of 1967, one of the presenters, Dr. Paul Capetz of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, looked at the Confession from his vantage point as a gay man who had recently laid aside his ordination as an act of personal integrity.

At the request of the Forum, the Rev. Dan Reuter has written a brief criticism of Capetz' essay, saying that his understanding is neither Reformed nor properly biblical.

We invite you to read and compare for youself - and if you have thoughts to add to the discussion, please send us a note.

Are liberal-conservative battles on the road to extinction?

A recent book by sociologist Paul Ray and psychologist Sherry Anderson, based on 13 years of research, claims that a major shift is going on in our culture, as the predominant personality types of conservatives ("Traditionals," they call them) and liberals ("Moderns"), are now sharing the cultural stage with "cultural creatives."

Cultural Creative subculture has emerged from the confluence of such social movements as peace, civil rights, women's rights, gay liberation, environmental and others, and such personal consciousness movements as Gestalt therapy, bodywork, experiential workshops, and meditation. It includes "a strong sense of the sacred in nature, a commitment to spiritual and psychological growth and a willingness to support ecological sustainability."

A brief essay on this notion was published on Saturday, June 8, 2002 in the Asheville Citizen-Times

You can read it there or on the web site of Common Dreams.

Thanks to PresbyWeb for pointing us to this interesting idea.

6/8/02

Your WebWeaver is in the throes of moving, so he won't be offering piles of new material for the next few days, except perhaps for an occasional plea for sympathy.

But we'll back again next week, reporting from the 214^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In the meantime, we offer a short stimulus for reflection on the conflicts that have become so common in our church.

F u n n y B u s i n e s s
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Why the _______s Hate the _______s

by Michael Gerber and Jonathan Schwarz

A guide to ethnic and religious strife through all human history:

1. They stole our _______!

2. At the Battle of _______ in the _______ century, they used unfair tactics to defeat us. We cannot rest until the souls of our dead are avenged.

3. Their religion is absurd. Offensive, really. Did you know they actually believe __________? And they won't be happy until EVERYBODY believes it!

4. While it's not "politically correct" to say so, science has proven them to be _______.

Find 11 more "good reasons" to hate the _______s at:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0220/schwarz.php

Now ... for your deeper meditation, what "good reasons to hate" do we find most attractive in our Presbyterian Church?

Send a note with your suggestions!

Source: SojoNet 2002 (c) http://www.sojo.net

The Bush response to global warming -- a faith-based response

The Bush administration has recently submitted its "Climate Action Report 2002" to the United Nations. For the first time, this administration acknowledges the phenomenon of global warming, and the link between human activities and the rise in temperature of the atmosphere and the oceans. The report goes on to suggest an interesting response: Get used to it! And let any changes we make be voluntary.

We've been looking for some comment from the faith communities, and Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries, has offered a thoughtful response, concluding, "I can think of no other term than 'foolishness' to describe the ludicrous US policy which knowingly increases our damage to the Earth's climate, and then proposes enormous and complex, but very partial, steps to try and adapt to the climate change we are causing.

Hunsinger offers further thoughts on chastity

Prof. George Hunsinger of Princeton Seminar, whose reflections over the past few months on the "fidelity and chastity" amendment in our Book of Order have occasioned much comment, has set forth his latest thoughts on the problems in defining "chastity."

You'll find his statement in The Presbyterian Outlook and on their web site; there are already numerous comments on PresbyWeb.

Presbyterian UN Seminar seeks faithful responses to terrorism

Forty-five Presbyterians from around the world gathered in New York City recently for a four-day seminar on the theme, Tackling Terrorism: Faith Talks in the Aftermath of September 11th. The event, sponsored by the Presbyterian United Nations Office, gave participants an opportunity to visit Ground Zero in Manhattan and to explore terrorism and its causes from a Christian perspective.

6/4/02

GA event tickets - last chance! (Almost)

If you want tickets for Witherspoon events at GA, and missed the deadline for ordering them from the Office of the General Assembly, Witherspoon officer Ray Kersting will be glad to help you out.

Contact him by Monday, June 10 at the latest, and he'll take care of your needs. Well, not all of them, but the need for Witherspoon tickets. And that's no small thing!

E-mail to sfkerst@rt66.com
Or phone (505)982-4548.

Of course, tickets for some events may still be on sale at the Assembly, starting on Friday, June 14.

The Rev. Bobbie McGarey, of Duncan, OK, just sent this "little thought about GA." We're happy to share it here.

Ambassadors for Christ

we have this Word

this Word who is God

and we'd keep it close, behind walls.

but the Word will get out

and we can go too

but we'll have to be brave to follow.

because THE WORD is not chained --it Cannot be held

nor can it be tied up by anyONE

Because the WORD will get out

even from death on a cross and go where the WORD needs to be

we can't HOLD the WORD we're to sing/set it free

The Ambassador of God IS the WORD

and our joy is to share

and the joy will increase

when we carry the Word everywhere.

Free trade is devastating forests

Mexico Solidarity Network announces a "Trading Wilderness Road Show" that will show "the devastating impact of 'free trade' policies on forests and biodiversity" at special events along the East and West Coasts, July 14-22.

More on "the new Puritans"

We've received two more thoughtful comments on Berry Craig's comparison of the Confessing Church movement with the Puritans of the 17^th century. One writer analyzes his essay as "propaganda," while the other sees it as a challenge to overcome the fear of our times with faith and love.

6/1/02

Presbyterians join interfaith delegation to Afghanistan

Three members of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto (California), including a leader of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Witherspoon Society, will participate in what may be the first interfaith delegation to visit Afghanistan since 9/11.

We encourage anyone else in the area to join in!

We've received one more comment on Berry Craig's essay comparing the Confessing Church movement to the Puritans of the 17th century.

Voices of Sophia Gathering -- reports now online

Reports from the Voices of Sophia Gathering 2002 updates are on their website. You will find a brief synopsis and reflections by Joan Marshall, Mary Kuhns, and Cheryl Pyrch. In addition, we have put a few pictures up. On the website is also an article by Peter Barnes-Davies, who is a leader in the Louisville chapter whiteness and anti-racism group. He calls similar groups to start around the country and gives step-by-step ideas.