1. Amendment 14-1 First Reading Guidance from Bills & Overtures

2. Adopting the Belhar Confession: Background Adding Belhar requires an amendment to our Book of Confessions Approval of a super majority of Presbyteries is required. This is a six year process, requiring the action of three different assemblies We have seen the Belhar Confession before Proposed for study by 218 th GA (2008) Recommended by Special Committee in 2009 Proposed as an amendment by 219 th GA (2010) 525—150—3 108 votes in favor failed to receive a super majority (by 8 votes) Re-proposed by National Capital Presbytery to 220 th GA (2012) Recommended by Special Committee in 2013 Proposed as an amendment by 221 st GA (2014) 551—87

3. Belhar: A Spectrum of Views Oppose adding Belhar because of it’s theology Affirm Belhar, but not as an addition to our Book of Confessions Favor adding Belhar as an addition to our Book of Confessions because of it’s expressed theology

4. Oppose adding Belhar because of it’s theology (and for what it might be used for) Viola Larson’s arguments against Belhar’s theology http://naminghisgrace.blogspot.com/2009/09/belhar-four-important- reasons-pcusa.html http://naminghisgrace.blogspot.com/2009/09/belhar-four-important- reasons-pcusa.html http://www.theologymatters.com/TM.100513.pdf (see page 12ff). http://www.theologymatters.com/TM.100513.pdf Sue Cyre’s arguments against Belhar’s theology http://www.presbycoalition.org/Belhar%20Critique%20Cyre%20TM%20Sept- Oct%202010.pdf http://www.presbycoalition.org/Belhar%20Critique%20Cyre%20TM%20Sept- Oct%202010.pdf Presbyterian Coalition’s resource page http://www.presbycoalition.org/campaign_belhar.cfm

5. Affirm Belhar, but not as an addition to our Book of Confessions View of Ruling Elder Alan Wisdom (Georgetown) http://juicyecumenism.com/2011/03/24/why-the-belhar-confession-should- not-be-adopted/ http://juicyecumenism.com/2011/03/24/why-the-belhar-confession-should- not-be-adopted/ Pittsburgh Seminary theologian John Burgess’s Cautious Perspective http://www.reformedinstitute.org/documents/belhar.burgess.pdf http://pres-outlook.org/2011/03/comments-on-the-belhar-confession/ A similar argument from a Calvin Seminary Theologian (Christian Reformed Church) https://internal.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/facultyStaff/cooj/Cooper- Affirm-the-Belhar-But-Not-as-a-Doctrinal-Standard.pdf https://internal.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/facultyStaff/cooj/Cooper- Affirm-the-Belhar-But-Not-as-a-Doctrinal-Standard.pdf

6. Favor adding Belhar as an addition to our Book of Confessions because of it’s expressed theology FAQ’s on Belhar file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/FAQs%20re.%20Belhar.pdf file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/FAQs%20re.%20Belhar.pdf “Why Belhar? Why Now?” (Letter from the Special Committee) file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/Special%20Committee%20l etter--Why%20Belhar,%20Why%20Now.pdf file:///D:/Dropbox/PCUSA/General%20Assembly/General%20Assembly%20(2014)/Committe e%2013%20(Theological%20Issues%20&%20Institutions)/Belhar/Special%20Committee%20l etter--Why%20Belhar,%20Why%20Now.pdf Office of the General Assembly resource page (multiple, including the above) http://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/ga221/ga221-belhar/ Christian Reformed Church Resources http://www.crcna.org/sites/default/files/FromtheHeart_studyguide.pdf https://internal.calvinseminary.edu/pubs/forum/10fall.pdf