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Press Release

March 7, 2002

At its second meeting, February 28-March 2, 2002, the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church studied scripture, worshiped together, and listened to discern God's word as the first steps in undertaking their work. The times of Bible study were planned by Task Force members to start consideration of the issues before them with study of scripture together. The first study was on the Identity of God, supplemented by selected readings on the Trinity; the second focused on the Mission of the Church. Times of worship, led by different members of the Task Force, also lifted up the themes being considered.

The meeting's agenda was shaped by the work carried out by the four sub-committees that coordinated their work between meetings by conference calls and email. Each Task Force member serves on one of the four sub-committees. These sub-committees address: 1.) theological issues; 2.) historical and ecclesiological issues; 3.) discernment issues and processes; 4.) communication and consultation.

The first decision of the meeting was to craft and adopt a mission statement to more easily communicate the Task Force mandate. The statement is: "The Task Force, led by the Holy Spirit, will seek to discover a basis for peace, unity and purity that advances the tradition of Christian and Reformed theology and Presbyterian government and responds to current issues that divide the church. The Task Force will use a process of consultation and discernment that can lead the whole church to a renewed sense of identity and mission." Following adoption of the mission statement, it was agreed that the only realistic way to address the many issues in the mandate is to focus on the areas of controversy or disagreement, framing each of these in the broader scriptural and historical context deemed appropriate by the two sub-committees involved. The six key questions proposed by the sub-committee, which will be reworded by sub-committees prior to the next meeting, dealt with the following topics:

a. Trinity II, in its Biblical and social context
b. Denominationalism
c. Revelation/Christology
d. Roles of confessions/boundaries
e. Ecclesiology
f. Form of Government

A wide range of strategies for consulting and communicating with the church was also adopted. To date, the Task Force has communicated with articles in the church press, and press releases and relevant documents available on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Web site.

In addition to this communication, strategies for speaking to the church will include:

• A letter to moderators and executives of all synods and presbyteries including a copy of the Task Force covenant;
  
  
• participation in the regional consultations being held by the office of the Executive Director of the General Assembly Council and the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly;
  
  
• requesting Task Force members to report to their presbyteries whenever possible;
  
  
• having Task Force materials available at General Assembly (in the Office of the General Assembly booth), staffed, whenever possible, by members who can engage in discussion with interested people.

Plans for listening to the church will include:

• Distributing a couple of questions at the regional consultations to obtain feedback from participants;
  
  
• including the questions with the letter to synod and presbytery moderators, requesting that they be distributed;
  
  
• holding focus groups at the 214th General Assembly (2002) to gather input from the church;
  
  
• approaching the Council on Theological Education to determine the best way to contact theological students.

The co-moderators and a number of other members of the Task Force will be at the 214th General Assembly (2002) and will be available to speak with and listen to others in attendance.

At the next meeting of the Task Force, scheduled for August 1-3, 2002, the two areas of major focus will be a further study of the Trinity in its Biblical and social context and Denominationalism.