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Report and Recommendations from the General Assembly Special Committee on the Confession of Belhar to the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The General Assembly Special Committee on the Confession of Belhar unanimously recommends the following:
That the 221st General Assembly (2014) approve the inclusion of the Confession of Belhar in The Book of Confessions, and that this amendment be sent to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes by June 2015.
[Explanatory notes: (a)Text for the Confession of Belhar can be found as Attachment 1., (b) Biblical citations should be listed in the margins by the relevant text as is shown in Attachment 1, and (c) While not of Constitutional character, whenever the Confession of Belhar is printed in the Book of Confessions, it should be accompanied by the original Accompanying Letter from Belhar to explain the context of the Confession. This letter is Attachment 2.]
That the 221st General Assembly adopt “The Accompanying Letter to the Confession of Belhar from the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)” as a statement reflecting the confession, conviction, and rationale of the PCUSA based on the implications of this confession for our life and ministry as a Reformed and Presbyterian community in 21st century North America and commend it to our congregations and presbyteries as they deliberate adding the Confession of Belhar to our Book of Confessions.
[This Accompanying Letter for the PCUSA can be found in Attachment 3.]
That the 221st General Assembly (2014) call upon all congregations, councils, seminaries, and denominational conferences to engage in serious and prayerful study of the Confession of Belhar and the two Accompanying Letters during the next twelve months, making use of the variety of resources produced by the Special Committee and others and which can be found at www.pcusa.org/belhar.
That the 221st General Assembly (2014) dismiss the Special Committee on the Confession of Belhar with thanks and request that members of the Special Committee who are willing be available as speakers and resource persons for congregations, councils, and special conferences (noted in # 3) NARRATIVE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
