Top Ten Issues before the Assembly, Part 5

Disclaimer:  The opinions contained herein are my own and are not intended to represent those of the Advisory Committee on the Constitution or any other person or entity.


Number 6:  Biennial Assembly Review Report

Assembly Committee 4 will be considering the report of the Biennial Assembly Review Committee, a work ten years in the making.  When biennial assemblies were introduced at the 214th General Assembly (2002), the enabling overture called for a review to be conducted after the 219th Assembly (2010) and reported to the 220th Assembly (2012).  This is the report of that committee.

The report has eight recommendations, some of which are relatively non-controversial (e.g., giving plenary time to prayer, bible study, and community-building) while others could change the work of the Assembly in major ways.

Of greatest import is Recommendation 3 ("Regarding Concurrences for Overtures and Commissioner's Resolutions").  This would require that any overture originating in a presbytery obtain the concurrence of 10% of the presbyteries before it could be considered by the Assembly.  A similar proportion of synods would have to concur with synod-generated overtures, and commissioner's resolutions would have to be signed by commissioners representing 10% of the presbyteries.

This has wide-ranging implications for our polity.  The sheer number of concurrences (currently 18 presbyteries, all of which must be filed within the existing time deadlines) would have the practical effect of:

• pushing back the effective date of originating overtures, making them less timely and responsive to emerging needs
• placing unreasonable requirements on business affecting only one or a few presbyteries (e.g., transfer of congregations or formation of union churches)
• increasing the partisan impulse by encouraging networks of presbyteries to endorse controversial items.

But of even greater significance is the subversion of the right to appeal to (petition) higher councils that is central to our polity.  Historically, this has meant that a single presbytery or synod could seek clarification or amendment of the Book of Order.  Creating high thresholds of appeal undermines this essential function of our polity, limits the ability to hear minority voices, and enshrines the status quo.

The mechanism of concurrence doesn't make sense either.  There is no apparent correlation between the quality of overtures and the number of concurrences they receive.  In matters of business originating in synods, the timing of synod assemblies could create a major impediment for matters such as the formation of new presbyteries.

The rationale of the recommendation claims there is broad support for "focusing" the business of the Assembly, but less business also means fewer (and larger) committees.  This could well have the result of frustrating commissioners, increasing the relative influence of GA resource persons, and, if only for good stewardship, starting a push for quadrennial assemblies.

Another problematic recommendation is Recommendation 5, which calls for the election of two "Young Adult Commissioners" from each synod.  Technically, they are rotated among presbyteries within a synod based on a synod-approved process.  Nevertheless, since the representational formula is based on synods, they are more properly called synod commissioners.  These are commissioners with full voice and vote.  Not only does this change the composition of assemblies as consisting of representatives of presbyteries, it raises the question, Why limit such commissioners to young adults only?  Why not include other underrepresented voices, such as racial ethnic minorities?  It also duplicates in part the purpose of YAADs, and will undoubtedly resurrect attempts to give YAADs commissioner status.

Other recommendations include suggested themes for upcoming assemblies, changes to moderatorial elections, new consent agenda processes, and the continuation of the Committee for another two years.

Next:  The Funding Crisis, Budgets, and Offerings