ECO Theology Task Force A Purpose, A Clarification and An Invitation
The Purpose of this Discussion To introduce the work of the Task Force To clarify the use of the Essential Tenets and the Book of the Confessions in ECO’s polity To invite Presbyteries and Congregations into a process of theological discernment concerning our Confessional standards
1 The Purpose and Function of the Theology Task Force ECO Theology Task Force
The Theological Task Force Provide the opportunities and resources needed so that the ECO membership can engage in theological reflection. When instructed by the Synod Executive Council or the Synod Assembly, create educational advisory resources for congregations as they live out their worship and sacramental life. When instructed by the Synod Executive Council, advise the Synod body on theological implications of amendments to the polity, essentials tenets, confessional standards or other proposals.
2 Clarifying the Essential Tenets and the Confessions ECO Theology Task Force
Presenting Questions What is the functional role of the Essential Tenets in the life of the Congregation? What is the functional role of the Book of Confessions now that we are bound by an Essential Tenets document? Both questions are addressed by the following statement:
Essential Tenets Statement In our denomination each ordained officer vows to " receive, adopt, and be bound by the Essential Tenets of the ECO (polity 2.0103c) ," and to be " under the authority of Scripture and guided by our Confessions (polity 2.0103d) ."
All officers are required to " adhere to the Essential Tenets (polity 2.0101) " and ordaining bodies are responsible to ensure the faithfulness of that adherence. Covenant Partners who are invited into " significant leadership roles in the congregation shall...agree with the Essential Tenets (polity 1.0305 )”.
In no part of ECO polity is there a sense that some sections of the Essential Tenets are more important than others. Our call is to be in agreement with the whole document as a faithful expression of our reformed faith, the Book of Confessions, and the Word of God. The use of bold type in the Essential Tenets is intended to highlight central themes and in no way indicates that our agreement and adherence is limited to these highlighted statements.
Agreement with and adherence to the Essential Tenets is a direct affirmation of " the secondary authority of the Book of Confessions (Essential Tenets Section I, paragraph II) " which is declared to be a "faithful exposition of the Word of God .” Therefore, (1) Ordained officers in ECO are required to affirm and be guided by the Book of Confessions.
(2) Ordained officers and Covenant Partners in significant leadership positions should understand our confessions to be a trustworthy system of doctrine, subordinate to Scripture, which is the foundation of the Essential Tenets. The ECO Book of Confessions is the collection of documents listed in the first paragraph of the Confessional Standards.
Questions Examples of questions related to the Essential Tenets and the vows for Elders/Deacons/Staff: Women in Ministry Baptism Marriage and Singleness
3 Towards a Theological Consensus on the Confessions ECO Theology Task Force
First Task When the Theology Project was first published in the Spring of 2012, it defined its first task on behalf of both the Fellowship and ECO: identify the statements of our confessional heritage that will connect us with the one holy catholic apostolic church and express our distinctively Reformed convictional documents in the Book of Confessions as the appropriate theological expression at this moment in our life together.
Second Task Furthermore, it defined its second task in light of the first: identify and articulate the essentials of the Reformed Faith as expressed in [The Book of Confessions]. To this end, we offer a new naming and explication of those essentials. This task helps us keep the renewed covenant we make in the first task.
Purpose Among many reasons for retaining the Book of Confessions, one was a desire for fellowship: These creeds, confessions, and catechisms have much-needed wisdom of proven worth for us, and can uniquely serve as the central documents for a new Fellowship that strives to retain meaningful connections among congregations, some of whom will be within the PC(USA), some of whom will be in ECO.
Provisional Yet, the TF knew that future revisions were possible: We recognize that the Fellowship and/or ECO may, after a time of building and testing theological consensus among us, alter this judgment. But it is our opinion that the theological consensus among evangelicals has not been tested and, further, that to presume a consensus where one does not exist is to repeat one of the most significant theological failures of our generation.
Book of Confessions Now that ECO is over 200 churches, we believe that the time of “ building and testing theological consensus among us” is upon us. We have received requests from congregations and Presbyteries that want to test whether the current Book of Confessions is our theological consensus, particularly now that the PC- USA’s confessional standards have changed ( with the addition of Belhar ).
Towards a Consensus The ECO Theology Task Force is producing a paper that includes introductions to all eleven Confessions, briefly discussing their historical development as well as the Christian and Reformed theological distinctives within them. This paper is meant to be an educational resource for you as you engage with your congregations and your Presbytery on what should comprise our Book of Confessions.
Present Confessional Standards - 11 The Nicene Creed The Apostle's Creed The Scots Confession The Heidelberg Catechism The Second Helvetic Confession The Westminster Confession of Faith The Shorter Catechism The Larger Catechism The Theological Declaration of Barmen The Confession of 1967 A Brief Statement of Faith (PCUSA)
Considerations Two things to consider: Our Essential Tenets document will always be 1. derived from and supported by the Confessions we adhere to. The important theological and missional decisions 2. defined within our Polity should always have Confessional foundations. [Our Polity and our Theology should not be opposed]
Proposed Timeline for Discernment ECO Theology Task Force
Proposed Timeline Engage Presbyteries – Fall of 2015 Feedback of Presbytery Engagement to Synod – Jan 2016 Task-Force suggestions to feedback and call for further Presbytery discernment – 2016 Presbytery discussion and motions to remove and/or recommend Confessions – 2017 Synod vote on Confessional Standards – Jan 2018
Closing Comments Questions ECO Theology Task Force
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