One overlooked General Assembly key moment this year was the final report of the Special Committee Re: Listening, Confession and Associations, which was commissioned in 2021 in response to formal petitions by the Han-Ca (Korean speaking) presbyteries which alleged racism in the PCC.
It was a rich report, prompting lively discussion which extended for more than two hours over two sederunts. To watch it in full, go to the GA 2023 page at presbyterian.ca and click the links for Sederunt 8 (start at the 56-minute mark) and Sederunt 9.
The landmark outcome of the committee – one that will hopefully stand as a permanent statement – was the Confession “regarding the ways in which The Presbyterian Church in Canada has silenced, mistreated and slandered the ‘ethnic contingent’ of the church.” Ethnic contingent is key because it expands the committee’s original mandate to look primarily at the Korean experience.
The confession – which was read to the Assembly in English and Korean – was presented with two main hopes:
- that it be received and acted upon with a redeemed heart; and
- that it not be the final word but be part of an ongoing process in which the church strives to become something closer to what Christ ordained.
In that light, commissioners took some of the committee’s recommendations a step further with key amendments.
The recommendation “that geographically defined presbyteries (that are not Han-Ca Presbyteries) reach out to the congregations of Han-Ca Presbyteries within their bounds to build connections, listen and find contexts to express understanding and compassion” was amended to include “other ethnic communities.”
Bob Faris (East Toronto) pointed out that while cultural/language-based presbyteries have their strengths, they “separate us; we’re not talking together until we come to a General Assembly.” Conversations on a local level – presbytery to presbytery – might provide opportunities to understand one another and forge better relationships.
Even within geographic-based presbyteries, work needs to be done to create better relationships between Anglo and other ethnic congregations, committee co-convenor Stephen Kwon said in response.
Several speakers reminded the court that the process might not be easy and would likely include challenges. Said Young Cho (West Toronto) who made the amendment: “It’s going to be hard, but keep trying.”
The formal move to reach out is actually nothing new. Alfred Lee (Western Han-Ca) told commissioners that when Han-Ca presbyteries were created 25 years ago, there was regular interaction with local geographic presbyteries and there were official observers to each others’ courts. “But that got lost. We can reconcile those relationships.”
While much of the discussion revolved around culture and language, there is an underlying issue, said Mary Moore (Vancouver Island). “I’m a bit saddened that we are not recognizing that the issue is not necessarily fellowship but theological differences and creating safe space for Han-Ca. We need to look seriously about finding a way to enshrine liberty of conscience so they feel safe in the church. Their overture said specifically that it was a theological issue.”
A recommendation by the committee for congregations and ministers – in addition to presbyteries – to reach out was also amended to include “other ethnic communities.”
The Confession didn’t sit well with a few commissioners, who were uneasy about signing off on something when they do not believe they personally have anything to confess. Committee co-convenor Peter Bush acknowledged that, but cited Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “The church may confess the sins of the nation or the church that they have not committed but they still confess on behalf of another. Bonhoeffer’s words haunted me and I’m still trying to figure out exactly what they mean, but I still feel he’s onto something, something very profound. . .. I may not have participated, but the body of Christ has. I’ll just leave it at that.”
The issue of racism goes far beyond one culture, said Germaine Lovelace (Brampton), who cited the frustrations of two Black pastors he knows who are struggling to gain interviews, let alone a call. “There is a problem in the Presbyterian Church,” he told commissioners.
The Confession was adopted, along with recommendations that it be presented during a worship service later this year “involving members of the multi-racial community” in the PCC, and that presbyteries do the same. An additional motion that the Life and Mission Agency “provide resources to accompany the Confession to deepen our understanding of the concept of race and the role we share in the important work of antiracism” was also adopted.
Language remains a barrier. Han-Ca’s have been attempting for years to get real-time translation during GA. After much discussion and several amendments, commissioners agreed with a suggestion by Barb Sargent (Essex Kent) that translation services be provided at all future General Assemblies.
“I have heard over a number of years of the difficulty that the Han-Ca presbyteries have had, not being able to fully participate because of the issue of language. . . It might cost us a little bit of money, but we should have dealt with it in the past and we need to deal with it now,” Sargent said.
This was amended to include “all languages used in the lower courts of our denomination as needed” and further amended to make it “subject to funding being made available.” There was lengthy discussion over the cost. Citing the great diversity of languages in the PCC, “conceivably, we could be hiring 10-15 translators, on an as-needed basis,” said Peter Kinch (East Toronto.) Even the United Nations has a strict limit on simultaneous translation, he added.
“Simultaneous” was removed and “lower courts” was narrowed to “presbyteries”.
After additional wordsmithing, amendments to amendments and much discussion, the following was adopted: “That at all future General Assemblies, translation to all languages used in the presbyteries of the church be made available as needed, subject to funding being made available by the Assembly Council.”
Read the Confession that arose from this report.