Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

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90 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE among the subordinate standards in the History of the Standards. (1-1 introduction to the Directory for Church Government names only The Confession of Faith and The R.P. Testimonyas the doctrinal statements of the church. It will not be sufficient for the Synod of 1997 to declare judicially by majority vote that the Queries are part of the Constitution of the RPCNA. Such a declaration could be easily reversed by a later Synod. Instead, the Queries adopted by simple majority in 1939 should now be individually sent down in proper overture. In evaluating our present Queries, the committee commends the report on vows adopted by the 1981 Synod. Recommendations: I.) That the Clerk of Synod send down in overture each of our current Queries individually, except for Queryit's that was approved by overture in 1979. 2.) That church courts continue to use the Queries as they now stand until the overture has been completed. 3.) That whatever Queries are approved in overture will then become a part of the Constitution of the RPCNA, to be changed only by the procedures outlined In The Book of Discipline, chapter 8 "Petitions, Memorials, and Overtures." (E-14) Respectfully Submitted, Godfrey Franklin George Hueber Philip Pockras Ed Schisler William J. Edgar, Chairman Appendix. 1981 Minutes of Synod page 128. That Synod stateits approval of the principles stated in Part I of this report, governing the content and form ofits ordination vows. 1.) There is warrant for ordination vows which promise faithfulness in the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the office. 2.) Ordination vows should include statements of adherence to the confessional and constitutional documents in which are expressed the church's understanding of God's truth and will. 3.) Ordination vows should include the promise to respect the structure of authority which Christ has established in the church. 4.) In general, ordination vows should not focus upon particular doctrines or practices, but should indicate a hearty acceptance of the church's confession and testimony as a whole. 5.) Ordination vows should contain only those things which the church has officially declared in her Confession and Testimony to be clearly taught in the Word of God. 6.) While guarding against defection, ordination vows should allow for an orderly way of dealing with any future change of conviction by the ordained or the church. 7.) The wording of the ordination queries should include an appeal to God.
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 91 8.) The ordination vows should be so stated that the church n should not, allow exceptions to, or qualification of them. Report of the Judicial Committee re: Communication 97-7 Paper 97-7 asks the Synod of 1997 to declare an action of the 1995 Synod to be out of order. The action was a special resolution that reads as follows: "Whereas we believe that the abstinence clause of ordination query #8 is not part of the New Testament description of the characteristics of elders and goes beyond the testimony of the church, and whereas a number of synods have voted to change this abstinence clause to bring It into conformity with the Word of God, and whereas a majority of elders has repeatedly voted to change this clause, while a minority of sessions has resisted reformation of ordination query #8, be it resolved by the Synod of 1995 that ecclesiastical discipline and exclusion from office be suspended for all who take exception to the abstinence clause of Query #8 for conscience's sake, provided that they commit themselves to Christian sobriety and love for the brethren and the peace of the church." The Judicial Committee agrees that the 1995 special resolution was improper for the following reason: The Synod has both a legislative and a judicial function. The Synod together with all of the Sessions has repeatedly failed legislatively to amend Query #8. As a judicial body the Synod could, of course, simply refuse to enforce the debated clause in Query #8. However, judicial precedents can only be set in response to specific and concrete judicial cases. It is never the province of a court to announce beforehand how it will rule in a case. Therefore, the Special Resolution adopted by the 1995 Synod, that ecclesiastical discipline in the matter of Query #8 will be suspended was both an improper usurpation of the legislative function and an improper effort to tie the hands of a future court. We recommend that: 1.) The provision allowed by this special resolution be terminated. 2.) That those who benefited while this special resolution was in effect be allowed to retain that benefit or yield that benefit, as their conscience allows. Respectfully Submitted, Godfrey Franklin George Hueber Philip Pockras Ed Schisler William J. Edgar, Chairman Christian Adjemian, Larry Bump, Brian Coombs, Tony Cowley, Gordon Keddie, Robert LaMay, Thomas Reid, Vince Scavo and Andrew Schep
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