What Happened at the GA, and
What Does It Mean to Ashland?
Part #3     

Amendments to the Book of Confessions

      October's theme for "What Happened at the GA" hits us at the basement level of what Presbyterians believe as expressed in their BOOK OF CONFESSIONS.  

      In these statements, the Presbyterian Church USA states to the world who and what it is; what it believes; and what it resolves to do.  The Confessional statements are subordinate standards in the church, "subject to the authority of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, as the scriptures bear witness to him".  Thus, our church is open to reforming its doctrinal standards in accordance with its understanding of scripture.  A key element of Reformed theology is that "the church is reformed, always to be reformed according to the Word of God and the call of the Spirit".   

      If you looked at our Book of Confessions, you would find:

• The Nicene Creed; circa 381.  Consolidated Christian belief as church & state became one under Rome.
• The Apostles Creed; circa 8th century after all revisions.  Declares New & Old Testament God are One/same.
• The Scots Confession; 1560; Scots distinguish reformed faith from Catholicism for Parliament.
• The Heidelberg Catechism; 1562; Stated beliefs acceptable to Lutherans and other reformed groups.
• The Second Helvetic Confession; 1561; Delineates Swiss reformed belief.  Emphasizes life of church.
• The Westminster Standards, 1649; Drew political & church governance arenas; England to America.
• The Westminster Larger & Shorter Catechisms; Systematized and refined Reformed teachings
• The Westminster Confession; 1649; "God is 1st, last, and preeminent in all things".
• The Theological Declaration of the Barmen; 1934;Rejects German Christian accommodation to Nazism
• The Confession of 1967; Revises church's role in modern world; "God reconciles all things to God's self".
• A Brief Statement of Faith; UPCUSA & PCUS unite and define common beliefs, 1 is gender inclusiveness.

      Back to the GA in June, 2008.  The confessional issues approved were two:

1)  Amend the Heidelberg Catechism by correcting 5 translation errors in 5 responses and  adding the original scripture text of the German Heidelberg Catechism. 

            a) In 4.087: Strike "none who are guilty of adultery or homosexual perversion" . . .  and reinstate the words, "no unchaste person" shall inherit God's kingdom if they do  not turn to God. 

            b) In 4.019 & 4.074, poor translation distorts reformed accounts of God's  covenant.

            c) In 4.055                      "  "     "         of redemption & eschatology.

            d) In 4.033 poor translation obscures our adoption into Christ.

      This issue will come before the Session of APC and the Baltimore Presbytery sometime this winter.  The Heidelberg Catechism can be found on the Westminster Seminary website.  It's pretty intense!

2)  Study the Belhar Confession for possible inclusion in the PCUSA Book of Confessions.

      Our South African sisters and brothers in Christ continue to live through and with racial discrimination in our own time.  This confession goes to the heart of confronting our universal human fear of "the other".  Considering Jesus' legacy of radical hospitality, guided by his intimate relationship and understanding of God's inclusive love, the Belhar Confession tells everyone that Presbyterians "put up or shut up" about racial discrimination!  Look at a sample from the Belhar Confession below.

"Therefore, we reject any doctrine

• which absolutizes either natural diversity or the sinful separation of people
  in such a way that this absolutization hinders or breaks the visible and active unity of the church, or even leads to the establishment of a separate church formation;
• which professes that this spiritual unity is truly being maintained in the bond of peace while believers of the same confession are in effect alienated from one another for the sake of diversity and in despair of reconciliation;  
• which denies that a refusal earnestly to pursue this visible unity as a
  priceless gift is sin;
• which explicitly or implicitly maintains that descent or any other human or
  social factor should be a consideration in determining membership of the church."

The Belhar Confession discussion material is available on the website for the 2008 General Assembly.

      When this Confession is released from the study committee and brought to us for a vote, I hope you will see the importance of including this in our Book of Confessions.

by Elder Commissioner, Bonnie Clarke

for the November 2008 Newsletter of APC

10/5/08