S.R. News Update #2

SEMPER REFORMANDA NEWS UPDATE

# 2 -- March 2001

[posted here on 3-9-01]

In this issue:

	6th Annual Pre-Assembly Theological Conversation
	The Annual Semper Reformanda Dinner and Social Justice Lecture
	News Note: President honors Elenora Ivory
	Concern expressed over minority staff in Louisville

6th Annual Pre-Assembly Theological Conversation

The sixth annual theological conversation will focus on exploring the historical and religious context of the 1923 Auburn Affirmation, and learning from that experience lessons that may be helpful to our church in the present day. In the early decades of the twentieth century the Presbyterian General Assembly made policy decisions that elevated the so called five fundamentals of faith to a definitive position in the church. Clergy were expected to affirm these five fundamentals. Heresy trials were carried out against clergy who were accused of rejecting the fundamentals. The theological reductionism of fundamentalism was resisted by a strong and creative minority that affirmed the historic presbyterian principles of the liberty of conscience ("God alone is lord of the conscience."), freedom to interpret scripture, and unity in Christ the living word. The Auburn Affirmation was written to call the church to remembrance of these guiding principles.

Semper Reformanda (Always Being Reformed) invites Presbyterians to its sixth annual theological conversation, which will be held on Friday, June 8, in Louisville, prior to the beginning of General Assembly. A panel of speakers will address the topic: "Exploring the Auburn Affirmation -- Our Theological Heritage and its Implications for Today." The lead speaker will be the Reverend David Bos of Louisville. Bos preached a sermon in September of 2000, in which he called on Presbyterians to reclaim their own historic principles of Reformation faith. He further suggested the calling of a convocation after this year's General Assembly to consider a new affirmation of conscience by Presbyterians. There is now wide-spread support for such an event.

The Friday, June 8^th theological conversation, sponsored by Semper Reformanda, will deal with such questions as:

What was the historical context of the Auburn Affirmation?

What did the Auburn Affirmation actually present?

What contribution did the Affirmation make to the church?

What are some of the implications for the church today?

Other speakers will contribute to a critique of the Auburn Affirmation and also deal with its relevance for the church today. The focus will be on understanding this part of our Presbyterian heritage.

Date: Friday, June 8
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Place: The Central Presbyterian Church
318 West Kentucky Street, Louisville

Registration for the one-day event is through the Office of the Presbyterian General Assembly. Phone: 1-883-728-7228. Cost - $40.

Nile Harper

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The Annual Semper Reformanda Dinner
and Social Justice Lecture

On Tuesday evening at the General Assembly in Louisville, members and friends of Semper Reformanda will gather to celebrate the continuing Reformation within the Presbyterian Church.

A central feature of the evening will be the presentation of the third annual Robert J. Stone Social Justice Lecture by the Reverend Herbert D. Valentine. Valentine is a former Moderator of The General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. For many years he served the church as Executive Presbyter of Baltimore Presbytery; he is known in the church as a creative leader with a strong commitment to urban ministry, an effective strategist for Presbyterian ministry in a metropolitan context, a supporter of racial and ethnic leadership development, and as a person of vision for the future of the church.

Another feature of the evening will be the introduction of the new Intern serving the Presbyterian Washington Office. Funding for this new part-time position has come from the gifts of members and friends of Semper Reformanda as well as from a number of Presbyterian congregations across the country.

Additional gifts are needed each year to continue the Internship. The Intern provides assistance to the ongoing legislative research and liaison with the Congress that enables the Washington Office to inform and advise the Presbyterian Church. Your financial gifts in support of the intern position are invited. You may send checks to Semper Reformanda addressed to the Treasurer, Barbara Miller, 1420 Santo Domingo, Duarte, California 91010; mark checks for Internship. Or you may send your gift directly to the General Assembly, checks made payable to the Presbyterian Church, and marked for Extra Commitment Account #051422, Washington Internship. The address is 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202-1396.

Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Place: Galt House Hotel, Combs/Chandler Room

Cost: $28.

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News Note: President honors Elenora Ivory

In November this past fall, President Clinton signed the International Debt Relief Act -- known in church circles as the Jubilee act -- to greatly reduce the debt owed by 37 of the world's poorest nations. This act of Congress significantly reduced debt owed directly to the U.S.A., and committed U.S. funds to debt owed by developing nations To the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The debt reduction is tied to the commitment of the nations to use the money freed up for programs of health, education, and agriculture for their own people.

The religious community in the U.S.A. and around the world have worked, advocated, and lobbied hard for this break-through in debt reduction. The Old Testament theme of Jubilee debt forgiveness was a key biblical support for this legislative lobbying. The Presbyterian Washington Office participated in supporting the legislation, in direct response to actions of the General Assembly. When President Clinton signed the debt relief bill into law he called on a number of religious leaders to join him at the signing and invited several to make brief statements. Elenora Giddings Ivory, director of the Presbyterian Washington Office, was invited to participate in the Signing ceremonies with the President.

We salute Elenora Ivory and all her colleagues at the Washington Office for their work, along with the efforts of many Presbyterians, in support of this landmark legislation. We are recalled to the spirit of jubilee justice by their work and we remember the words of the Old Testament: "The fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee for you ... You shall return to your own property ... you shall not cheat one another ... the land shall not be sold in perpetuity ... and if any fall into difficulty and become dependent, you shall support them ... you shall not lend money with interest taken in advance ... you shall not rule over others with harshness ... for I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 25)

Nile Harper

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Concern expressed over minority staff in Louisville

On January 22, a consultation was held in Louisville in the meeting facility of the General Assembly among John Detterick, the Executive Director of the General Assembly Council, along with other members of his staff, Human Resource Management, and representatives of ACREC, the Advocacy Committee on Racial and Ethnic Concerns. The primary focus was on discussion of the need for increased employment of racial-ethnic persons within the staff of the General Assembly.

There are now approximately 280 professional staff and 240 support staff employed By the General Assembly. Approximately 21% are racial-ethnic persons, and a majority of these persons are employed in support services. During the conversations ACREC proposed a new goal of 30% overall, and that special attention be given to racial-ethnic increase in the professional staff. ACREC created a new listing of over 250 persons with substantial qualifications and gave this to Detterick. He said that new staff were being added to the Human Resource Department and that would strengthen recruitment.