The Holy Sausage Factory: GA Day 7

[Note - too late and tired to hunt for images. Will add some more tomorrow.]

There is an old adage that "those who like the law and sausages should not watch either being made." An outsider viewing the PC(USA) General Assembly might have the same initial repulsion. It is messy. It is tedious. It is sometimes foul. And yet we still value the final product - at least most of the time.

As many expected, the General Assembly of the PC(USA) narrowly approved an overture to divest from three American companies who have profited from the military occupation of Palestine, and despite years of effort to persuade them, have failed to conform their business strategies to uphold basic human rights of Palestinians. Heavily amended to clarify and nuance the action, the motion passed by the narrowest margin of any item of business: 310-303, a margin of just over 1%.

The secular press has largely ignored the nuances, which sought to clarify that the denomination is divesting from the three companies – Hewlett-Packard, Motorola Solutions, and Caterpillar – and not from Israel. Amendments also restated our affirmation of Israel’s right to exist, our support of a two-state solution, that this action is not in support of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and that the PC(USA) is decidedly not anti-Semitic. 

A fairly accurate, if gently critical news piece was posted by the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/21/us/presbyterians-debating-israeli-occupation-vote-to-divest-holdings.html

The long day began with the report of the more ecclesiastical Mid Council Issues committee, which recommended approval of an amended report by the second two-year commission addressing the future of synods (disclosure: I am co-leader of the Synod of the Sun). The amended recommendation, calling for a reduction from the current 16 synods to no more than 12 by 2016, was roundly opposed by synod executives like myself, who believe it would derail progress towards the transformation of synods that is currently underway, and that making larger synods would only diminish their mission effectiveness in helping local presbyteries and their congregations.

A bizarre minority report from the committee calling for a single synod frustrated the commissioners because it required going through the tedious process of a substitute motion for little apparent reason (minority reports are always handled first). That seemed to make it more difficult for a more exciting substitute motion that followed to be received.

The motion, offered by commissioner Jennifer Burns Lewis of Chicago Presbytery, and initiated by presbytery executives, was the victim of platform glitches, moderator oversights, and an uncharacteristic lack of assistance from the Stated Clerk, leading some to wonder if the item was being “railroaded.” (It took several minutes to put the motion up on the video screen, requiring that it be read aloud; and a premature motion to end debate was approved by voice vote even though it requires a 2/3 approval – which it clearly did not achieve.)

The motion had called for collaboration and mutual accountability between synods and their presbyteries in setting and achieving mission goals (monitored by a standing committee of the General Assembly); for a consultation process with synods and presbyteries to develop structural and constitutional changes to make synods more focused on mission than governance; and an annual convocation of synods and presbyteries to assess mission strengths, needs, and opportunities for mutual support and collaboration across synod lines. With little opportunity to consider the proposal, the Assembly went with the committee recommendation 63%-37%.  So instead of real change, we are realigning boundaries. 

I mourn the loss of what might have been a truly exciting and responsive change. If it was derailed intentionally just in order to push through the Commission recommendation, then the PC(USA) leadership is farther out of touch than I imagined. From the point of view of synod leaders, the results were still a partial victory – a consolidation to a maximum of 12 synods is less disruptive than a consolidation to no more than 8 – but the process will still redirect money, time, and energy inward rather than outward, and interrupt positive changes already underway.

Before the Assembly recessed at the stroke of midnight, the commissioners were frayed and confused, trying to sort out the nuances of technical points of polity. In desperation, they approved three items in a single motion without debate just to get to adjournment.

This has been a largely pedestrian, sometimes clueless, and occasionally reckless Assembly, despite their historic votes. Moderator Rada has tried, perhaps, to be too gentle with the Assembly, and at times seemed to flounder in the parliamentary process. Still, somehow, the Spirit moves, and we manage despite ourselves.

I did not witness a “crying YAAD” (there is still time), but I was informed of a “crying commissioner.” I am still trying to hunt down details. Perhaps I will have to rephrase my biennial landmark as the “crying speaker.”

Saturday consists of budget approval and “closing ceremonies,” which I will have to miss. I will have one more wrap-up blog post before I close it down until #GA222 in Portland in 2016.