Something good came out of 2006 GA in Birmingham

Something good came out of the 2006
General Assembly in Birmingham!

But is anything different? Have the decisions made by commissioners in that Assembly had the impact they anticipated?
The Health Issues Committee of the 217^th General Assembly in Birmingham engaged in a highly productive discussion about abortion which resulted in two positive actions:

a statement that late-term viable babies ought not to be aborted and
a recommendation that presbyteries ought to study abortion using scripture, prayer, and other resources.

But did these actions make a difference? Yes, and no. The answer may depend on YOU! After PPL drew staff attention to the need for updating the website, the late-term abortion statement was included on the PC(USA) website. The statement was added to the Board of Pensions Affiliated Benefits Program Healthcare Coverage booklet, page 22-23, after PPL brought the updated policy to the attention of BOP staff. But coverage of claims for late-term abortions continue under the Medical Benefits Plan. When PPL asked if that would change, a staff member responded quickly saying that the BOP is not expected to ‘police’ claims.

Few presbyteries take GA recommendation to study abortion seriously. The 2006 General Assembly found value in a process of study used by a task force at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi to study abortion. The GA recommended that each presbytery create a task force to “replicate” the “process of prayer and study” used by Covenant. The desire of the Assembly was that “hearts and minds may be open to God’s wisdom through Scripture, other resources, and one another”. The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly was directed to “communicate this action to the presbyteries.” The Stated Clerk’s office responded politely to PPL’s reminders that the 2006 GA had asked that a letter be sent to presbyteries. Rather than sending a separate communication, however, they included the information in a multi-page mass email to presbyteries that addressed multiple GA actions.

PPL was concerned that presbyteries might overlook this important recommendation and followed up with phone calls to every presbytery. We found only 3 presbyteries that have taken action to create a task force to study abortion! It is a disappointing number. It is hard to pinpoint the reasons for such an astonishing level of apathy about an issue that takes the lives of 4,000 unborn babies a day. Did Presbyteries know about it? Are Presbytery staff members too overwhelmed with transition in the denomination? Would more presbyteries respond if pro-life Presbyterians actively volunteer to help? PPL would like to encourage YOU to contact your presbytery council and request that they respond to this GA recommendation by initiating a task force to study abortion through scripture and prayer. State specifically the ways you would be willing to help! This action by the 2006 General Assembly is a significant opportunity to shed the light of Scripture on the holocaust of abortion. It won’t happen in your presbytery without you! Contact Laureen at 412-487-1990 or pplbodnar@verizon.net for more information.

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