First Pres Response to the PC(USA)
“ Peace, Unity, and Purity”
Task Force Report

In 2001, the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) appointed the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. This Task Force was asked to study some issues causing division in our denomination and recommend ways the church could move forward in serving Christ in spite of disagreements. In September 2005, the Task Force released its Final Report.

The report of the Task Force (the “PUP Report”) culminates with seven recommendations for action by the next PC(USA) General Assembly (June 2006 in Birmingham, Alabama), some of which are controversial. In an attempt to help people understand the contents of the PUP Report, the Denominational Concerns Committee has prepared a Readers Guide which is intended to facilitate reading of the 45-page report and to provide a summary for those who do not wish to study the full report.

The Session of First Presbyterian Church commissioned its Denominational Concerns Committee to study the PUP Report and recommend a response. While the Committee found much to praise in the PUP Report, one of its recommendations (in the area of ordination standards for church officers and pastors) was a source of significant concern. A Position Paper was prepared stating the areas of agreement and disagreement with the PUP Report, focusing particularly on Recommendation #5 which we oppose for several reasons. The Position Paper reaffirms our church’s commitment to the existing ordination standards, and also affirms the commitment of the church leadership to move forward constructively in our mission regardless of what might happen with the recommendations of the PUP Report. This Position Paper was adopted by a unanimous vote of Session on January 24, 2006.

We also joined with two other churches in our Presbytery in proposing an Overture to the 2006 General Assembly of the PC(USA) which asks that the constitutional issues regarding the recommendation in question be considered carefully before any action is taken. This Overture was approved by the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks at its meeting in February 2006, and will be considered prior to the General Assembly by its Advisory Committee on the Constitution.

Further questions about this issue may be directed to the members of the Denominational Concerns Committee, to the email address denomination@fpcboulder.org, or to any of our Pastors or Elders.

Update (Summer/Fall 2006)

In June 2006, the 217th General Assembly adopted a slightly modified version of the proposed Authoritative Interpretation. Opinions differ as to whether or not the modification renders it more palatable to those of us who favor maintaining existing ordination standards; these questions will likely be worked out in the church courts over the next few years.

The leadership of First Pres is disappointed in this action of the General Assembly, but we are hopeful that, as the meaning of the action is tested and worked out, its consequences will not be as negative as some fear. Within our own church, and in our Presbytery, the existing ordination requirements will be maintained. We will continue to follow this issue as future developments warrant.

One encouraging development has been a White Paper on this topic issued by the Executive Presbyter and the Stated Clerk of our Presbytery. The White Paper provides guidance regarding ordination standards and the new Authoritative Interpretation, and we find it to be a sound, well-reasoned document that upholds the constitutional ordination standards. We are now optimistic that, within our own Presbytery, the General Assembly action will not have significant negative consequences.

Resources

In this section, we provide links to various resources, some of which are mentioned above, that will aid in understanding this issue and our church’s response.

Other responses to the PUP Report have been made by the renewal organizations Presbyterians for Renewal and the Presbyterian Coalition.