News Archive

First Meeting

The charge to the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity by the 213th General Assembly is to "lead the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in spiritual identity of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century.. seeking the peace, purity and unity of the church." The task force's first meeting December 6-8 in Dallas, Texas, was convened by the three General Assembly moderators who appointed the members Jack Rogers, Syngman Rhee, and Freda Gardner. Early in the meeting, Jack Rogers, moderator of the 213th General Assembly, announced that one member appointed, Mrs. Sue Mallory of Playa del Rey, California, had written to regretfully resign from the Task Force because of serious health problems. The remaining twenty members were all in attendance at the meeting.

The three days the Task Force members spent together were framed in worship, study and getting to know one another as they laid out plans for their work. The official proceedings started with a commissioning service by the moderators that included laying on of hands and prayer for each Task Force member.

After studying the Task Force charge and the individual reflections each member had written concerning their work, the following goals were adopted to guide the work.

• To deepen our understanding of our Christian and catholic identity and clarify key themes of the Reformed theological and constitutional heritage.
  
  
• To study and evaluate the sources of health and promise as well as the causes of dissension and unrest in the church.
  
  
• To recommend ways for the church to move forward, furthering its peace, unity and purity.
  

The two documents approved by the Task Force, a covenant for their work and an initial work plan, set the tone of mutual respect that permeated the meeting.

The Task Force work will be to start to "discern our Christian identity in and for the 21st century by exploring the scriptural, theological, historical, ecclesiastical and missiological sources that have shaped our identity and by listening to one another and to the church."

Each member of the Task Force will serve on one of four subgroups according to his/her preference and gifts.

Scriptural and theological resources

Historical and ecclesiastical resources

Practices conducive to discernment and building community, including models from the mission field

Consultation and communication with the larger church.

At the conclusion of the meeting each member indicated his/her preference and the Task Force co-moderators, Gary Demarest and Jenny Stoner, will review the data and make committee assignments. Meeting dates for the three meetings in 2002 were set; the next meeting will be February 28-March 2, 2002.