Theological Basis
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? MIC 6:8 RSV

"Justice... must not only be done but also be seen to be done. There can be no shalom without justice." (The Manual 065(b)).

"We believe in and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man..." (The Basis of Union article 2.7).

Whereas

• statements of General Council can have the effect of changing doctrine or polity with many persons not being aware that a change is being made.

• the introduction to Bearing Faithful Witness states, "...nor are amendments to the Basis of Union being put forward."

• the recommendations in Bearing Faithful Witness propose a statement by General Council which includes:
... The United Church of Canada
... b) rejects and repudiates:
belief in the displacement or replacement of the covenant of God with Israel;
supersessionist understandings of God's action in Christ and in the Church;
all mission and proselytism seeking to convert Jews to Christianity;

• Bearing Faithful Witness expresses these recommendations in, "The United Church does not seek to convert Jews... it is recognized that conversion from Judaism to Christianity is not needful for salvation" [appendix c].

• this represents a departure from The Basis of Union doctrine, article 2.7, "We believe in and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man..."

• The United Church of Canada Act provides:
28(b) That nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed to limit the independent and exclusive right and power of The United Church to legislate in all matters concerning its doctrine, worship, discipline and government, including therein the right and power from time to time to frame, adopt, alter, change, add to or modify its laws, subordinate standards and formulas and to determine and declare the same or any of them but subject to the conditions and safeguards in that behalf contained in the Basis of Union.

• Schedule A (The Basis of Union) of The United Church of Canada Act defines the safeguards as:
24 The General Council shall have full power:
(2)(a) To legislate on matters respecting the doctrine, worship, membership and government of the Church, subject to the conditions: First, that before any rule or law relative to these matters can become a permanent law, it must receive the approval of a majority of the Presbyteries, and, if advisable, pastoral charges also; Second, that no terms of admission to full membership shall be described other than those laid down in the New Testament; and, Third, that the freedom of worship at present enjoyed in the negotiating Churches shall not be interfered with in The United Church.
(b) To legislate on all matters respecting property, subject to the limitations elsewhere provided in this Basis of Union, and subject also to the approval of the Conference in which the property is situated.

• The Basis of Union provides that it might be changed only by the process described in The Basis of Union 8.6.2(1):
8.6 The General Council shall have full power:
8.6.2 (1) to legislate on matters respecting the doctrine, worship, membership, and government of the Church, subject to the following conditions: First, that before any rule or law relative to these matters can become a permanent law, it must receive the approval of a majority of the Presbyteries, and, if advisable, Pastoral Charges also, the votes of which are received by the designated date, provided that at least two-thirds of the eligible courts have responded by that date. Second, that no terms of admission to full membership shall be prescribed other than those laid down in the New Testament. And third, that the freedom of worship at present enjoyed in the negotiating Churches shall not be interfered with in the United Church;

• The Manual 505(a) defines the process of remit to receive the approval of a majority of the Presbyteries, and, if advisable, Pastoral Charges also.

• The Basis of Union is the authority under which the United Church of Canada functions.

• the bylaws, policy, official statements, and other motions passed by General Council must be both consistent with and permitted by the doctrine and polity of The Basis of Union.

• the United Church of Canada appears to be making decisions by increment.

• justice requires that decisions which effect change within our church should be deliberate, not by increment or default.

Therefore
Petition:

General Council recognize that approval of the recommendations as proposed in Bearing Faithful Witness for adoption as a statement to be issued by the 38th General Council of the United Church of Canada would only be valid with a remit to Presbyteries and Pastoral Charges to determine if the majority approve of replacing the words in The Basis of Union article 2.7 "Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man" with "Jesus Christ, a mediator between God and man".