PCA General Assembly 2021
Last week, the 48th
Annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America convened in St.
Louis, MO. The General Assembly (GA) is the highest court in the Presbyterian
Church in America and is tasked with conducting business brought by lower
courts including, but not limited to, the reception of overtures, deliverances,
resolutions, and judicial decisions.
This year’s GA consisted of 1,503 Teaching
Elders (TE) and 613 Ruling Elders (RE) assembling to vote on 48 overtures which
were submitted by various PCA presbyteries over the course of last year. This
is a 500 commissioner increase from the last GA in 2019 (2020 canceled for
COVID). These overtures are initially presented to an Overtures Committee who
meet the same week of the Assembly. After being examined and debated by the committee,
they are then passed on to the Assembly for a vote with a recommendation,
unless ruled out of order, referred back to the presbytery, or answered by a similar
overture originally submitted. The
General Assembly then votes on the overture, resulting in an affirmative (voted for) or a negative (voted down) decision.
To be clear, an overture is an
official communication submitted to GA from a lower governing body to a higher
governing body, requesting to take a particular action, approve/disapprove, or
endorse a particular statement/ resolution. Depending on the matter at hand,
the decision can be binding or non-binding for both the lower courts and
churches. For example, an overture requesting a Study Committee could be
passed, yet even after the committee’s findings and final approval, the results
are to be taken simply as “pious advice,” and are without binding and constitutional
standing. With that said, any changes made via an overture to the Book of
Church Order (to include the Form of Government, Rules of Discipline, and Directory
of Worship chapters 56, 57, 58) are in fact binding upon churches and their
elders.
If an overture is passed to change
language in the BCO, a two-thirds vote is required by all presbyteries within
the next year. The results are then presented to the following GA for a final
vote. This exemplifies the difficulty in changing language in the BCO. Other
overtures simply consist of nonbinding declarations or memorials.
My intention is to summarize the
most important overtures of last week’s GA. For the sake of brevity, highlighted
overtures will be listed, followed by the resulting vote, and a short commentary
on the issue at hand. Overtures listed without a number count were given a
voice/hand vote. The list is not exhaustive, but seeks to give a general
overview of the main and most debated overtures of GA 2021. To view a
comprehensive list of the originally submitted overtures, along with
accompanying text, see: Resources
- General Assembly (pcaga.org) To view the overtures making it out of
committee and to the Assembly as well as their voted result, see: General
Assembly Updates for July 1 - by Faith (byfaithonline.com)
Excursus
1.
Dr. Bryan Chapel was voted Stated Clerk of the
PCA GA.
2.
The Ad Interim Committee on Domestic Abuse and
Sexual Assault in the church was commended and granted an extension to complete
their report through 2022 with a budget of $25,000 given by an anonymous
donor.
The following overtures are listed in order of “most
debated and discussed” at GA 2021.
Overture 23
“Amend BCO 16 by
Adding a Clause Which Prohibits Ordination for Men who Self-Identify as ‘Gay Christians,’
‘Same-sex Attracted Christians,’ ‘Homosexual Christians,’ or Like Terms”
The Assembly voted in the affirmative as amended. The
vote was 1438-417. There was a lengthy debate on this overture as well
as #37. Over the last three years gender and identity have become a divisive
issue in the PCA. With these topics at the forefront of debate, it should be
noted that no one that I am aware of has advocated for practicing homosexual
men to be ordained or married in the church. The primary issues entail whether a
person who identifies as same sex attracted —using the orientation language of
the LGBTQ+ community— is qualified for office. Other issues include whether a Christian
or candidate can ever see these disordered affections change within their
lifetime.
The Study Committee on Human Sexuality, as well as overtures
#23 and #37 are a direct result of these debates within the PCA. Because this
overture constitutes a change to the BCO, a two-thirds majority vote will be
needed by all presbyteries over the next year. If passed by two-thirds of the
presbyteries over the next year, the assembly will then take a final vote at GA
2022 in Birmingham, AL.
The amended language will read as follows:
BCO 16-4 Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America
must be above reproach in their walk and Christlike in their character. Those
who profess an identity (such as, but not limited to, “gay Christian,” “same
sex attracted Christian,” “homosexual Christian,” or like terms) that undermined
or contradicts their identity as new creations in Christ, either by denying the
sinfulness of fallen desires (such as, but not limited to, same sex
attraction), or by denying the reality and hope of progressive sanctification,
or by failing to pursue Spirit-empowered victory over their sinful temptations,
inclinations, and actions are not qualified for ordained office.
Overture 37
“Amend BCO 21-4
and 24-1 Clarifying Moral Requirements for Church Office”
The assembly voted to answer Overture 37 in the affirmative.
The vote was 1130-692. The Overtures committee also issued a minority
report that removed: “While imperfection will remain, he must not be known
by reputation or self-profession according to his remaining sinfulness, but
rather by the work of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11).” But
this report failed in a floor vote.
The affirmed amended language will read as follows:
BCO 21-4 e. In the examination of the candidate’s
personal character, the presbytery shall give specific attention to potential
notorious concerns, such as but not limited to relational sins, sexual
immorality (including homosexuality, child sex abuse, fornication, and
pornography), addictions, abusive behavior, racism, and financial mismanagement.
Careful attention must be given to his practical struggle against sinful
actions, as well as to persistent sinful desires. The candidate must give clear
testimony of reliance upon his union with Christ and the benefits thereof by
the Holy Spirit, depending on this work of grace to make progress over sin
(Psalm 103:2-5, Romans 8:29) and to bear fruit (Psalm 1:3, Gal. 5:22-23). While imperfection will remain, he must not be known by
reputation or self-profession according to his remaining sinfulness, but rather
by the work of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11). In order to
maintain discretion and protect the honor of the pastoral office, Presbyteries
are encouraged to appoint a committee to conduct detailed examinations of these
matters and to give prayerful support to candidates.
