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The Presbyterian Church and Gun Control
What can be done from the local church - By Jeff Loveless
I am a member of the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA). The Presbyterian Church has a history, as outlined below, of supporting gun control. This is something that not many members of the individual congregations are aware of. I was one of the ignorant myself until I was asked to serve as the Clerk of my local congregation's Session. The Session, simply put, is the first line of government within the church. The Clerk serves as a secretary of sorts, helps the Moderator conduct meetings, and handles correspondence for the church. Only when I became involved in the workings of the church did I learn how deeply these anti-gun positions really were in the larger church organization and how they are funded - ironically, "The Peacemaking Offering".
The General Assembly (GA), compared to the local Session, is the highest part of the church government.
What follows is a chronological detail of my involvement and my reaction.
1. PCUSA statement on gun control as of 1998.
2. My statement/letter to my local Session detailing my objections
and resignation.
3. Article reprinted from the Layman* reporting proposed changes to
1998 policy.
4. My Session's authorized response to the GA concerning gun control
and with-holding funds used to further that agenda.
5. The 1999 GA final statement, such as it is.
* The Presbyterian Layman is a conservative publication
generally critical of the liberal wing of the PCUSA.
For more info see www.pcusa.org
and www.layman.org
============================================================
1. Gun Control 1998 PCUSA
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a thirty year history
of support for gun control legislation.
Beginning in the late 1960's, in response to the assassinations
of public leaders, the General
Assembly called for ". . . control [of] the sale and
possession of fire arms of all kinds."1 In
1976, this statement was re-affirmed, but also specifically
worded to ". . .not cover shotguns
and rifles used legitimately by sportsmen. . .".2 In
1988, these and other statements supporting
gun control were again reaffirmed.
A fuller statement was approved in 1990. In it, the General
Assembly went on record as:
Support[ing] gun control at federal,
state, and local levels as the most effective
response to the present crisis of
gun violence. . .
Call[ing] upon the United States government
to establish meaningful and effective
federal legislation to regulate the
importation, manufacture, sale, and possession of
guns and ammunition by the general
public. Such legislation should include provisions
for the registration and licensing
of gun purchasers and owners, appropriate
background investigations and waiting
periods prior to gun purchase, and regulation
of subsequent sale.
Urg[ing] the enactment of similar state
and local laws, should such federal legislation
be delayed.
Call[ing] upon government agencies
at all levels to provide significant assistance to
victims of gun violence and their
families.3
In 1998, the General Assembly added to its policy by calling on all Presbyterians to:
intentionally
work toward removing handguns and assault weapons from our homes
and our communities;
and
seek ways to
develop community strategies and create sanctuaries of safety for our
children, so
that all of our children may come to identify and value themselves and
others as the
precious children of the family of God that they are, and that they may
come to learn
peace for their lives and peace for this generation.4
Endnotes:
1. Minutes of the 116th General Assembly (1976), Presbyterian Church in the United States, p. 103.
2. Minutes of the 128th General Assembly (1988), Presbyterian Church in the United States, p. 209.
3. Minutes of the 202nd General Assembly (1990), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), pp. 605-606.
4. Commissioners’ Resolution 98-19, 210th General Assembly
(1998), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
==========================
2. My letter to the Monticello Session
Independence Day, July 4, 1998
To: Robert L. Short and the Session of First Presbyterian
Church, Monticello, Arkansas
The following news release from our 210th General Assembly
not only angers and offends me, but also puts me in the awkward position
of choosing to be either A) a hypocrite, or B) a dissident within the church,
and remove myself from office as Clerk and a member of the session.
Please read the following, taken from the PCUSA's world
wide web home page:
GA98108
18-June-1998
Assembly Issues Calls for "Removal" of Handguns and
Assault Weapons
By Jerry Van Marter
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--The 210th General Assembly has called
on Presbyterians "to intentionally work toward removing handguns and assault
weapons from our homes and our communities."
Acting on a recommendation from its Assembly Committee
on National Issues, the Assembly adopted a Commissioners' Resolution submitted
by the Rev. Nancy Trevino of Grace Presbytery and Elder Nancy Collin of
Northern New York Presbytery. The resolution passed 393-120 with seven
abstentions.
The Assembly easily defeated an amendment that would
have removed handguns from the ban. Elder Bill Ward of Southern Kansas
Presbytery, who said he teaches competitive handgun shooting, supported
the amendment, arguing, "It seems like many things that I enjoy the church
is saying I can no longer do."
The Rev. Bernice Warren of Philadelphia Presbytery
countered, "I have been to too many funerals of young people, particularly
young black men, who have been killed by handguns. I have seen too many
young people, particularly young black men, disabled by gunshots. We must
get the guns out of our communities."
