Streams of Mercy

Twenty four years ago, I was a Commissioner from Presbytery of the Peaks, in Central Virginia, to the General Assembly held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At that meeting we struggled with “Amendment B” and other issues. I remember how challenging it was to work in such a large group, but at least we were face-to-face. I can’t even imagine trying to meet “virtually!”

In reading the August 3rd edition of The Presbyterian Outlook, I learned a great deal about the 224th General Assembly of the PC(USA) held virtually the last week of June. In this time of reckoning in every area of our lives, it’s only right that the church faces such a time as well.

Called into question after this Assembly is the use of Robert’s Rules of Order and parliamentary procedure. Robert’s Rules, a tool created to ensure order, a tool built around majority rule, while acknowledging and respecting the minority opinion, “a tool that in our church exists in a reality where the make-up of the majority hasn’t changed – the end is violence and oppression of the minority under the guise of magnanimity and goodness of the majority … our decency and order will not usher in the kin-dom.” (Jill Duffield, Outlook editor)

“The structure of parliamentary procedure, can actually prevent organic, real-time exchanges that could lead to honest learning and a change of course,” writes Duffield. Case in point: When a member of the national staff, a Black woman who has been working for years on racial justice issues, raised up that ongoing work and asked if the assembly might want to address some issues, and consult with those engaged in it, her voice was silenced.

“Despite the fact that a majority of commissioners wanted to suspend the rules and address in some way the plight of black women and girls at this assembly, the decent and orderly polity disallowed that movement of the Spirit because the standing rules required a supermajority of enrolled commissioners … When we put Robert’s Rules of Order above God’s law of love, we blaspheme the Holy Spirit and we wound the Body of Christ, and we are all diminished as a result,” writes Duffield.

Undoubtedly, the process of how we work together will be addressed in the months to come. “While the PC(USA) has plenty of policy statements asking Presbyterians to stand against racism and oppression, justice work can’t only be done in anti-racist statements; process is the structure of the institution….we’ve got to let the structures be examined and changed as well.” (“What Are the Lessons from the 224th General Assembly?” Leslie Scanlon)

“Sometimes Presbyterians have an inordinate amount of intensity about saying the right things and not necessarily doing the right thing. In a way, it’s a very American challenge of being more obsessed with our rights than our responsibilities, of wanting the right to speak , but not necessarily the responsibility to translate those words into actions … No matter how hard Presbyterians work to come up with the right words that doesn’t mean anything to our neighbors. What our neighbors want to see is solidarity. How do we come alongside people who are suffering, and join with them in creating a better world?” writes Scanlon.

I’m thankful for opportunities to grow in understanding, to see new truth, and to work for needed change. May our beloved PC(USA) be open to being made new as the Holy Spirit does a work of grace among us. “Come chaotic, status-quo-upending, justice-bringing, real-intimacy-creating Holy Spirit.” (Jill Duffield, Outlook editor)

Elizabeth