The Two Synod Solution

Proposed Amendments

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Proposed Amendments
The General Assembly:
G-13.0100

G.13.0100         The General Assembly is the highest
                        governing body of the Presbyterian
                        Church (U.S.A.).  The General
                        Assembly's jurisdiction is limited.
                        Jurisdiction over Ordination,
                        Statements of Faith, Marriage Standards
                        Educational Materials used, church planting,
                        and evangelism methods, are permanently
                        delegated to the two Primary
                        Synods (Auburn and Westminster).
                        The General Assembly is the 
                        representative of the unity of
                        the Primary Synods (Westminster
                        and Auburn), their respective
                        Sub-Synods, their respective
                        Presbyteries, sessions, and
                        congregations of the Presbyterian
                        Church (U.S.A.).


G-13.0102         a.  (Unchanged)
Membership
                        b.  (Unchanged)

                        c.  (Unchanged)


G.13-0103          The General Assembly constitutes
Responsibilities   the bond of union, community, and
                         mission among all its congregations
                         and governing bodies.  However,
                         the General Assembly is a 
                         governing body of limited
                         jurisdiction.  Jurisdiction
                         over ordination standards, Statements
                         of Faith, Marriage Standards,
                         Educational Materials used,
                         church planting, church growth, 
                         and evangelism methods,
                         are permanently delegated to
                         the two Primary Synods (Auburn
                         and Westminster).  The General
                         Assembly has responsibility
                         and power over the following:

                         a. to set priorities for the work
                             of the church in keeping with
                             the church's mission under
                             Christ, other than the areas
                             of jurisdiction permanently
                             delegated to the Primary
                             Synods (Auburn and
                             Westminster) as stated
                             in section G-13-0103 of
                             these Proposed Amendments.  

                         b. to develop overall objectives
                             for mission and a
                             comprehensive strategy to
                             guide the church, other than
                             those areas of jurisdiction
                             permanently delegated to
                             the Primary Synods 
                             (Westminster and Auburn).

                         c.  to provide an example of  
                             appropriate balance and, 
                             and racial diversity within the mission 
                             of the church.

                         d  to establish and administer
                             national and worldwide 
                             ministries of witness, service,
                             growth, and development, in
                             conjunction with the two
                             Primary Synods (Westminster
                             and Auburn).

                         e. to provide a system of
                             administrative services
                             to fulfill its objectives
                             and programs.

                         f. to provide certain services
                            for the whole church,
                            (pensions, and health plans)
                            that can be performed more
                            effectively from a national
                            base.

                         g. to establish and maintain
                             an office of General Assembly

                         h. to establish and superintend
                             agencies and task forces
                             necessary for its work, including
                             a General Assembly Council, 
                             providing for regular review of the
                             financial relationship between
                             the General Assembly's structure
                             and its mission.

                         i.  to adopt a comprehensive budget 
                             of the General Assembly providing
                             full information to the whole church
                             of its decision in such matters.

                         j.  to provide for communication 
                             within the church.

                         k. to provide support to
                             the Primary Synods (Auburn
                             and Westminster) when
                             appropriate.

                         l.   To set financial accounting
                              standards and recordkeeping
                              standards to be followed by
                              all governing bodies in the
                              church.

