Elsewhere in this newsletter, you can read about an invitation I’ve received to be a candidate for vice moderator of the General Assembly, a relatively high office in our denomination. In order to introduce myself to people who will be voting in the election, I’ve prepared the following statements. I hope that you find them helpful and thought-provoking.

ON THE BIBLE: As Reformed Christians, we rely primarily upon Scripture as we seek to serve and glorify God. Unfortunately, however, we often use the Bible as a tool to justify our preconceived agendas, instead of humbly listening for God’s guidance. At times we are so intent on declaring the authority of Scripture that we neglect prayerful reflection and study of it. We settle for platitudes and simplistic concepts instead of opening ourselves to the ways that God uses the Bible to transform us. My doctoral work comes from my desire to explore the Bible more deeply, and to develop a greater understanding of how God’s message comes to us through it. I am constantly amazed at the ways in which Scripture fails to match our expectations for it. I eagerly open myself to the challenges which God continues to provide through his written word.

ON MISSION: God touches a broken and needy world primarily through his body, the church. Because of his love for us, God calls us to participate in his care for the world. We are a church only when we reach to our community, nation, and world. We are faithful disciples only when we engage in acts of compassion, justice, and proclamation in Christ’s name. As we act for God, we discover that our mission transforms not only the world, but us. My relationship with our partners in Ghana has enriched my life and the life of my congregation as much as I hope that I have enriched theirs. As our denomination’s mission practices move away from a hierarchical, centralized model to diverse and interactive patterns, I am honored to be the convener of an association of congregations, presbyteries, and organizations with a common mission emphasis.

ON CONFLICT: The PC(USA) is not in a crisis. Christianity has experienced discord and conflict from its very inception. While the intensity of our disagreements and the things we disagree about may distress us, God calls us to persevere in our struggle together to discern his way forward. His call for each of us in such situations is:

 to express our understanding of God’s will to one another,

to listen with an open heart and an attitude of respect,

 to assume that we are all acting with integrity and a desire to honor God,

 to realize that disagreements over issues, even those very dear to us, do not destroy our common bond through Christ, and

 to submit to our common understanding of God’s will for us, even when it differs from our individual convictions.

In the personal, pastoral, and academic aspects of my life, I have been amazed at how God reconciled seemingly intractable situations. The Holy Spirit is at work in our church and will guide us through our struggles as we open ourselves to him.

Peter