Swords into Plowshares is the blog of the Peacemaking Program and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Seeking peace. Striving for justice. Together.
It’s a perennial question: how do the two parts of our PC(USA) Constitution – The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order– work together? Since the last General Assembly, it has become a present question. “Constituting Us: Confessions and Polity in the PC(USA)” explores the way in which both our shared affirmation of faith and our life together constitute us in our particular presbyterian way of living out the Christian faith.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board (formerly the General Assembly Mission Council) has approved “a path and process” to establish the denomination’s Stony Point (N.Y.) Center as separate corporation related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The unanimous vote by the board at its Sept 12-14 meeting here came upon recommendation of a task force that was appointed a year ago. It was charged to “study the missional alignment, viability, financial sustainability and management performance of Stony Point.
There’s been some talk lately about being a “theological affinity group” and there’s likely to be more. Some say that it is bad to form such groups, others say that such groups could be helpful within the PC(USA). As we discuss all this it is important to bear in mind a truth that is so obvious that it often gets overlooked: the PC(USA) is a theological affinity group.
It is important to share that the General Assembly voted to stand with immigrants and those Presbyterian members who may be harrassed as they attend Presbyterian sponsored events. Recently, this policy was outlined and distributed throughout the church. A copy...