Several speakers argued that banning handguns violates
the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but the Rev. Jean Kiskaddon
of Wyoming Presbytery pleaded, "We have repeatedly said at this Assembly
that we have a passion for the welfare of our children and we know the
violence that guns do to them. Please, let's say something!"
The resolution also calls on the National Ministries
Division and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program to develop a poster which
will point Presbyterians to resources for further study and reflection
on the issue of gun violence.
Now, please read it again and substitute the word murderers for handguns and guns, and the word felons for assault weapons.
The General Assembly chose to call on Presbyterians (me) to "intentionally work toward removing" inanimate objects (guns) from our homes and communities, rather than focus on those responsible for their evil actions. Why 393 members of the General Assembly would want to condemn and alienate members of over half the households in the nation in the spirit of merely "… saying something!" and designing a poster is beyond me. What I do know is that those 393 people don't represent me, even though their actions managed to make the national news in the name of Presbyterians. I will not intentionally work toward removing guns from my home or my community. In fact, I actively support the freedoms expressed in our nation's Constitution, including the entire Bill of Rights. While my actions and opinions may be politically incorrect to some people, I openly support the right of responsible individuals to own firearms. I also firmly believe that in this instance, the Church has incorrectly issued an ineffective feel good statement, in the name of being socially responsive, without benefit of facts or regard to its law-abiding, gun owning members. Historically, the Church has rightfully expressed positions on political and cultural events, yet I find this resolution to be personally embarrassing and shamefully inadequate in addressing the causes of violence. I seriously doubt that this resolution will have any positive effect on the crime rate, or it's stated purpose: dis-arming Presbyterians.
I am a gun owner. There are guns inside my home. An assault weapon by definition is a fully automatic machinegun. Since the National Firearms Act of 1934, they have been regulated and taxed to the point of being legally owned in relatively small numbers only by tax-paying, law obeying citizens, or police and military units. Therefore I can only presume the GA uses the media's technically ignorant definition of assault weapon to mean any rifle that looks bad. By that ambiguous definition, I own what my Church considers to be assault weapons, in addition to handguns.
I represent exactly, the very person targeted by the General Assembly's resolution. I not only feel betrayed, but sense that the church even fears me, as if I were the cause of society's tendency toward violence. I urge each of you to pay close attention to the actions and proclamations of our General Assembly. Just like Bill Ward of Kansas, the hobby or issue important to you could be next.
I am a product of First Presbyterian Church, Monticello. I was practically raised in this church. I still respect the representative form of government used by this denomination and my love and respect for the individuals of this church is intact and can't be changed by the General Assembly. I also have no intention of causing any division or creating any burden, but I believe that a person must stand for what he believes in, even if it means standing alone. I'm sorry that the PC(USA) chose to enter the debate on gun control in such a way, but it did.
Contrary to the Presbyterian Church USA, the law of the land recognizes my inalienable right to own firearms. As a safe, law-abiding, adult member of this congregation I can simply disagree with and ignore the resolution of the General Assembly and continue to worship God in the church universal as founded by Jesus Christ. As a member of this congregation's ruling body (the session) I would feel bound by the Church's decisions and obligated to follow them. I confess that I am a sinner and don't always do the right thing, but I believe that it would be less than honorable for me to continue to lead as a member of the session while being at such odds with 'my' church over an issue I feel so strongly about. And it would be impossible for me to contribute in any way in pursuing the goals of this resolution.
I love this church, but I cannot abide it's stance on firearms. I sincerely regret being forced into this position, but I must ask you to consent to my resignation (G-14.0210, Book of Order) as a member of the session, class of 1998.
Jeff Loveless
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3. Two
overtures affirm gun rights
By John H.
Adams
The Layman
Online
Tuesday, May
18, 1999
Two overtures that support responsible
ownership and use of guns will be considered by the 1999 General Assembly
– a year after commissioners voted in 1998 to work "intentionally to remove
handguns and assault weapons from our homes and communities."
Approval of the 1998 overture touched off a firestorm of opposition from gun owners. Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA), says the assembly received about 750 letters, calls and e-mails in reaction to the gun statement, most of them negative. He said the responses were as many as the Assembly received on any issue.
The Presbytery of Alaska and the Presbytery of the Yukon responded with gun-ownership overtures that will be on the Assembly's 1999 agenda.
