The Last Word
by Terry Newland, Synod Executive
Terry Newland
The 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is just about to convene in Birmingham, AL (June 15-22). The word on the street is that this Assembly is a make or break gathering. That is, depending on how the decisions go, our church may tear itself apart or it may begin a healing process that will point us in the right direction.
Believe it or not, I’m convinced that there are those among us who would prefer that we tear ourselves apart. That’s right; there are those who would enjoy seeing us selfdestruct before the end of the month. Some seem to just enjoy a fight. Others, because they’ve gotten so wrapped up in the conflict, they not only want to win, they want the other side punished and banished.
On the other hand, there are many who simply want the fighting to end. It has become embarrassing to be Presbyterian and they’re tired of reading about those silly Presbyterians in the newspapers. Besides, it’s hurting business. We’re losing members and the budget is always in the red. We need to unite in order to reclaim our position of importance in the world.
When I try to study the issues looking for God’s will in all of this, I get a sense that our conflicts are almost always all about us. That seems to be the overriding issue in our deliberations. We feel a need to define ourselves, to clarify who we are and where we stand. Our time, our talent, our treasure, our all is committed to crafting and enforcing the polity of our denomination. If it’s not correct, I’m leaving. If it is correct and you don’t like it, you leave.
The way my Sunday School teachers told the story, there were factions in Jesus’ day that were hostile to one another, wanted to punish each other and wanted those who disagreed with them gone, banished. I was taught that their obsession with law and their fanaticism over purity was not only misguided, but a misdirection of the faithful life.
While they fought major battles to maintain the purity of their faith and its community, the people were faced with an agonizing choice. They had been taught to glorify God and to enjoy God. The institutions of their faith at one time had been all about God. Now it was all about the institution…all about itself, who was right and who was wrong, who was in and who was out. The people found their church to be one of the hardest places on earth to either glorify or enjoy God. Affinity group after affinity group, all claiming guardianship of the truth, competed for the time, talent and treasure of believers.
Jesus of Nazareth didn’t seem to warm up to any of the religious affinity groups of his day. There didn’t appear to be a network or forum or coalition or committee or society whose platform won his endorsement. In fact, the Messiah declared one was healed, or saved, or whole because of their faith, not because of their adherence to the law or their correct doctrine. Apparently, such healed, saved and whole individuals could even be found in opposing theological camps … amazing Grace!
My prayer for the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is that we neither tear ourselves apart nor do we all find a way to agree. Instead, I hope we find a way to turn away from ourselves and turn towards our risen, living Lord. I wasn’t taught to glorify and to enjoy the Presbyterian Church. It’s not about us; it’s about Jesus Christ.
The Peace of Christ be with you.
Posted: 11-Jun-2006 9:31 PM
