This year’s General Assembly was hosted in the beautiful but sweltering hot Chattanooga, TN. Here are some of the items of interest.
1) Stated Clerk: Freshly retired Stated Clerk Bryan Chapell addressed the Denomination in a very gracious statement related to recent events at the opening of the Assembly. The Administrative Committee appointed Ruling Elder John Bise to be the Provisional Stated Clerk until the Administrative Committee can Nominate a man at next year’s General Assembly.
2) Moderator: Kevin DeYoung was Elected Moderator and did a stellar job.
3) The Review of Presbytery Records Report flagged and the Assembly Upheld:
- Paedocommunion Exceptions in Presbyteries were cited. They are not allowed.
- Presbytery Moderators can’t appoint men to Committees of Commissioners. A Commission is needed to do this on behalf of the Presbytery per BCO.
4) Overture 42 PASSED – Direct the Stated Clerk NOT to Collect Race Data
“Therefore, be it resolved the 52nd General Assembly to directsthe Office of the Stated Clerk through the Administrative Committee not to collect statistical data pertaining to age or ethnicity in annual statistical reports.”
5) Overture 44 PASSED – Evaluate byFaith’s Editorial Oversight and Policies
“Therefore, be it resolved that the 52nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America directs the Administrative Committee to examine and evaluate the structure and editorial policies of byFaith magazine, and bring either recommendations for changes or rationale for no changes to the 54th GA.”
6) Overture 9 FAILED – Attempt to Make Permanent Committee Appointees to the AC be Non-Voting Members
- Committee is made up of 20 Members. 11 Elected to the AC and 9 Appointed by Permanent Committees and agencies. They all have a vote and will all keep their vote.
7) Overture 12 – FAILED – Attempt to Limit Distribution of Lord’s Supper Elements to Officers only.
- Overtures Committee Recommended to Answer in Affirmative.
- Minority Report was affirmed by the Assembly.
Statement if it had passed: BCO 58-5: 3rd paragraph. Here the bread is to be distributed by the minister or to other officers for distribution. After having given the bread, he shall take the cup, and say:
8) Overture 26 – Directory of Public Worship – Committee Formed to begin to make Constitutional
“Form an ad hoc committee to finish the work of revising the “Directory for the Worship of God” not yet given full authority, in accordance with Scripture and the Westminster Standards, for authoritative use in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) according to the rules of the Book of Church Order,
a. Utilizing the various NAPARC denominations’ Directories of Public Worship as a guide
b. Including Scriptural and confessional References
c. Present various chapters to the General Assembly for adoption until their work is complete”
9) Christian Nationalism Overtures
- Overture 47 – Ad Interim Committee formed to Study and Report
“Be it resolved that the 52nd PCA General Assembly erect and convene an Ad Interim Study Committee on Christian Nationalism (RAO 9-1), to study the relationship between Christian Nationalism, Ethno-Nationalism, and related teachings. Further, the committee shall advise on whether these teachings and formulations are in conformity with the system of doctrine taught in the Westminster Standards or where they may diverge from the system of doctrine
Further, the committee shall write a report that gives pastoral guidance when addressing congregations, new members, and future officers of the PCA.”
- Overture 48 – Race & Ethnicity Statement – Approved in place of Pastoral Letter
“That the 52nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America does hereby join with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (221st General Synod) and with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America (193rd Synod) in condemning without distinction any theological or political teaching which posits a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable human characteristics, and does call to repentance any who would promote or associate themselves with such teaching, either by commission or omission.”
10) Other Overtures of Interest (You can find these Overtures in Original Form here)
FAILED or Referred Back
- Overture 10 – Tried to Mandate a Pathway for Assistant Pastors to become Associate Pastors
- Overture 19 – Tried to Add & Edit the Membership Vows
- Overture 22 – Tried to allow Sessions to Add a Voting Age to Membership
PASSED – Must Pass 2/3 of the Presbyteries & Next Year’s GA
- Overture 8 – Officers (Deacons & Ruling Elders) Must State Their Differences with our Standards
- Overture 32 – Those who are Suspended from the Table may be Excommunicated w/o a full trial
- Overture 33 – Mandates Specific Things to test Children on to become Comuning Members
