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Ecumenical & Interfaith
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General Assembly
Business: See a list of the four sources of business from which business will come to the Assembly.
from outside the U.S., the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, the Javanese Christian Church, the China Christian Council, the Guatemalan Presbyterian Church, the Greek Evangelical Church, the Evangelical Reformed Church of Poland, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and the Waldensian Evangelical Church of the Plata River; from within the U.S., the Reformed Church in America, the Moravian Church (Northern and Southern Synods), the Church of the Brethren, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, and the Assemblies of God.
Actions of the last Assembly on ecumenical and interfaith matters The entire Journal: Part I of the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (2010) is in PDF format and an abbreviated form is in print. See the Assembly web site for information on the event. The PC-Biz software used during the Assembly is still available for anyone to locate the various items of business as they were submitted and acted upon, first in an Assembly committee and then in plenary. On the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations (GACEIR, previously GACER) 00-01, item K. New members: Scott Anderson, Krystin Granberg, and Damayanthi Niles were reelected for second terms; Judy Angleberger, Gun Ho Lee, and Paul Rader were elected to first terms. 03-16. Mandate for inclusion of interreligious relations: By vote of the Assembly, Interreligious Relations is now included in the mandate of the permanent Committee on Ecumenical Relations in the Organization for Mission, IV.C.7. It is now titled the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations. Note the use of "interreligious" rather than "interfaith" in this action. 08-Info. General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical Relations Agency Summary: This provides an overview of the purpose, ministry, and accomplishments of GACER since 2008. 17-SelfStudy. General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical Relations Self-Study On Interfaith relations 08-03. "Christians and Jews: People of God," referred to the offices of Interfaith Relations and Theology and Worship for rewriting, per an overture from San Francisco Presbytery ( 08-09) 08-04. "Toward an Understanding of Christian-Muslim Relations" paper, for study and guidance: The Assembly approved this report and a series of actions that support further study by the General Assembly and the church. See the recommendations to the church and the full paper online. A continuing Office of Interfaith Relations was approved through this action, as well. 08-02. Confusing and theologically incompatible language in a call for Presbyterians to engage other faiths: The action of the 218th General Assembly is amended: [italicized words are new] to now call for "further dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, viewing each other with equal respect;" "recognize differences, respect diversity;" "to encourage congregations of these faiths to set aside times to come together for meals, dialogues, and to plan ways they can work together." 11-02. "The Charter of Compassion": This charter, as circulated, was endorsed and the action is to be communicated to congregations. 13.05: Protection of religious minorities: The United Nations is encouraged to use its influence to exhort leaders "to moderate extreme behavior and protect [their] minorities." On Ecumenical Advisory Delegates 08-05. Invitations for Ecumenical Advisory Delegates to the 220th General Assembly (2012): Five churches from the U.S. and ten overseas churches are to be invited to send one advisory delegate of each's own choosing to the next General Assembly. On acting ecumenically 08-01. The Covenant to Adopt the Lund Principle, and its codicil: on recommendation of the Synod of the Northeast, a covenant used in the northeast is referred to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations for its action 07-03. A new G-3.0303, “Relations with Other Presbytery and Ecumenical Partners”: The Assembly added additional wording to the Proposed Form of Government, which has gone to the presbyteries for their action. On dialogues with other churches 08-06. With the Evangelical Presbyterian Church: The Assembly approved a series of steps growing out of a study of PC(USA) relations with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). The EPC is invited into dialogue with the PC(USA) and into "a season of confession with us." The World Communion of Reformed Churches (formerly WARC), of which both the EPC and PC(USA) are members, is asked "to create guidelines offering basic protocols for interactions and behaviors between its member denominations."
On participation in ecumenical bodies 08-08. Review of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches/Caribbean and North American Area Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches: The PC(USA), its congregations, and presbyteries are encouraged to study the Accra Confession and the historic commitments, along with the work of WCRC/CANAAC. 08-10. Participation in Christian Churches Together: The Assembly approved that the PC(USA) become a full participant in Christian Churches Together (CCT) for four years, to be followed by a review in light of concerns requiring efforts by CCT. On the Middle East: Actions of the General Assembly on the Middle East have a potential impact upon its interfaith relations in the U.S. itself. 14-03. MRTI Report: The engagement of MRTI with corporations Involved in Israel, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank calls corporations to confine their business activity to peaceful purposes. Caterpillar, Inc. "profit-making from non-peaceful uses of a number of its products" is renounced. 14-08. “Breaking Down the Walls”: A Middle East Study Committee of nine persons from a broad spectrum of viewpoints was given a mandate from the 218th General Assembly to "prepare a comprehensive study, with recommendations, that is focused on Israel/Palestine within the complex context of the Middle East." The report was adopted after amendment. In the face of a published pre-Assembly statement from a Jewish organization, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, General Assembly stated clerk Gradye Parsons issued his own statement calling for "all people to continue to pray, and work, for the peace of Jerusalem." 14-09. Use of Military Aid: The Assembly expressed support for U.S. government policy for vetting funds distributed to foreign countries and disappointment that Israel continues to receive support when it has not complied. 14-10. Toward Peace and Reconciliation in the Middle East: The government of Israel and Hamas were called to investigate the allegations made in the Goldstone report. The U.S. government is urged to be actively engaged involved.
Current Leadership of the General Assembly Moderator Cynthia Bolbach
Vice-Moderator Landon Whitsett Bolbach's running mate, minister commissioner Landon Whitsett, was installed as the Assembly's vice-moderator. He is concerned about the intersection of faith and culture, as a contribution on his blog (on June 16, 2010) indicates.
On this web site:
On the PC(USA) web site:
Items marked with
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“I feel called to stand for Moderator to help our church – proud inheritor of the Reformed tradition – discern how best to proclaim the timeless Gospel message to a 21st century world that is multi-cultural and religiously pluralistic,” Bolbach said in a 
when she was a candidate for the office. The only elder in a large field of candidates, Bolbach was 
218th General Assembly: archived page 
Finding Your Way in Presbyterian Policy and Teaching on Interfaith Relations: 
are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. For best results, right-click the link (or click and hold for Macintosh), select "save target as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing. Click on the image in the right column for free download of the Adobe Acrobat Reader. © 2006 Ecumenical & Interfaith Network - PCUSA
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