What Does the PSW Vote Mean?

Photo: vote totals being announced at Pomona.


Now that the people of the PSW have spoken, loudly and clearly, what does it all mean? This will be processed extensively over the coming months and even years, but let me suggest this as a starting point:

1. Motivated and theologically-centered people can indeed overcome the weight of denominational loyalty and take a costly stand.

2. Other regions will be enboldened to act. PSW is blazing the trail. Some will separate, some will find a way to straddle the line. Without being personal, this clearly is a "The Witch is Dead" moment (as in "The Wizard of Oz"). You can leave the ABC without perishing. You may even thrive.

3. VF, though they knew it was coming, will continue to live in denial. The Executive Ministers don't have that luxery. Some will get on board; some will be pushed overboard.

4. The VF mechanism will continue to lurch on toward collaspe. Heroic efforts ("The Common Table") will be made which will engender some reforms, but so long as the substance of the Michigan Plan and the Indiana Initiative is denied, they will fail.

5. This is the (narrow) window for the Cornerstone Church Network to succeed. CCN does not get traction by the end of 2006, I doubt it will make it.