Examination Process

Like the 60’s Dylan song, “the times they are a’ changing.” Since GA and the PUP report, all presbyteries must take steps to clarify their standards for examining candidates and ordinands and their standards for clergy transferring into their boundaries. Some presbyteries have already taken this step: an example is the document “Essential Tenets” put together by San Diego Presbytery. They adopted this in 2003. Several presbyteries, usually those leaning toward a more conservative theology and politics, have adopted or “co-opted” this document as a standard. This 30 page document includes six pages of recommended questions for candidates, and is quite clear about theological positions that it does not affirm. Here’s a link to that document: http://www.presbyterysd.org/reports/etrdmaster.pdf

In Cascades Presbytery, Presbytery Council held a brief hearing on September 16, inviting comments and viewpoints on a motion made at June presbytery changing the process of how candidates and incoming clergy should be examined. Following the hearing, the council will begin work on preparing its recommendation to be presented to presbytery in November. I expect that this same process is going on in most presbyteries. The process, in Cascades and elsewhere, is very political, and there are several competing agendas at work. The hearing itself went very well, with good dialog and input from several points of view.

Since a lot of us reading this blog are PCUSA candidates, we need to know about these changing processes and standards, both in our own presbytery and in presbyteries we’re seeking calls in. The field has become more complicated to navigate (read that “dancing in a minefield”). Just because we’ve passed ords doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet. Congratulations to Heather, along with bandaids and an icepack for the bumps and bruises she picked up this weekend in her trials.

A couple of weeks ago I met with a subcommittee of COM in a presbytery in which I was interviewing. The examination was based on the San Diego “Essential Tenets” document—they’d told me to expect that about two weeks before the interview and emailed me a copy of the document (first time I’d seen it). The interview lasted about two hours, almost all taken up with theological questions from that document, plus additional questions that came out of the Trinity and PUP reports to GA. It was a hard session. Those of you who took Greg’s oral exams (I didn’t) may have had good practice for something like this.

Does anybody have updates on what’s happening on this in other presbyteries?
Peace and Blessings,
Bob


“If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane”, Jimmy Buffett
“Let’s make the best of the situation” Eric Clapton

Aaron Retuns

Okay West Wing Fans - Aaron Sorkin is back and while Studio 60 is no West Wing its still pretty interesting - at least on the first viewing. I taped it (Aimee - do you need me to save these tapes?) and watched the opening with the mute/slow down and repeat controls in my hand.

Sorkin likes to keep using characters from show to show to movie and back again (Martin Sheen as Chief of Staff in American President? Nahh, didn't work) so its a little odd to see Danny the Reporter now the director in the booth (like right, he was going to get fired?). Josh is still Josh even if they changed his name and his hair a bit, and hes not so manic but I kept thinking - where is Donna? And I watched friends for way too long to be able to accept Matthew Perry as a different person but hey, time will ease these confusions. *

Okay - the fact that I'm writing about this clearly means I have just a little too much time on my hands this morning but under the theory that if we only posted to the blog when something big is happening we'll hardly ever post I'm going to prattle on a bit more.

Opening scene has the director of studio 60 doing a Network rant - interrupting a comedy sketch ala Saturday Night Live that was set in the Oval Office - ummmm, any references to West Wing here? Any rants a certain producer who was fired for caring too much about scripts and writing might have wanted to get off his chest? Poooleease - setting this rant with the white house oval office as the backdrop was just a little bit obvious – and amusing.


*speaking of crossing TV worlds, the good guy Secret Service head dude on WW played a corrupted evil congress person on Gena Davis's Presidential show and that was just wrong.

The Ring of Fire

Friends - I have jumped through the final flaming hoop - emerging singed but successful. My Trials of Ordination were rigourous to put it nicely. I was on the floor right after a long argument regarding examening minister members on the floor to insure a homogenous Presbytery. Lots of tension in the room which soon became directed at me. Lots of questions - and lots of people who didn't know how to ask a question at all. I had to ask for clarification multiple times from multiple questioners. I stumbled on "Is Jesus the only way to Salvation" and gave in. My final friendly question was "So what DO you think about substitunary atonement?" I wouldn't budge on that one and at that moment knew I was going down in a blaze of glory. I left the room and burst into tears - convinced I had come this far only to fail at the last step and loose the church I had already begun to love. It was awful. Then the invited me back in and said I had passed. In the end I felt bruised and beaten - hardly celebratory for the final step. I felt terrible - what a let down - what an experiance. This was by far the most difficult step of the whole ordination process begun 4+ years ago. By the grace of God I have made it through. - Heather