Overture 51
On Amending G-13.0103r Regarding Authoritative
Interpretations—From the Presbytery of Mississippi.
The Presbytery of Mississippi overtures the
217th General Assembly (2006) to direct the Stated Clerk to
send the following proposed amendment to the Book of Order
to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:
Shall G-13.0103r be amended as follows: [Text to be deleted
is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted
is shown as italic.]
“r. to provide authoritative interpretation of the Book
of Order which shall be binding on the governing bodies of the
church when rendered in accord with G-13.0112 and with the
consent of a majority of all the presbyteries, or when
rendered through a decision of the Permanent Judicial Commission
in a remedial or disciplinary case. The most recent interpretation
of a provision of the Book of Order shall be binding;”
Rationale
Interpretations of the Book of Order
can easily have the effect of altering the meaning of the Constitution
even while leaving its words unchanged. Although the proposed
amendment would undoubtedly increase the number of General Assembly
actions the presbyteries would be asked to approve, the amendment
would nevertheless preserve the presbyteries’ constitutional
right to have direct input into important changes to the way
that they relate to one another. Any changes that are binding
on the governing bodies of the church should have the approval
of the presbyteries.
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