Three hundred commissioners gathered for the 133rd General assembly at the University of Waterloo's Columbia Icefield complex. and, the early sederunts (a fancy Latin word meaning 'sittings') proceeded so coolly that moderator J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg quipped this might be one of the shortest meetings of the highest court of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in recent years.
But this was not to be.
The first recommendation to catch the imagination of the assembly was not a burning theological issue but the commissioning of a stole (the fancy scarf-like item worn at worship by ministers) for moderators to wear. Commissioners expressed more concern about germs than tradition as they debated how the stole should pass from one moderator to the next. (“Presbyterians don't do symbols,” whispered a neighbouring commissioner, who sadly decided not to introduce his theological concern to the court.) eventually a motion, introduced in a tone of mockery, referred the matter back to assembly council, which had previously been requested to prepare it. There was a collective sigh of relief in the court.
Certainly the lighter, celebratory note was easily sustained given the calibre of short addresses from such notables as Ernie Regehr, cofounder of Project Ploughshares and recipient of the e.H. Johnson award, lois Wilson, president of the World Council of Churches and first woman moderator of The United Church of Canada, and international visitors from Cuba, India, and China.
But it was Muslim leader Imam Hamid Slimi, chair of the Canadian Council of Imams, who charmed commissioners with his openness, graciousness and reference to Calvin's doctrine of predestination (“I thought Calvin had settled the question!”) slimi's wit and humour quickly won over many commissioners and possibly influenced later debate over understanding the difference between evangelism and interfaith dialogue in an effort to redefine that mandate for the ecumenical and Interfaith relations Committee.
As debate over two recommendations from the Committee on ecumenical and Interfaith relations heated up on Wednesday, questions about process emerged. “There is an unsettled spirit in the court,” confided one commissioner on Wednesday morning. “some commissioners seem to have trouble accepting the will of the court as their will.”
The assembly calmed the first “unsettled spirit” with due process. The court reaffirmed its decision to mandate the History Committee rather than the ecumenical and Interfaith relations Committee “to discern an effective way to mark the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth”.
By Thursday noon, it was clear that the second “unsettled spirit” in the court was not to be appeased so quickly and commissioners braced themselves to bed down on the plastic residence mattresses for another night.
By early Friday morning, temperatures had already climbed above 30 Celsius and commissioners prepared to vote (again!) to change the mandate of the ecumenical and Interfaith relations Committee. In his opening remarks, Mark Lewis, convenor of the committee, reassured the young adult observers that they would witness how Presbyterians can disagree on theological issues and continue to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. In other words, cool Presbyterian reserve was about to be tested by heated and impassioned debate.
Can Presbyterians engage in interfaith dialogue and retain their distinct faith identity and tradition? The process, not the speeches answered the question as the court moved into committee of the whole (allowing for less formal debate and discussion) and the moderator facilitated the mennonite model of conflict resolution “to ensure every voice be heard in the debate.” In the end, the court affirmed its decision to define more explicitly interfaith dialogue: “It is our interfaith mandate to encourage Presbyterians to acknowledge, understand and appreciate other faith traditions, and to help Presbyterians to live in good relationship with persons who belong to other religions; noting by the word 'acknowledge' we mean, 'accept the existence of', by the word 'understand' we mean, 'perceive the intended meaning of'; and by the word 'appreciate' we mean 'recognize the value or significance of'.”
So, was the final sederent a waste of time? not at all. Unwittingly, commissioners had supported both the spirit and intent of the recommendation. The debate served as a case study to demonstrate how Presbyterians can borrow the tools of another tradition (in this case mennonite) to make Presbyterian polity shine brighter. every voice in the debate was heard; Presbyterian tradition had not been compromised. more important, cool Presbyterian decorum had prevailed under sweltering conditions in the Icefield!
Now, with the adjournment of the final sederent in sight, the moderator relaxed in his chair and declared with some pride (and relief, no doubt) that commissioners had “seen it all” — amendments to amendments, calls for the question and the committee of the whole.
Overall, this assembly expressed confidence in decisions concerning social justice and mission. Highlights include the International affairs Committee report on migrants, and the endorsement of the document from the World alliance of reformed Churches, Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth. The assembly voted to encourage Presbyterians to write letters to government officials calling for measurable targets and a timeline to reduce poverty, address social assistance, the minimum wage, national housing and employment assistance. The moderator will urge the Prime Minister to implement the financial commitments in education, health, housing and infrastructure, economic opportunities, and relationships and accountability established at the 2005 meeting of Canada's First Ministers and aboriginal leaders in Kelowna, B.C. The assembly also asked presbyteries and sessions to pressure the Canadian government to meet its commitment to make inexpensive generic medicines available to poor countries in order to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, tuberculosis and malaria.
Pauline Brown, the longest serving PCC missionary, honoured for her 55-year ministry in India, offered the greatest piece of wisdom at this assembly as she urged all Presbyterians, “let us reason with our heads and our hearts.”
In the fall, Presbyteries will study the draft policy on racial harassment, the implications of moving to biennial assemblies, and the document, The Canadian Churches Responsibility to Protect. next year's assembly will also receive the work of a joint task group on the theology of the ordination to ministry of Word and sacraments, a report on pastoring elders, and a report from the International affairs committee “on the connection we have as Christians and Canadians with the people of Israel and Palestine.”
And, of course, commissioners will hear more about the moderatorial stole. How will we ever keep our cool Canadian Presbyterian reserve under wraps?
