For you non-Presbyterians reading this, Presbyterians take great pride in their church polity. It is the way we work together in a democratic way to unite our churches in Mission. In the PC-USA, all governing is done by equal representation of Elders and Ministers. Great care is taken to allow for the discussion and hearing of everyone's views - everyone's sense of where the Spirit is leading. When a vote is taken, majority rules.
Over the years our Book of Order (constitution) has been added to, amended, revised, etc. to where it has sometimes become a hindrance to getting things done. The nFOG is the proposed re-writing of the part of the Book of Order that deals with our denominational government. It's purpose is to give more autonomy back to the Presbyteries and Sessions (church boards) to govern themselves. The proposal is controversial because it grants a lot more freedom of interpretation to the local Presbyteries and congregations, allowing them each to develop their own structures and rules to achieve the goals of the church. The arguments for and against the nFOG are akin to the arguments between the Federal Government and States rights in the USA. Good arguments can be made for both, how do you find the right balance?
I attended a presentation by the committee who spent the past two years writing the new Form of Government. They explained the reasons why it is needed at this time, the rational of its design and encouraged its adoption. While I understand the concern of many about the changes, I think we do need to change. The nFOG as written today may not be perfect, but I think the vision and goals of nFog deserve our support. We'll see how it goes.
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