Amendment 14-1First Reading Guidance from Bills & Overtures

Adopting the Belhar Confession: Background• Adding Belhar requires an amendment to our Book of Confessions• Approval of a super majority of Presbyteries is required. • This is a six year process, requiring the action of three different assemblies

• We have seen the Belhar Confession before• Proposed for study by 218th GA (2008)

• Recommended by Special Committee in 2009• Proposed as an amendment by 219th GA (2010) 525—150—3

• 108 votes in favor failed to receive a super majority (by 8 votes) • Re-proposed by National Capital Presbytery to 220th GA (2012)

• Recommended by Special Committee in 2013• Proposed as an amendment by 221st GA (2014) 551—87

Belhar: A Spectrum of Views

• Oppose adding Belhar because of it’s theology• Affirm Belhar, but not as an

addition to our Book of Confessions • Favor adding Belhar as an

addition to our Book of Confessions because of it’s expressed theology

Oppose adding Belhar because of it’s theology (and for what it might be used for) • Viola Larson’s arguments against Belhar’s theology • http://naminghisgrace.blogspot.com/2009/09/belhar-four-important-reasons

-pcusa.html • http://www.theologymatters.com/TM.100513.pdf (see page 12ff).

• Sue Cyre’s arguments against Belhar’s theology • http://www.presbycoalition.org/Belhar%20Critique%20Cyre%20TM%20Sept-

Oct%202010.pdf

• Presbyterian Coalition’s resource page• http://www.presbycoalition.org/campaign_belhar.cfm

Affirm Belhar, but not as an addition to our Book of Confessions• View of Ruling Elder Alan Wisdom (Georgetown)• http://juicyecumenism.com/2011/03/24/why-the-belhar-confession-should-n

ot-be-adopted/

• Pittsburgh Seminary theologian John Burgess’s Cautious Perspective• http://www.reformedinstitute.org/documents/belhar.burgess.pdf • http://pres-outlook.org/2011/03/comments-on-the-belhar-confession/

• A similar argument from a Calvin Seminary Theologian (Christian Reformed Church) • https://internal.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/facultyStaff/cooj/Cooper-Affirm-

the-Belhar-But-Not-as-a-Doctrinal-Standard.pdf

Favor adding Belhar as an addition to our Book of Confessions because of it’s expressed theology

• FAQ’s on Belhar• file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe

e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/FAQs%20re.%20Belhar.pdf

• “Why Belhar? Why Now?” (Letter from the Special Committee)• file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe

e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/Special%20Committee%20letter--Why%20Belhar,%20Why%20Now.pdf

• Office of the General Assembly resource page (multiple, including the above)• http://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/ga221/ga221-belhar/

• Christian Reformed Church Resources• http://www.crcna.org/sites/default/files/FromtheHeart_studyguide.pdf • https://internal.calvinseminary.edu/pubs/forum/10fall.pdf