More on the PCA GA (Overtures Round-up)

Here's more from Dominic Aquila about the 34th PCA GA:

PCA General Assembly Acts on Overtures
(The original wording of each overture can be read at http://pcaac.org/2006%20General%20Assembly/06overtures.htm)

Overture 2, from Rocky Mountain Presbytery requesting a study committee on Federal Vision, was answered in the affirmative. The Bills and Overture Committee had recommended that the overture for a study committee be answered in the negative. A minority of the committee presented a substitute urging that the overture be answered in the affirmative. After extensive debate the minority report was adopted. The final motion calls for the moderator to appoint a committee of seven who are to report to the 35th General Assembly. (Note: Overtures 11 and 23 also dealt with Federal Vision and were answered in the negative. Overture 26, from Missouri Presbytery, requested General Assembly to consider and recommend its Report on Federal Vision Theology. The overture was answered in the negative without prejudice in that the Report will be printed in the GA Minutes, by which it will be made generally available to the Church.)

Overture 6, from Blue Ridge Presbytery presenting a memorial statement regarding Dr. Edmund Clowney, was approved.

Overture 9, from Rocky Mountain Presbytery asking for an appendix to the Book of Church Order on procedures for calling a pastor, was answered in the negative. This overture urged that the usual procedures for calling a pastor should include informing the Session of any pastor being considered by another church. While this overture would have been only a suggested action, commissioners indicated it was not a direction they desired to go.

Overture 15, from James River Presbytery asking for an amendment to the Book of Church Order requiring term limits for members of the Standing Judicial Commission (SJC), was as answered in the affirmative. At present, unlike other GA committees, SJC members can be re-elected to unlimited successive terms. Amendments to the BCO require approval of the General Assembly, two-thirds of the Presbyteries, and then a majority of the following GA.

Overture 25, from Missouri Presbytery asking the General Assembly to address justice and peace concerning U.S. – Iran relations, was found "out of order" in that "the circumstances and matters asserted by the overture fail to demonstrate that this is a case extraordinary as required by Westminster Confession of Faith 31-4."

Two New Presbyteries Approved
The PCA General Assembly approved establishing two new Presbyteries out of one of the larger ones. North Georgia Presbytery asked the General Assembly to divide it into North Georgia, Northwest Georgia and Georgia Foothills. When these new Presbyteries are formally organized there will be 75 PCA Presbyteries.

34th GA Adjourned, 35th GA Announced
The 34th General Assembly was adjourned on Friday, June 23, around 10:15 a.m. The moderator announced that the 35th General Assembly will meet in Memphis, Tenn., on June 15-18, 2007.