Monday's Plenary
Today we started the plenary sessions of the Assembly. The morning session spent a considerable time debating the Trinity Document. This came forward with some minor changes, but also with a minority report. The minority report wanted to send the report back to the task force and to the Office of Theology and Worship for 2 years.
Dealing with minority reports causes a lot of parliamentary juggling. You start with the majority report, then present the minority report. Then amendments can be made to the majority report (called perfecting) and do the same to the minority report. Then, the fun begins, as you vote to make the minority report the main motion (or not). Before this vote there is time for debate.
There was debate on the Trinity. They had a few who spoke in favor of the minority report and asked if there were any against it. The people around me laughed at me as I jumped up to speak against the minority report. My point:
The church has struggled for centuries with how to refer to God. Augustine in Book X of the Confessions has 84 ways of naming God (thanks Paul Burns). The Trinity paper challenges us to continue to wrestle and reflect on how we speak about the Triune God. The key element of the Trinity is relationship. The relationality of the great 3 in 1 and the relationship which is extended to us through Jesus Christ who is the Word, our living water, child and beloved of God that we might be swept up into the very life of God. Our human language limits us in how we speak of a limitless God. We speak in analogical language to aid us in describing that which is indescribable. We use metaphor and analogy to do this and that is precisely what the paper does. Instead of sending it back to committee, send it to the people, let them chew on it and make a decision.
However, I didn’t get the chance to speak as the question was called.
Big fun- we had to vote to find out how many people are in the hall, and some of the YAD’s voted no. People are worried about the numbers who are voting. You can figure that there will be some people out of the room for most votes.
Tomorrow is PUP and G-6.0106b. It will be a long day and an emotional one. Prayers are appreciated.
Dealing with minority reports causes a lot of parliamentary juggling. You start with the majority report, then present the minority report. Then amendments can be made to the majority report (called perfecting) and do the same to the minority report. Then, the fun begins, as you vote to make the minority report the main motion (or not). Before this vote there is time for debate.
There was debate on the Trinity. They had a few who spoke in favor of the minority report and asked if there were any against it. The people around me laughed at me as I jumped up to speak against the minority report. My point:
The church has struggled for centuries with how to refer to God. Augustine in Book X of the Confessions has 84 ways of naming God (thanks Paul Burns). The Trinity paper challenges us to continue to wrestle and reflect on how we speak about the Triune God. The key element of the Trinity is relationship. The relationality of the great 3 in 1 and the relationship which is extended to us through Jesus Christ who is the Word, our living water, child and beloved of God that we might be swept up into the very life of God. Our human language limits us in how we speak of a limitless God. We speak in analogical language to aid us in describing that which is indescribable. We use metaphor and analogy to do this and that is precisely what the paper does. Instead of sending it back to committee, send it to the people, let them chew on it and make a decision.
However, I didn’t get the chance to speak as the question was called.
Big fun- we had to vote to find out how many people are in the hall, and some of the YAD’s voted no. People are worried about the numbers who are voting. You can figure that there will be some people out of the room for most votes.
Tomorrow is PUP and G-6.0106b. It will be a long day and an emotional one. Prayers are appreciated.
posted by Karen Wagner | 11:00 PM
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