The Alaska overture (99-58) asks commissioners "to officially reaffirm the denomination's position in support of legitimate possession and use of firearms in hunting, the maintenance of a subsistence life style, target-shooting, collecting and other recreational sports" and "to call upon all Presbyterians to become involved in programs, activities and training that discourage the misuse of firearms, teach firearm safety, and hold persons who use firearms responsible and accountable for their actions."
| Both overtures call for aggressive response to illegal gun ownership and use. |
The 1998 overture singled out handguns and "assault rifles" for removal from homes and communities. "Assault rifle" is a popular description of rifles that were originally manufactured for military use. They are generally less expensive than top-of-the-line hunting weapons, although some have no more firepower than hunting rifles.
==============================================
4. The Monticello, AR Session's response
to GA
To: PC USA
July 12, 1998
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Presbyterian Washington Office
110 Maryland Avenue NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Synod of the Sun
920 S I-35E
Denton, TX 76205-7898
Presbytery of the Pines
419 West Louisiana Street
Ruston, LA 71270-4343
From: First Presbyterian Church
Jeff Loveless, Clerk of the Session
821 North Main / PO Box 248
Monticello, AR 71657
Re: Commissioners Resolution on Removing Weapons from Homes and Communities, 210th General Assembly
The General Assembly chose to call on Presbyterians to "intentionally work toward removing" inanimate objects (guns) from our homes and communities, rather than focus on those responsible for their evil actions. Why 393 members of the General Assembly would want to condemn and alienate members of over half the households in the nation in the spirit of merely "… saying something!" (Rev. Jean Kiskaddon of Wyoming Presbytery) and designing a poster is beyond comprehension. What we do know is that those 393 people don't represent us, even though their actions managed to make the national news in the name of Presbyterians. We will not intentionally work toward removing guns from our homes or our community. In fact, we actively support the freedoms expressed in our nation's Constitution, including the entire Bill of Rights. We openly support the right of responsible individuals to own firearms. We also firmly believe that in this instance, the Church has incorrectly issued an ineffective feel good statement, in the name of being socially responsive, without benefit of facts or regard to its law-abiding, gun owning members. Historically, the Church has rightfully expressed positions on political and cultural events, yet we find this resolution to be embarrassing and shamefully inadequate in addressing the causes of violence. We seriously doubt that this resolution will have any positive effect on the crime rate, or its stated purpose: dis-arming Presbyterians.
Contrary to the Presbyterian Church USA, the law of the land recognizes our inalienable right to own firearms. As safe, law-abiding, adult members of this congregation we will simply disagree with and ignore the resolution of the General Assembly and discontinue our participation in the Peacemaking Offering, effective immediately.
We also urge the PC(USA) and its General Assembly to re-evaluate its political agenda and sever its association with groups like Handgun Control, Inc.
In action at its Stated Session Meeting of July 9, 1998, the session of First Presbyterian Church, Monticello, Arkansas voted to remove the Peacemaking Offering from its list of special offerings and authorized this letter and instructed its Clerk to mail it.
Sincerely,
Jeff Loveless, Clerk of the Session
=====================================================
5. Use of Firearms Policy 1999
1999 GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION
The 116th General Assembly (1976) of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States noted that
the denomination's advocacy for strict gun control legislation
"would not cover shotguns and
rifles legitimately used by sportsmen" (Minutes, PCUS,
1976, Part I, p. 209).
The 202nd General Assembly (1990) of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) voted that its
resolution supporting gun control should not be seen
as disparaging "the legitimate ownership
and use of firearms for hunting, target shooting, collecting,
and other recreational sports"
(Minutes, 1990, Part I, p. 91).
Hunting is an integral part of the subsistence lifestyle
practiced by many of the native peoples of
the United States. The possession and use of firearms
is critical to subsistence hunting.
Ownership and use of firearms is a constitutional right.
We recognize that the misuse or abuse of firearms can have tragic consequences.
Some have interpreted the actions of the 210th General
Assembly (1998) of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) in approving Commissioners' Resolution
98-19 on Removing Weapons from
Homes and Communities (Minutes, 1998, Part I, p. 746)
as removing the support shown by the
church for legitimate gun possession and use.
The 211th General Assembly (1999) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
1. Officially reaffirms the denomination's position in
support of legitimate possession and use of
firearms in hunting, the maintenance of a subsistence
lifestyle, target shooting, collecting, and
other recreational sports.
2. Calls upon all Presbyterians to become involved in
programs, activities, and training that
discourage the misuse of firearms, teach firearm safety,
and hold persons who use firearms
responsible and accountable for their actions.
[Derived from Overture 99-58, from the Presbytery of Alaska;
Overture 99-62, from the Presbytery of Yukon, also
addressed this subject.]
The Criminal Justice Program is a ministry of the
General Assembly Council, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.).
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) works with the Coalition
to Stop Gun Violence,
http://gunfree.org. Contact them for what other religious
communities are doing, legislation,
statistics, and other information.