Presbyterians Pro-Life NEWS
Winter 2004

Synod administrative review committee finds Baltimore Presbytery
discipline process in order

Following the 2001 General Assembly, a Presbyterian lawyer initiated a disciplinary case in Baltimore Presbytery regarding a statement made at the Assembly by the Rev. Don Stroud. Stroud is a specialized clergy member of Baltimore Presbytery who works for That All May Freely Serve, an organization committed to the ordination of those in sexual relationships with persons of the same sex.

The review committee reported that some Presbyterians said that Stroud’s statements were "construed to be in violation of the Constitution and in violation of his ordination vows, for which a statement of alleged offense was presented to the Presbytery."*

In response to the charges, the presbytery, as required by the Book of Order, formed an investigating committee. Although the Book of Order requires that such matters be kept confidential, Stroud chose to reveal that he was the subject of the action and he continued to make public statements of his position.

Baltimore investigative committee includes supporters of TAMFS

Baltimore Presbytery’s investigating committee included financial supporters of That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS). Baltimore Presbytery’s Stated Clerk, Charles Forbes, is himself associated with TAMFS.* It was no surprise when the investigating committee, whose members were recommended by Forbes, reported finding no reason to press disciplinary charges.

Pastor requests synod administrative review

Because Stroud himself had made the matter public, The Rev. Powell Sykes, a member of the Synod of Mid-Atlantic, in which both his and Stroud’s presbyteries reside, requested a synod administrative review of Baltimore’s process in reaching the decision it did. Sykes’ request followed provisions of the Book of Order.

The Synod Council formed an administrative review committee (ARC) in November of 2002. In its initial meeting, Barry Van Deventer (Interim Synod Executive) and Mark Tammen (Office of the General Assembly) met with the committee for orientation and review of the Book of Order provisions relating to the role and function of review committees (G-9.0409a).*

ARC finds no "irregularities or delinquencies," but failed to fulfill Book of Order requirements itself

The committee met for the better part of a year before delivering its findings to the Synod Council. Its report states, "As a result of its review, the ARC determined that the handling of the disciplinary case concerning The Rev. Donald E. Stroud by the Presbytery did not involve any irregularities or delinquencies...."*

Sykes requested a called meeting of the Synod Council in December for the purpose of reconsidering the Council’s acceptance of the report of the ARC. The most significant problem with their process was that their charge was limited to the first three of the five areas required by the Book of Order:

In reviewing the proceedings of a lower governing body [Baltimore Presbytery], the higher governing body [Synod of Mid-Atlantic] shall determine, either from the records of those proceedings or from any other information as may come to its attention, whether
  1. The proceedings have been correctly recorded;
  2. The proceedings have been regular and in accordance with the Constitution;
  3. The proceedings have been prudent and equitable;
  4. The proceedings have been faithful to the mission of the whole church;
  5. The lawful injunctions of a higher governing body have been obeyed. (G-9.0409a)

Sykes’ call for reconsideration is premised on the belief that if the committee had not omitted items 4 and 5, and other pertinent information submitted to it, it would have come to a different conclusion.

See additional articles by Terry Schlossberg regarding Baltimore Presbytery
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