PCUSA Divestment

From Jewish Journal, by Jared Sichel:

In Rev. Drew Sams’ Sunday sermon before his congregation at Bel Air Presbyterian Church on June 22 — just two days after the national umbrella organization of the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) endorsed divestment from three companies that do business in Israel — Sams registered his firm opposition to the vote to the 1,500 people in attendance….

The vote requires PCUSA to sell the approximately $21 million worth of stock it owns in three companies — Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions — which, many in the church say, assist Israel in its occupation of the West Bank and its alleged mistreatment of Palestinians there. Similar divestment measures previously have failed among Methodists, Episcopalians and the United Church of Christ.

The Presbyterians, a mainstream Protestant denomination, debated a similar motion two years ago, defeating it by just two votes. And, in 2006, the GA repealed a 2004 resolution that also called for divestment after widespread protest among its membership.

It is those people — the average Presbyterian churchgoers — whom Sams feels are being misrepresented by PCUSA’s leadership. …

“The General Assembly acts as a platform for activists,” Douglas said, explaining why divestment, which he estimates has only 15 to 20 percent support in the pews, has majority support among the church’s clergy and lay leaders. …

Wood, setting aside a few minutes for an interview, said that, just moments earlier, he had sent an email to one of his friends, a local rabbi, with one word in the subject line — “Embarrassed.”

“If I’d been there I would have voted ‘No,’ perhaps ‘Hell, no,’ ” Wood said. “GA speaks to the churches and not for the churches. They don’t speak for the rest of us.”

While it would appear to be a stretch to suggest that the GA’s decision sits comfortably with most Presbyterian congregations, it could not have passed without a formidable coalition of pro-divestment voices.