Reformed Identity in United States Committee takes on centuries-old violence

For such a time as this was the theme for commissioners of the Reformed Identity in the U.S. Committee on Monday as they heard overtures remembering victims of violent immigration enforcement, a proposed Confession naming the sins of greed, racism and idolatry, and finally dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery. 

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In a similar vein, moderators chose to group RUS-02, an overture commemorating the American Revolution’s 250^th anniversary, with two pieces of business regarding Christian nationalism to be heard on Tuesday. 

The committee approved an amended overture, RUS-11, brought by Presbytery of New York City that asks the denomination to express its deep sadness of all people killed because of violent immigration arrests and detention and to extend condolences to their families.  

The overture further asks that staff maintain a list of those who have died, call for thorough and transparent investigation into these deaths and hold those responsible accountable. 

The Rev. Andrew Stehlik, pastor of Rutgers Presbyterian Church in New York City, said he is an immigrant and pastors a church of many immigrants. He recalled the stories of immigrants in Scripture and in the establishment of the Reformed tradition. From Jesus to John Calvin to John Knox, he said we know the stories of refugees.  

“Our faith has always been shaped by the stories of migration, exile and refuge,” he said in introducing the overture. The deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, both of whom died at the hands of federal officers as they protested violent detention raids, spurred members of his congregation to remember all those who died.  

“Their deaths were not distant news stories for us,” he said. “They were personal.” 

Commissioners amended the original overture by removing individual names and augmenting the requests for action to include making the list of names public and keeping it current. 

Ten years ago, the 222^nd General Assembly commissioned a vast study that became “The Doctrine of Discovery: A Review of its Origins and Implications for Congregations in the PC(USA) and Support for Native American Sovereignty.” Put forth by the Presbytery of Santa Fe, the document named the horrific impact of papal bulls from the 15^th century that stated that when Christian explorers from Europe came upon lands inhabited by those who were not Christian, the land was free to claim.  

Now comes RUS-05, an overture asking the General Assembly to move from repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery to moving toward repair. Noting that in 2023 Pope Francis forcefully renounced the doctrine, advocates for the overture were bolstered to push for a stronger response.  

Just last month, Pope Leo called out the actions done over centuries particularly to Indigenous groups. Advocates for RUS-05 wrote: “Pope Leo XIV, first Pope born in the United States, second Pope from the Americas, is a leader of the Catholic Church for such a time as this, and we wish to encourage him in building on the legacy left by his predecessor by moving from repentance and repudiation to rescission and repair.” 

The overture passed as written.  

Commissioners forwarded a special committee’s report, RUS-10, on writing a new Confession to General Assembly recommending the special committee be disbanded in lieu of a 15-member committee to carry on the work. There was some confusion in the overture from the special committee that seemed to recommend sending the Confession to presbyteries, but the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymar, one of the committee’s co-moderators, said that was never the intention.  

According to the Advisory Committee on the Constitution, amending the Book of Confessions to add a new one must follow the process found in G-6.03 in the Book of Order. Among other criteria, the proposed committee must be no less than 15 teaching and ruling elders, no more than two from any one synod.  

The special committee that wrote the current proposed confession was appointed by the Co-Moderators of the 225^th General Assembly in 2022. It first met in late 2023, and brought the proposed work to be forwarded to a new committee. Its genesis was from three overtures offered in 2022 from various Presbyterian entities: the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (GACEIR), Presbytery of Arkansas and Synod of the Northeast. In 2018, a group of young leaders in the synod had written a text, “A Confession for Such a Time as This.” 

If approved, a new committee to take on the writing of the confession will have no shortage of input from Presbyterians. Several people in Monday morning’s time of open hearing advised against the confession as written. Reasons ranged from statements that there already are too many confessions already to the draft as written does not adequately speak for all in the church.  

Speaking in favor of amendments, several commissioners applauded the special committee for the work that has gone into the proposal and hoped that another committee will carry on that good work.

In other business, the committee recommended the assembly approve RUS-09, to affirm and advocate for the rights of those displaced from their homes inside the United States and territories as those displaced in other nations. This would include those who are forced from their homes because of violence, poverty, legal and other reasons. The recommendation was amended to include transgender and nonbinary people.