- Commissioners: 50% Elders and 50% Pastors - elected by each Presbytery, the only ones with votes in the big session?
- YAD - Youth Advisory Delegates: elected by each Presbytery
- TSAD - Theological Student Advisory Delegates
- Mission Advisory Delegates.
- Ecumenical Delegates - From other denominations
- Corresponding Members - Staff from all levels
- Observers - Press, bloggers, others.
Organize the web stories, info on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) troubles: Property Ownership, Church Withdrawals, Ordination Standards, Hierarchical vs. Connectional.
Hi Jim-
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question about advisory delegates voting, on a voice vote there is no official check of who is voting. However, they are intermixed with the rest of the commissioners so they are under obligation of their own conscience as well as the enforcement of those around them.
I would also add that on several votes I thought were not close on voice vote the Moderator or Vice-moderator called for a recorded vote using the electronic voting pad. On one of those it came back closer than I would have though. One side shouting louder? Vote changes or delegates voting? Hard to judge from the cheap seats in the back? I don't know. Most controversial votes were taken electronically, with the significant exception of the approval of the Belhar for the confession process.
My REAL question was are ALL of the voting delegates elected by a Presbytery? None are staff, or Seminaries?
ReplyDeleteSteve - Yes, you are correct we took electronic votes on anything that would seem controversial and more than once even on voice votes, division of the house was called by others and or we just did it anyway. Some, in fact, thought we overused the electronic system, but I would rather take the electronic to avoid as much confusion as possible.
ReplyDeleteJim - The commissioners SHOULD all be elected by some process of each Presbytery. Most Presbyteries now use some kind of rotation model (Seniority and or Congregational rotation) so there is hopefully less politicking in the presbytery. While Presbytery staff are eligible to be commissioners, and have been in the past, I don't recall hearing of any this year.
So regardless of what one thinks about decisions and/or whether they reflect the true nature of the church, they are people in the pews and pulpits of the church.
Hope that is helpful.
Bruce
Yes, that is helpful. It will be interesting to see after the Presbyteries vote, how much difference there is between the GA vote and the Presbytery votes. I am still disappointed that the property clause did not get a vote.
ReplyDelete