A New Look at
Governance Issues in the
General Church
The Rt. Rev. Brian W. Keith
Executive Bishop, General Church of the New Jerusalem
A
t the March General Church Board of Directors meetings there
were extended discussions on governance and my affirmation of our
longstanding policy to inaugurate only men into the priesthood. The three
motions arose from these discussions.
The first motion, to establish a joint lay-clergy communications committee,
is an effort to provide for greater interaction and communication between the
Board and the clergy. This is a governance use that has languished in recent
times. Some brief background here might be useful.
When the General Church of the New Jerusalem was founded in 1897,
it wrestled with what form of governance it should have. A significant factor
was that Bishop Benade, who had effected a welcomed separation from the
General Convention, had become progressively more dictatorial. The sense
of the loss of freedom by both laity and clergy led them to separate from him
and found a new organization. Initially there were voices calling for extensive
checks and balances and even for a congregational form of government. There
were also strong voices opposed to returning to the governance structure of
Convention, which they thought inhibited the freedom to be led by the Word.
In this setting Bishop William F. Pendleton delivered his historic paper:
“Notes on the Government of the Church.” (New Church Life 1897:106-109)
It was embraced and became the structural foundation for our governance.
He envisioned a configuration of the Lord leading His Church through His
Word and providing for the free response of both laity and clergy. Woven into
it was the mandate on governance from the Word that, “Governors over those
things with people which relate to heaven, or over ecclesiastical affairs, are
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