July 4, 2005
by Michelle Carter

A consolidated proposal that would reaffirm both Jesus Christ as Lord and Sovereign and urge continued use of the UCC's tradition cross and crown logo will be the recommendation of a Synod committee. It suggests that two previously separate resolutions be combined into one Synod statement. The statement was adopted by the Synod on July 4.

The Rev. Brent Becker of St. Paul UCC of Cibolo, Texas, was author of the original "Jesus is Lord" resolution.

"I just wanted to make it specific and explicit, to have people say, ‘I do accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.' What's the problem to reaffirm this? What's the harm?" he asked. "It's neither a conservative nor a liberal issue. Surely this is one thing we can all agree on."

The merged resolution, which still requires approval by Synod delegates, "celebrates and reaffirms our Church's faith in Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, whose true humanity and divinity are declared in our constitution, our liturgies, our hymnals and our ecumenical commitments."

The committee specifically omitted a doctrinal requirement that all authorized ministers and churches "must adhere to this most basic of all Christian teachings."

Several committee members expressed concern that such a requirement would establish a sort of litmus test for issuing privilege of call to clergy, a responsibility that, according to the UCC's polity, now rests with individual Associations, not the national church.

As for the UCC's cross, crown and orb logo, the committee will ask General Synod delegates to "strongly commend its continued use."

United Church News