The longest debate at this year's assembly was an extension of issues raised last year by the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee. An overture asked assembly to reaffirm the uniqueness of Christ because the committee's revised mandate "included words that left people confused in terms of our relationship with people of other faiths," Rev. Shannon Bell-Wyminga, of B.C.'s Cariboo Ministry explained to the Record.
"If it's perceived that our church no longer adheres to the saving work of Christ, that's as great a problem as if it were true." She acknowledged that there were no inconsistent beliefs among the commissioners – just a variety of views, "but we need a foundation and this mandate should be that common ground."
Rev. James T. Hurd of Ottawa agreed, "We must make a statement and affirmation to Christ; it's worth repeating."
Rev. Bob Faris, Interfaith convener, assured the assembly that the committee conducts all its work within all the subordinate standards of the church. The committee argued the overture was redundant.
Dan MacKinnon, Presbytery of Ottawa, supported the overture, told the Record: "I don't think anyone had any reservations about whether we should be engaged in inter-faith dialogue; the issue for most of us was about being clear about what we believed as Christians. Comments made by some of this committee's members, past and present, seemed sufficiently veiled as to not inspire confidence."
The Ecumenical Relations Committee added "interfaith" to its name in 2004. In 2007, there was extended debate over the committee's proposal that Presbyterians be encouraged "to acknowledge, understand and appreciate other faith traditions."