The paragraph is also to be amended to BCO 24-1 for
the election, ordination and installation of Ruling Elders and Deacons.
Overture 14
“Revise MTW
Manual”
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 14 in the affirmative.
The vote was 961-814. Mission to the World (MTW) is the Foreign Missions
Agency of the PCA. Several missionaries took the floor to debate the manual and
practice of MTW does not align with the standards of church planting on foreign
soil. Those who debated in favor of the overture said that MTW has opened
church planting and development ministries to men and women who are not
ordained elders. This contrasts with other PCA ministries such as Mission to
North America and Reformed University Fellowship. With the passing of this
overture, the language inserted into the MTW manual is as follows:
All MTW leaders in line of authority over church planting
or church development ministry shall be ordained elders.
Overture 1
“Amend BCO 8-7 Regarding Chaplains”
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 1 in the negative.
The vote was 1285-415. This overture would have added language to the
BCO indicating that chaplains in the PCA must go through the endorsing agency
approved by the Assembly. Currently the approved agency is the Presbyterian
and Reformed Commission on Chaplains (PRCC). Those who are in support of
the newly added language argue that chaplains who choose another endorsing
agency would find themselves without the backing of the established
organization. Currently the PRCC is the only agency used by confessionally
reformed churches. Because this overture failed, chaplains are free to choose
another endorsing agency outside of the PRCC and thus could be susceptible to conflict
within their ranks given the lack of military alignment with their vows in the
Westminster Standards.
Overture 38
“Commend Human
Sexuality Report”
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 38 in the affirmative
(by show of hands).
The link to the 12 main statements of the report can be
found here: Overture-38-Commend-Human-Sexuality-Report.pdf
(pcaga.org) For the entirety of the report see: AIC-Report-to-48th-GA-5-28-20-1.pdf
(pcaga.org) This report has had a significant impact on helping elders this
last year understand the historically Reformed and theological underpinnings of
confessional and biblical standards of human sexuality.
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The following three items are overtures recommending that
the Assembly form Study Committees for a variety of topics and issues. All the
overtures for these Study Committees were voted down. Study committees are
expensive, time consuming, and not binding. If a Study Committee is approved,
the moderator of that Assembly chooses the committee members, and they are
given a time frame and budget to complete the task. The Assembly then votes at
the designated time whether to commend the report.
1.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 32, “Form
Study Committee for Biblical Ethics in Digital Media” in the negative.
The vote was 1340-227.
2.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 36,
“Appoint Study Committee regarding White Supremacy” in the negative (by
show of hands).
3.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 47,
“Appoint Study Committee on Critical Race Theory” in the negative (by
show of hands).
Overture 31
“Amend BCO 22
Process for Assistant to Associate Pastor”
The Assembly voted to answer in the affirmative as
amended (by show of hands). The language of this amendment gives clarity to the
election of Associate Pastors.
The amended language will read as follows:
BCO 22-2 The pastor and associate pastor are elected by the
congregation using the form of call in BCO 20-6. An existing assistant pastor
may be elected by the congregation as an associate pastor at the recommendation
of the Session without the election of a pulpit committee. Being elected by
the congregation they become members of the Session.
Overture 18
“Amend BCO 24-1 to
Clarify that a Session has the discretion on the timing of some parts of the
Exam of Officer Nominees”
The Assembly voted to answer in the affirmative as
amended (by show of hands). This overture gives the Session discretion on the
timing of some parts of the exam of officer nominees.
Overture 27
“Amend BCO 36 to
Require Public Excommunication”
The Assembly voted to answer in the negative (by show
of hands). Grounds: Courts should retain the discretion currently given by our Rules
of Discipline as to how they will administer and/or announce the censure of
excommunication.
Overture 48
“Repudiate
Anti-Asian Racism”
The Assembly voted to answer in the affirmative. The
vote was 1374-107. The Assembly
voted to commend the following statement:
The report of the Ad Interim Committee on Racial and
Ethnic Reconciliation to the 46th General Assembly speaks clearly
both to the reality of the Imago Dei in all people and to the sin of racism,
particularly when it affirms: a) the vision of the redeemed in Revelation
7:9-11, where all nations and ethnicities are fulfilled in Christ; b) the image
of God is reflected in all people; and c) the image of Christ reflected in His
body. (M46GA, Appendix V, but especially p. 599.) At the same time, we
recognize the pain, and, at times, violence, that the Asian American Pacific
Islander (AAPI) community has experienced, particularly due to events of the
past year. We express our grief together with our AAPI brothers and sisters
over the pain and suffering that has occurred, whether this has happened due to
unbiblical religious claims, racist pride, or any other cause. We, finally,
assure our AAPI brothers and sisters of our love and support, and of our desire
to walk together in ways that reflect the commitments of the Racial
Reconciliation Report.
The following overtures were received and accepted by the
Assembly in agreement with the Overture Committee’s recommendations. In a
general sense these overtures could then be considered limited in debate or
division. Updates
from Overtures Committee for June 29 - byFaith (byfaithonline.com)
Overtures: 5, 6, 16, 19-21, 26, 28, 29, 30, 33-35, 40, 41,
43, 45, 46.
Overtures for the GA’s Rules for Assembly Operation
(RAO) and debate on the Review of Presbytery Records (RPR) are not included.
Pastor John
Bennett