                         m. To participate, as a member
                              of the Joint Committee on
                              Presbytery Boundary and
                              Presbytery Region Boundary
                              drawing, along with the
                              co-equal co-members,
                              the two Primary Synods
                              (Auburn and Westminster)
                              with each body having one vote;
                              one vote for the General Assembly,
                              one vote for the Auburn Primary
                              Synod and one vote for the
                              Westminster Primary Synod.
                              After each congregation 
                              has voted, in the 140 day
                              period stated in the
                              Proposed Amendments 
                              Section G-10.0102(t),  to align with 
                              either the Auburn or Westminster
                              Primary Synod, (by a 60%
                              vote of each congregation
                              and their session), the congregations,
                              shall be assembled into Presbyteries
                              specific to their Primary Synod,
                              which they have voted to
                              align themselves with,
                              (either the Auburn or
                              Westminster Primary Synod).  
                              The initial Presbytery
                              Boundaries shall
                              use the original Presbytery 
                              boundaries, from 2006.
                              Original Presbytery
                              boundaries will continue
                              to be used until the
                              first meeting of
                              the two Primary
                              Synods' (Auburn
                              and Westminster)
                              General Sessions'.
                              At the first General
                              Session of each Primary
                              Synod, their respective
                              Primary Synod General
                              Council shall appoint 
                              seven, (7) members to
                              their Joint Presbytery
                              boundary and
                              Presbytery Region Boundary
                              Drawing Committee,
                              to represent their 
                              Primary Synod
                              (Auburn or Westminster).
                              Each Primary Synod's
                              Joint Presbytery and
                              Presbytery Region boundary
                              drawing committee members,  
                              along with the General Assembly's
                              Joint Presbytery and 
                              Presbyterty Region boundary 
                              drawing committee, must 
                              endorse or modify the
                              final Presbytery boundaries
                              submitted by each Primary
                              Synod, for their Presbyteries 
                              The committee
                              members must also   
                              form and approve Presbytery
                              Region boundaries.  Each Presbytery 
                              aligned with one of the Primary Synods
                              (Auburn and Westminster) must
                              contain at least 27
                              congregations.  Some of the
                              Presbyteries will be merged,
                              in order to meet that thresh-hold.
                              The drawing of the final 
                              Presbytery Region
                              boundaries must                             
                              be finished
                              prior to the second 
                              meeting of each
                              Primary Synod's
                              (Auburn and
                              Westminster)
                              General Synod
                              Session.
                              The larger geographic
                              Presbytery of 
                              the Two Primary
                              Synods in a region, (Auburn 
                              or Westminster) shall
                              constitute a Presbytery
                              Region with that Presbytery
                              and all Presbyteries
                              of the other Primary
                              Synod (Westminster
                              or Auburn) within those
                              boundaries, will create
                              a Presbytery Region.
                              Each Primary Synod and
                              the General Assembly shall
                              appoint 7 committee members,
                              each.  Each entity shall have
                              one vote, (e.g one vote for 
                              the Westminster Primary
                              Synod, one vote for the
                              Auburn Primary Synod
                              and one vote for the General
                              Assembly).  Approval
                              of the final Presbytery
                              boundaries for each
                              of the Primary Synods'
                              (Auburn and Westminster)
                              and Presbytery 
                              Region boundaries
                              shall require an 
                              affirmative vote by 
                              all three entities,
                              based upon a 
                              majority vote from
                              each of the entity's
                              7 committee members. 
                                                                                    
                         n.  to assist in the establishment
                              of the Sub-Synods of each
                              of the two Primary Synods
                              (Westminster and Auburn),
                              establishing the boundary
                              lines set forth in
                              section G-12.0113 of these 
                              Proposed Amendments, 
                              which shall be used to establish 
                              the two (2) Sub-Synods in
                              each geographic region, one
                              for the Westminster 
                              Primary Synod and one 
                              for the Auburn Primary 
                              Synod.
                              

                         o.  to provide for a General
                              Assembly Arbitration
                              Board, to rule on issues 
                              in cases brought before
                              the General Assembly
                              Arbitration Board,
                              except that the
                              General Assembly
                              Arbitration Board
                              shall have no  
                              jurisdiction over
                              cases with issues
                              involving ordination standards,
                              statements of faith, 
                              marriage standards,
                              educational materials
                              used, church planting, and
                              evangelism methods.
                              The jurisdiction over the
                              aforementioned cases
                              is permanently
                              delegated to the two 
                              Permanent Judical
                              Commissions of the 
                              two Primary Synods
                              the Auburn Primary Synod
                              and the Westminster Primary
                              Synod.  The rulings of
                              the Permanent
                              Judicial Commissions
                              of the two Primary Synods,
                              (the Westminster Primary
                              Synod, and the Auburn 
                              Primary Synod), 
                              are not intended
                              to be consistent 
                              with each other,
                              when addressing the
                              aforementioned issues. 
                              

                         p.  to warn or bear witness
                              against error in doctrine
                              or immorality in practice
                              in or outside the church

                         q.  to decide controversies
                              brought before it and to
                              give advice and instructions
                              in issues submitted to it,
                              in conformity with the
                              Constitution, but only to the
                              extent that such advice and 
                              instruction does not 
                              address the following issues:
                              Ordination Standards,
                              Statements of Faith,
                              Educational Materials
                              Used, Marriage 
                              Standards, Church
                              planting and growth,
                              and evangelism methods
                              used.  The aforementioned
                              issues are permanently
                              delegated to the
                              two Primary Synods
                              (Westminster and
                              Auburn), and their
                              respective Permanent
                              Judicial Commissions.

                         r.   To provide authoritative
                              interpretation of the
                              Book of Order, but
                              only to the extent 
                              such interpretation
                              does not address the
                              following areas and
                              issues: Ordination
                              Standards, Statements
                              of Faith, Educational
                              Materials used, Marriage
                              Standards, Church
                              growth, Church
                              planting, and evangelism
                              methods used, which are
                              permanently delegated
                              to the two Primary Synods
                              (Westminster and
                              Auburn) to determine
                              these standards, issues,
                              and areas, as determined
                              by the findings and theological
                              conclusions of each Primary
                              Synod without regard to
                              the other Primary Synod.

                         s.   to establish and maintain
                              those ecumenical 
                              relationships that will
                              enlarge the life and
                              mission of the curch.
                                                
                             

 

Proposed Amendments