The Israel-Palestine resolution was a good exercise in patience and discernment. While it seemed at first there was generally a strong level of support for the resolution (around my table, and apparently throughout the delegate body), the persons who spoke at the microphones (reporting from various tables) raised some very thoughtful and thought-provoking comments that made it apparent that this resolution needs some more work. Such as, should we so boldly call another country's occupation of land not their own "sinful," without acknowledging our own country's long history of forcefully invading and occupying land not our own. Also, what are we prepared to do after this passes, if we are encouraging the denomination to make economic choices not to support the occupation. When those choices create economic hardship for some of our own people and their neighbors, are we prepared to step up with alternate forms of support?
In other words, it seemed apparent that this resolution needed more than minor editing, but some careful work to add more material, and nuances, that would still be a strong prophetic witness that had integrity, but would not be as likely to alienate some of our church members, and other groups with whom we are seeking to establish good relationships.
So rather than vote on the resolution itself, we held a vote to table it for our next biennial convention, with the hopes of doing more extensive preparatory work on it. That vote was cast by ballot, and the results will be reported Thursday morning.
[note: it was announced the next morning that the action to table passed by 55%]
[Below is a photo I took of the convention center earlier this evening.]
--Pastor Phil
In other words, it seemed apparent that this resolution needed more than minor editing, but some careful work to add more material, and nuances, that would still be a strong prophetic witness that had integrity, but would not be as likely to alienate some of our church members, and other groups with whom we are seeking to establish good relationships.
So rather than vote on the resolution itself, we held a vote to table it for our next biennial convention, with the hopes of doing more extensive preparatory work on it. That vote was cast by ballot, and the results will be reported Thursday morning.
[note: it was announced the next morning that the action to table passed by 55%]
[Below is a photo I took of the convention center earlier this evening.]
--Pastor Phil
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