Church has no testicular fortitude to lead

On Saturday October 8^th 2016 at 13:30 the 7^th General Synod of Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa responded to what I asked days prior to their decision: Are we all equal before the cross.

During this specific session URCSA opted to abandon its very founding principles and ironically the theme of its sitting: The Belhar Confession. URCSA voted in favour of a Process Position, based on a recommendation by its Homosexuality Task Team. Thus keeping the status quo but instead of doing research the church will continue dialogue with all stakeholders.

The decision was made shortly after the church decided to resume unity talks with the Dutch Reformed Church and accepted a request recommendation for the Church in Pakistan to be the Uniting Reformed Church in Pakistan [the first for Asia].

Despite the church reaching out to the world but not amongst its own ranks, I am however of the opinion URCSA made a procedural error in its decision. And here’s why:

Friday 7^th October 2016: URCSA’s Homosexuality Task Team tabled their report with the Process Position of dialogue as recommendation. Synod had various deliberations on it and after numerous motions the meeting decided to refer all motions regarding the topic to the task team – at this point it became an extended task team. They had to consolidate all motions and table a recommendation the following morning.

Saturday 8^th October 2016: URCSA’s Extended Homosexuality Task Team tabled a recommendation to vote for one of four options:

- Process Position (initial recommended),

- Recommendations of 2008 (keep the status quo),

- Keep the status quo but ministers and their congregations chose their own position,

- To accept and ordain within celibacy

After voting on option one – with majority in favour of it – outcome was declared as the resolution of synod. This is exactly the mistake the church made.

Some refer to the options as four motions, and if that was the case synod had to vote on each motion.

Irrespective of motion or option, my reasoning for a procedural error is that prior to voting delegates were not informed they are only allowed to vote either for or against only one of the four options.

I firmly believe delegates were under the impression they would vote for or against each one of the options.

URCSA’s 7^th General Synod thus did not vote on the recommendation of Saturday, but voted on the recommendation tabled Friday 7^th October 2016 at 20:00. URCSA will possibly like its sister church, the DRC, have to refer the matter to its Commission for Judicial Matters with a similar outcomes than its sister church: a special synod only for this agenda item or to just ignore and continue as normal.

Whichever route it opts to take and what the final decision will be, URCSA’s real challenge remains the implementation of any decision it take. For 12 years the church has been struggling to do research and engage on the matter, with one delegate admitting at Synod the church failed to consult and engage the LGBTQ-community.

Maybe the church should use the next four years and first ask itself if it only preaches or does it still practice the Belhar Confession.

One of the members of the first URCSA Homosexuality Task Team, Prof. Rothney Tshaka, summarizes the topic best: “URCSA has no testicular fortitude in leading the church on the LGBTQ-matter and therefore finds all kind of excuses for not pronouncing on it”.

Putting everything in context, below are the resolutions from the 2005, 2008 and 2012 Synod Decisions/Resolutions:

GENERAL SYNOD 2005:
a) Synod confirms that the Bible is the living Word of God and the primary source and norm for the moral debate about homosexuality.
b) Synod acknowledges the diversity of positions regarding homosexuality and pleads that differences be dealt with in a spirit of love, patience, tolerance and respect.
c) Synod confirms that homosexual people are members of the church through faith in Jesus Christ.
d) Synod rejects homophobia and any form of discrimination against homosexual persons.
e) Synod appeals to URCSA members to reach out with love and empathy to our homosexual brothers and sisters and embrace them as members of the body of Christ in our midst.
f) Synod acknowledges the appropriate civil rights of homosexual persons.
g) Synod emphasizes the importance of getting clarity about the theological and moral status of homosexual marriages, or covenantal unions.
h) Synod emphasizes the importance of getting clarity about the ordination of practising homosexual persons in ministry.
i) Synod assigns the following tasks to the Moderamen:
Do an extensive study on Christian faith and homosexuality while taking into
consideration the above mentioned principles;
Table a report with recommendations to the General Synodical Commission during the coming recess;
And encourage and direct discussions on the theme of homosexuality in URCSA.

GENERAL SYNOD 2008:
1. GS takes note of the report on homosexuality as tabled before it;
2. GS appreciates the endeavours done by the task team.
3. GS further refers the report and its recommendations to the Regional Synods, Presbyteries and local congregations for discussion;
4. GS instructs the Executive to appoint another task team for another scientific study which will add other perspectives on homosexuality; and
5. GS re-affirms points a-f of decision 90 of Pietermaritzburg 2005 that reads
a) Synod confirms that the Bible is the living Word of God and the primary source and norm for the moral debate about homosexuality.
b) Synod acknowledges the diversity of positions regarding homosexuality and pleads that differences be dealt with in a spirit of love, patience; tolerance and respect.
c) Synod confirms that homosexual people are members of the church by nature of faith in Jesus Christ.
d) Synod rejects homophobia and any form of discrimination against homosexual persons.
e) Synod appeals to URCSA members to reach out with love and empathy to our homosexual brothers and sisters and embrace them as members of the body of Christ in our midst.
f) Synod acknowledges the appropriate civil rights of homosexual persons.
GENERAL SYNOD 2012:
1. The General Synod affirms the decision of the General Synod 2005 as the Interim Policy on homosexuality of URCSA.
2. The General Synod classifies the Report on Homosexuality which had been tabled at the General Synod 2008 as a "background resource" offering assistance to church councils, presbyteries and regional synods faced with the task of evaluating homosexuality in church and society.
3. The General Synod calls on all regional synods to actively attend to the Report on Homosexuality of 2008 and supply the General Synodical Commission during the recess with their responses.
4. The General Synod appoints and instructs the task team on homosexuality to move forward in the preparation of reader friendly study material on the biblical and theological appraisal of homosexuality and issue it to the regional synods during the recess after approval by the General Synodical Commission.
Minutes of the Sixth General Synod of URCSA 2012 Page 26
5. The General Synod affirms the URCSA's long tradition of social justice, founded on the fundamental human dignity of every individual, as well as its bearing on the controversial and emotional issues of gay rights. The General Synod URCSA, therefore, calls on all its members to exhibited concern over the protection of homosexuals from discriminatory practices.
6. The General Synod affirms that the denial of human and civil rights to homosexuals is inconsistent with the biblical witness and Reformed theology.
7. The General Synod denounces all forms of homophobic conduct.
8. The General Synod encourages church leaders to enter into constructive dialogue with LGBTI persons or groups representing them with the aim of better understanding them. General Synod requests the task team on homosexuality to organize opportunities for such dialogue.