…the “all or nothing” approach is a by-product of the 1974 GAPJC decision in the Kenyon case. That landmark decision essentially shifted the power on ordination issues from the presbytery to the General Assembly. Henceforth, ordination has been restricted to those who qualify under a national set of definitive guidelines for ordination, not those understood to apply in various presbyteries.

In the presbytery of the Pacific there is widespread sentiment that the present “all or nothing” approach that disallows local option is untenable for the long term health and vitality of its member congregations. There is a sense here of inevitability that the ordination standards are going to change in the Presbyterian Church USA. That change is not coming soon enough for some and yet anytime would be too soon for others.

In a presbytery where there are equally strong conservative and progressive churches, a wide and growing diversity of ethnic and immigrant congregations as well as congregations that continue to embrace a mid-20th century character, the spirit is one of mutual concern to forge a future filled with hope for everyone. It now appears that may be a future lived institutionally apart from one another.

The first layer of formal conversation was initiated by First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu which overtured the presbytery to form a new presbytery of the Pacific Rim that could have been one of the presbyteries necessary for the implementation of the 17th Synod model proposed to the 219th General Assembly. The presbytery of the Pacific rejected the overture to form a new presbytery and subsequently, the GA rejected the overture related to the formation of a 17th Synod.

Read More: http://www.layman.org/News.aspx?article=28036

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