38th PCA General Assembly (2010): Overtures 3-5, 8

Already, we have covered Overtures 1 and 2, but now we turn to some more overtures which have just made an appearance on the PCA General Assembly website. 

Overtures 3 and 4 concern the desire to expand or revise boundaries of presbyteries.  These overtures won't even go before the Overtures Committee, but sometimes it is interesting to look at.  Overture 4 comes from Central Georgia Presbytery and doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary to receive two more countries from Savannah River Presbytery, who also overtured the General Assembly with Overture 8 to confer with  Overture 4.  Overture 3 though is of some interest to me.  The Pacific Northwest Presbytery is asking that all of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho be included in their presbytery. Sometimes I wonder why presbyteries like Pacific Northwest don't break up into two different presbyteries, especially considering the distance needed to travel and the number of churches already in the presbytery (currently given that this overture will probably be approved, there will be 29 churches, including mission works, in the presbytery).  

Now you see presbyteries this large in other parts of the country like my own, Mississippi Valley Presbytery, which has over 30.  However, my presbytery is very small in size geographically, which allows everyone to be able to drive not too far to get to each presbytery meeting.  Rocky Mountain Presbytery has 28 churches in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.  Logically, you would think that Montana having 5 churches, Wyoming having 3 churches, and Idaho having 1 that they would want to become their own presbytery.  I wonder why that wasn't what happened.  

But that is very minor compared to Overture 5.  Let us move on...quickly!  Stepping off my soapbox onto another, we come to Covenant Presbytery's Overture that will go before the Overtures Committee.  Here is the overture:

Whereas, the 37th General Assembly amended the language of BCO 59-1 and 59-6 to read:

59-1. Marriage is a divine institution though not a sacrament, nor peculiar to the Church of Christ. It is proper that every common wealth, for the good of society, make laws to regulate marriage, which all citizens are bound to obey insofar as they do not transgress the laws of God (Acts 5:29).

59-6. Marriage is of a public nature. The welfare of society, the happiness of families, and the credit of Christianity, are deeply interested in it. Therefore, the purpose of marriage should be sufficiently published a proper time previously to the solemnization to it. It is enjoined on all ministers to be careful that, in this matter, they obey the laws of the community to the extent that those laws do not transgress the laws of God as interpreted by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America; and that they may not destroy the peace and comfort of families, ministers should be assured that, with respect to the parties applying to them, no just objections lie against their marriage;

and

 Whereas, the BCO 26-2 currently reads:

26-2. Amendments to the Book of Church Order may be made only in the following manner:

1. Approval of the proposed amendment by majority of those present and voting in the General Assembly, and its recommendation to the Presbyteries.
2. The advice and consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbyteries.
3. The approval and enactment by a subsequent General Assembly by a majority of those present and voting; and

and

Whereas, the General Assembly voted to change the language of BCO 59-1 and 59-6 contrary to the specifications laid out in BCO 26-2; and

Whereas, the General Assembly made such changes on the grounds that BCO 59-1 and 59-6 were non-binding sections of the BCO; and

Whereas, our desire is for unanimity and clarity in the manner by which we amend our Book of Church Order;

Therefore be it resolved that BCO 26-2 be amended as follows (new text in bold and underlined):

26-2. Amendments to any portion of the Book of Church Order, whether constitutionally binding or not, may be made only in the following manner:

1. Approval of the proposed amendment by majority of those present and voting in the General Assembly, and its recommendation to the Presbyteries.
2. The advice and consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbyteries.
3. The approval and enactment by a subsequent General Assembly by a majority of those present and voting.

Rationale:
The definition of which portions of the Book of Church Order must be amended according to the procedure outlined in 26-2 is clearly ambiguous, as demonstrated by the actions of the 37th General Assembly. Therefore, the above overture seeks to remove this ambiguity, and give clarification and re-affirmation to the manner by which any portion of the Book of Church Order may be amended.

Look now at the Rationale.  This amendment to the BCO is being called for because of actions of the 37th General Assembly.  I hope this is a good post for elders because of what happened last year.  Last year, the Moderator made a mistake.  And to clarify, I am not thinking the Moderator did it on purpose.  I personally think he didn't know what he was doing and/or had done when the overture from Central Carolina Presbytery came a second time to the floor after having been sent back to the Overtures Committee to amend BCO 56 on marriage.  The overture called for the 56th chapter to become constitutionally binding and not just 'a suggestion'.  Because of this, there were some who wanted the language fined tuned more before it became constitutionally binding.  There were others who thought the language was already fine.  And yet still others, who thought that the Assembly needed to act now because of BCO 26-2 that would at least take one more year to get this to become a reality.  

But in the midst of it all, we as an Assembly, acted contrary to BCO 26-2.  You see BCO 26-2, sections 2 and 3?  Yeah, we basically bipassed those and when the overture came back from the Overtures commitee we approved it.  If memory serves me, the vote we had somehow made the BCO change right then and not go to the presbyteries (section 2) and not come back this year at the 38th GA (section 3).  And it was because of one little mistake by the Moderator. 

And so this year, Covenant Presbytery is coming with an overture to change the BCO where the mistake was made to make it more clear.  I don't know what I think about this overture, to change BCO 26-2.   I'm not a lawyer or anything but I like what Covenant Presbytery wants out of this, to have the General Assembly do what it is supposed to when it comes to BCO amendments.  However, right now I think the BCO is already clear.  In the Rationale, it says that it is clearly ambiguous, but I will have to disagree.  I think it is very easy to understand.  That's why there were many after the decision of the Moderator last year who were in a hub-bug.  Because they knew BCO 26-2 (that is one of the main things you learn before ordination for your exams).  Everyone knew it was wrong because the BCO is clear. 

It says, "Amendments to any portion of the Book of Church Order, whether constitutionally binding or not, may be made only in the following manner:"  To add the Bold and Underlined portions, really doesn't add much of anything.  That is already clear in the fine print.  So I think at this time, I would have to vote against this Overture even though I agree with what the people of this overture want out of it.  What needs to happen is for elders to stand up and make a complaint (BCO 43) when a court makes a mistake.  We can do something when we see mistakes and yet last year no one did anything.  May this be a learning experience for us all.  Whether you are a member of your church, an elder, member of presbytery, or a delegate to General Assembly, know what is supposed to happen and what you are able to do in your Church, at Presbytery, and at General Assembly.  In other words, read and know the Book of Church Order.  In doing so, you will be faithfully maintaining the peace and purity of the Church.