Resignation

When the full assembly reconvenes after days of committee meetings, the task to act on the numerous recommendations begins. This normally proceeds routinely save for the really contentious stuff. However Wednesday afternoon when the full assembly reconvened, things were anything but routine as the new vice moderator, Tara Spuhler McCabe, resigned.

The vice moderator is “confirmed” by the assembly by what is usually a pro forma process already having been understood as “elected” along with the moderator (think vice presidential “running mate”). On Sunday afternoon, the day after Neal Presa was elected moderator, the assembly took care of this pro forma piece of business as scheduled, but it too was not routine.

Standing Rules do not permit questioning of a vice moderator candidate during this part of the process. However, the assembly voted to consider suspending those rules (the resolution to suspend was not approved) because earlier this spring, Rev. McCabe, a member of National Capital Presbytery, “signed a marriage license in Washington DC for two women.”

It is important to note that this quoted, technical language is how this was reported. What this means was that on April 28, 2012, Rev. McCabe, as duly authorized to perform civil marriages under the laws in Washington DC, officiated at the wedding of a same-gender couple.

It is equally important to note several other things:

1.    No ecclesiastical charges have thus far been filed against Rev. McCabe – this was clearly understood to be a civil ceremony – and there has been no mention of her having purported this action as anything else

2.  Neal Presa, after being apprised of this, nevertheless continued to “keep her on his ticket” even as he was clear about his disagreement with her position on this

3.    There was never any “cover up” of any part of this

But all of this notwithstanding, this quickly became very, very contentious in the assembly, and the vice moderator resigned.

It was the right thing to do.

It is hard for us in the church to discern the boundary line of who we are called to be as faithful followers of Christ, and as good citizens; and it is hard for us in the church to understand how our ecclesiastical constitutional process, which seems so related to our nation’s civic constitutional process, must be shaped by our understanding of the Word.

This is why we need to cling to the idea of forbearance. These are complex issues which are made so much more so when we see only quick or simple solutions – like “well, civil society says it’s okay,” or “well, the Bible says this” or even “the Bible doesn’t say this.” Our journey in faith together as Presbyterians requires that we try to move together even as we disagree because we know that the ultimate resolution must come on God’s terms, not on ours.

Tara McCabe, in her journey may understand God’s leading to bring her to take a very different action than how others understand how God might be leading in their lives. But it is not these differing discernments which make her resignation the right thing to have done.

It is folly to try to be the organizer from the extreme, unless one wishes to organize only those who are in “lock-step” agreement. For a diverse body, movement in new directions, to new places, requires a discernment that honors and respects that diversity. It seeks to respond to the prophetic voice while understanding that the prophet’s place needs most often to be on the outside, from where the prophet’s calling, teasing and prodding holds our reflective attention and assessment.

Organizing churches was not the work of John the Baptist. It was the work of Paul.

And irrespective of either’s work, Jesus calls us to be together.