Perspectives offers an exploration of issues facing the church as well as some reflective analysis of our life together as a denomination through the lens of scripture, our Reformed theology, and a constitutional and confessional framework.

To begin this issue, we offer a sermon by the Reverend Dr. Susan R. Andrews, the newly elected Moderator of the 215th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Susan, who is pastor and head of staff of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, is the first woman pastor to be elected to the position of moderator. Susan preached “Dry—or Drenched?” last month on the Day of Pentecost.

We celebrated Independence Day just a few days ago. As you may know, Presbyterians were front-and-center in the Revolutionary War and in the crafting of this country’s Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Shortly thereafter, Presbyterians came together to forge their own covenantal documents. The first General Assembly was held in 1789, the same year that George Washington was inaugurated as president. We share in this issue a slice of the country’s and the church’s history in the late 1700s in “Revolution and Constitutions: Civil and Ecclesiastical,” which is a chapter from A Brief History of the Presbyterians by James H. Smylie (copyright 1996 by James H. Smylie. Used with permission by Geneva Press).

We move from mention of our earliest covenantal documents to a fresh look at our current one. Finding Christ in the Book of Order is a new book by William E. Chapman, stated clerk of the Presbytery of the Palisades. This latest work by the same author of the bestseller, History and Theology in the Book of Order: Blood on Every Page, “gives testimony to the centrality of Christ for our life together as Presbyterians,” writes Stated Clerk Cliff Kirkpatrick in the introduction. Here, we feature the overlook by the author, reprinted with permission by Witherspoon Press.

Clark Cowden is the evangelist presbyter for the Presbytery of San Joaquin. Clark is among a growing number of people who are talking about the missional church—a way to rethink how to do ministry in the 21st century. In his article, Clark puts the life of faith into an interesting perspective. He writes, “We’ve been here before. Feeling like we’re on the edge of a cliff. It’s not comfortable, and we can never completely relax. But, if we learn to balance on its energy, God will take us for the ride of our life!”

We conclude this issue with a paper by Dr. Gayraud Wilmore that was presented to and adopted by the National Black Presbyterian Caucus at its recent meeting in Baltimore, June 25-29. In his paper, Dr. Wilmore writes, “The women and men who led the Black caucus of the church [from 1900 through the 1960s] exemplified what we are calling pragmatic spirituality—a spirituality that draws its strength from prayer and devotion to God, but urges people soon to get off their knees and join the struggle for the humanization and transformation of the world which God loved and for which Christ died (John 3:16-17).” It is to this pragmatic spirituality that Dr. Wilmore urges his brothers and sisters to return.

May you find some restful and relaxing moments in this mid-summer month.

We are always eager to know your comments about and suggestions for Perspectives.

Contact us at OGA_Communications@ctr.pcusa.org.

- Sharon K. Youngs, Editor