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Delegates Approve Resolutions on War, Immigration

Delegates approved a Resolution on Christian Discipleship in the Midst of War and a Resolution on Immigration.

The resolution on war did not endorse a specific position, but affirms that both “pacifist” and “just war” positions may be considered to be Christian responses, calling for Christians to be in dialogue with one another.

A portion of the resolutions reads:

In our different answers to the question of war, let us “offer freedom to one another,” remembering to “focus on what unites followers of Jesus Christ rather than what separates them” (again, as Covenant Affirmations encourages us to do). Granting one another this freedom of thought and practice is a crucial step toward maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace in our local congregations (Eph. 4:3).

Such freedom does not invite us to “agree to disagree,” but to talk and to listen to one another as we discuss our differences and hold each other accountable to the strenuous discipleship of loving our neighbors as ourselves. For some Covenanters, this discipleship is a costly obedience that takes the form of pacifism. For other Covenanters, this discipleship is a costly obedience that takes the form of just war.

An amending motion calling for delegates to affirm only one position on the war was defeated, with some delegates stating their belief that to do so would be in conflict with the freedom the resolution affirms.

The church “should speak as one voice only on salvation issues, not life issues,” said one delegate, who advocated the majority position.

To read the full text of the Resolution on Christian Discipleship in the Midst of War, please see Discipleship in the Midst of War.

Delegates narrowly defeated a motion to send the immigration resolution to the Christian Action Commission for further review before approving the document almost unanimously. The Central Conference brought the resolution, but some delegates feared that it might not speak clearly enough to the complexity of issues surrounding immigration and might be considered too hasty.

Several delegates expressed concern that the document contains no language calling for respect of law and authority as it relates to following established immigration laws. Whether or not one agrees with the current law, they argued, the church has a responsibility to support governmental authority.

Supporters of the resolution countered that the document does not take a political stand, stating it only suggests how the church should reply to individuals. “It is not a policy paper addressed to politicians, but is a statement of values,” said Gary Walter, executive minister of the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism, in speaking in support of the resolution. Walter said the document is far from perfect, but represents “a beginning point” for discussion.

Walter Contreras, one of the directors of church planting in the Pacific Southwest Conference, noted that the denomination has 40 to 50 Hispanic churches for whom this is a major issue. “In a time such as this, silence is very wrong,” he said.

H. Randall Thompson, president of the African American Ministers Association, spoke in support of the resolution, saying people are to be “Kingdom minded rather than politically polluted.”

“We do not ask people to come to the table and show us their green card,” added Mark Novak, superintendent of the North Pacific Conference.

To read the full text of the Resolution on Immigration, please see Resolution on Immigration.

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