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Ecumenical Relationships

Responsibilities

 

The Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations shall function to give a high profile to the vision of the ecumenical and interreligious involvement and work as central to the gospel and key to the life of the church; plan and coordinate, in consultation with the agencies and governing bodies of the church, the involvement of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in ecumenical and interreligious relations and work; connect the ecumenical and interreligious efforts of all governing body levels of the church; provide a common point for all ecumenical and interreligious efforts connecting us with those outside our church; keep a unity of vision that includes the ecclesiastical, programmatic, ecumenical, and denominational (organizational) parts of our ministries and commitments; articulate the Reformed and Presbyterian identity in the midst of our ecumenical commitments; and promote awareness of the role of the unity of all humankind in the search for the unity of the church; and promote the unity of the church as an exhibition of the kingdom to the world.

The Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations will meet twice annually and shall have the responsibility to do the following:

  1. Envision, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leads and participates in the search for the unity of Christ’s Church within this nation and worldwide, and propose appropriate strategies to the General Assembly, its agencies, and other governing bodies;
  2. Provide oversight to the implementation of the responsibilities given to the General Assembly in Book of Order, Form of Government, Chapter XV. Relationships, G-15.0000–.0302;
  3. Act on and process recommendations and proposals addressing ecclesiastical ecumenical work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);
  4. Propose to the General Assembly, for election, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members to serve on ecumenical delegations to the National Council of Churches of Christ (USA), the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Caribbean and North American Area Council assemblies;
  5. Represent the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in negotiation and coordination of the search for Christian unity with other communions as authorized by the General Assembly; Organization for Mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  6. Select Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) representatives to serve on ecumenical dialogues, ecumenical negotiations on church unions, multilateral and bilateral dialogues, and representatives from the PC(USA) serving as PC(USA) ecumenical representatives to other church assemblies;
  7. Oversee the implementation of “A Formula of Agreement” (Full Communion) with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Reformed Church in America, and the United Churches of Christ, and represent the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in planning and coordinating structures to carry this out;
  8. Give guidance to the nurturing of unity among Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the U.S.A., with one another and with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);
  9. Empower all agencies of the General Assembly and governing bodies to carry out their mission program with an ecumenical consciousness and in close coordination with one another and to model this consciousness in their own work;
  10. Propose and advocate to appropriate bodies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that they share in funding ecumenical and conciliar ministry;
  11. Propose to the General Assembly names of churches to be invited to send ecumenical advisory delegates to the General Assembly meeting (see Standing Rule B.2.g.);
  12. Select three religious traditions to be invited to send representatives to the General Assembly as interfaith observers (see Standing Rule B.2.f.);
  13. Give guidance to the Stated Clerk and General Assembly agencies on ecclesial (church-to church) ecumenical relations, helping to carry out the General Assembly’s G-13.0103s and t responsibilities;
  14. Give guidance to General Assembly agencies on new opportunities to strengthen the relationships with other faith communities and on strategies for fulfilling the General Assembly mandates on interreligious relationships;
  15. Give guidance to the Mission Agency on ecumenical mission opportunities in partnership with churches in the United States and around the world; and
  16. Give guidance to program entities on ecumenical formation of Presbyterians, both ministers and lay members.

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