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Rev Ben Fitzgerald-Fye, our Stated Clerk, provides an update from the General Assembly:
Greetings folks!
As many of you know, committee business for the 227th General Assembly is now in full swing, and I thought I'd send along a quick update on some of the things we've been following together in worship, Bible study, and conversation.
Before I begin, a disclaimer. When I say something was "approved," I do not mean it has been approved by the denomination as a whole. These are committee actions. The committees have made recommendations, and those recommendations now move forward to the plenary sessions where the full Assembly will vote once we gather in person later this week.
So with that out of the way, here's what's been happening in Presbyterian-land.
Climate and Creation Care
Let's start with some encouraging news.
All of the major climate and fossil fuel-related overtures advanced out of committee. These include Changing Course for a Green Future, the Green Future Fund, Regenerative Farming, and updated ethical guidance on fossil fuel investments and engagement.
They were amended here and there, but they all moved forward with relatively strong support. For those of us who have spent years talking about stewardship of creation, climate justice, and our responsibility to future generations, that is encouraging news.
Constitutional Matters
As your Stated Clerk, I am a giant nerd about constitutional stuff.
The constitutional committee has been handling some genuinely spicy business.
One overture that advanced would prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements in church employment relationships. Some of you may remember that I brought this overture before our own presbytery for concurrence after our friend Jennifer from California brought it to my attention. It has now moved forward for consideration by the full Assembly.
There was also what I'll call a rather nasty little overture seeking to create a special committee to review how previous LGBTQIA+ inclusion actions have been implemented. The committee disapproved it.
The PC(USA) continues moving forward on questions of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and there appears to be little appetite for reopening debates that have already been settled.
The Monogamy Overture: My Weird Obsession
Speaking of things I've been watching far more closely than any reasonable human being should...
Many of you know I've been following CON-10, the overture proposing explicit constitutional language regarding monogamy as a standard for ministers.
This one is so silly because it isn't actually needed.
What I found encouraging, however, was the discussion itself. Committee members seemed to understand that this was constitutionally awkward and that it appeared to be trying to address concerns that weren't really about monogamy at all.
Ultimately, the committee voted to refer the matter back to the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.
I'm going to call that a quiet way of getting rid of it.
That said, if something eventually comes back from ACSWP, there is actually an opportunity for thoughtful work here. Questions of covenant, commitment, relationships, and ethics deserve serious reflection. If a future statement emerges from this process, it will hopefully be grounded in theology and pastoral wisdom rather than internal church politics.
Inclusion and Belonging
The committee addressing gender, sexuality, and inclusion moved forward an interesting proposal creating a voluntary self-assessment tool for congregations.
The idea is simple: churches often say they are welcoming, but do our practices actually reflect that welcome?
The tool would help congregations evaluate everything from worship and leadership to fellowship and congregational culture.
The same committee also moved forward Beyond Changing Families: Flourishing Relationships and Belonging, a substantial social witness policy exploring human relationships, covenant, family life, and belonging. This was thoughtful work, received serious discussion, and ultimately advanced with amendments.
In-Person General Assemblies
The proposal requiring future General Assemblies to return to fully in-person meetings also advanced.The vote was 32–22. For Presbyterians, that's pretty close.
The proposal was amended so implementation would begin in 2030 rather than 2028, largely because people pointed out that reorganizing a nationwide assembly is more complicated than simply voting to do it.
This one will be interesting to watch when it reaches the full Assembly.
Racial Justice and Repair
As is often the case at General Assembly, racial justice work has been active and significant.
Committees moved forward actions related to Black women and girls, Liberia, the final report of the Special Committee on Racism, Truth, and Reconciliation, and broader concerns about equity and advocacy.
One proposal I'm watching particularly closely creates a special committee on African American ecclesial repair. That's church language for taking seriously the historical and institutional harms done to African American congregations and communities and asking what repair, accountability, and healing might actually look like.
Peacemaking and Public Witness
The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear disarmament with very little pushback.
Important work also moved forward regarding religious minorities in Syria and the ongoing effects of recent restructuring within World Mission.
Closer to home, I continue to be encouraged by the denomination's willingness to repudiate Christian nationalism in ways that make my Presbyterian heart proud. The church continues to insist that our primary allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ and not to any political movement, party, politician, or nation.
One proposal commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution was disapproved, which means it will not advance to the full Assembly.
I did not get to watch enough of that discussion to give you a fair account of the debate itself, so I'll leave that to others. But I found the action interesting given the broader cultural and political conversations happening around the nation's 250th birthday.
Jeju 4.3
One overture that was particularly meaningful to our own presbytery was RIW-08 concerning the April 3 Tragedy on Jeju Island in Korea.
Our presbytery concurred with that overture, and we had an advocate participating in committee discussions. SHE DID A GREAT JOB...I saw...
I'm pleased to report that it advanced overwhelmingly.
Doctrine of Discovery
Another important action calls for continued work toward the complete repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.
If you're not familiar with it, the Doctrine of Discovery provided theological and legal justification for colonization and the displacement of Indigenous peoples. It remains one of the darkest and most consequential theological mistakes in Christian history.
What particularly caught my attention is that this work includes continued dialogue with the Vatican regarding a full and final repudiation of the doctrine.
Since many of you know I am incapable of ignoring anything involving popes (speaking of weird obsessions), I was following this one closely.
The church continues its commitment to truth-telling, repentance, and repair, and I am encouraged to see that conversation continuing across denominational lines.
Artificial Intelligence
In a development that surprises absolutely no one who has ever met a Presbyterian, we spent a considerable amount of time discussing artificial intelligence. An overture providing guidance for how the church should think about AI passed committee by a vote of 49–1.
What I appreciated was that the conversation wasn't primarily about technology. It was about humanity.
What makes us human? What should never be automated? How do we use powerful tools without losing sight of our moral and spiritual responsibilities?
Those seem like exactly the kinds of questions the church should be asking.
The New Confession
The committee dealing with the proposed new confession faced a genuinely difficult assignment.
Ultimately, members voted to receive the report of the Special Committee on a New Confession while also recommending the creation of a new 15-member committee to continue the drafting process.
This was not the outcome I expected, but honestly, I think it was a wise one.
It keeps the project moving forward while acknowledging that the church simply has not had enough time to engage deeply with the proposed language. The committee was placed in a nearly impossible position, and I think they found a reasonable path forward.
Looking Ahead
And that's only the first few days. Committees are still meeting, amendments are still appearing from nowhere, and somebody is undoubtedly drafting a substitute motion as I write this. I'll try to send one more dispatch before I board the train for Milwaukee this weekend and then continue reporting once the live Assembly begins.
Thank you for your prayers for everyone participating in this work. Whatever frustrations we may sometimes have with Presbyterian process, there are faithful people giving their time, energy, wisdom, and patience to discern where God is leading the church.
Until next time, I'll keep tracking this stuff like a Presbyterian hound dog.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben
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