AIDS And The Church As A Healing Community
Adopted by the 200th General Assembly (1988) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The AIDS pandemic calls the church to maturity of proclamation, education, service, and advocacy in response to the human needs of persons who would otherwise be alone and alienated in their suffering. This crisis may also grace the church with appreciation of the spiritual growth that can be experienced by persons facing AIDS. The church as a healing community, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is called to confession, celebration, and action.
We Confess That:
Our own church’s response to AIDS has been tardy, despite our 1986 General Assembly’s warning that "the rate of infection is predicted to double every nine to twelve months" and its declaration that "AIDS and ARC are illnesses, not punishment, for behavior deemed immoral." We affirm that the church must caution against making moral pronouncements about AIDS and ARC. We further affirm that all peoples are precious to God and urge congregations, governing bodies, and agencies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to renounce the popular notions of God’s wrath toward AIDS sufferers.
We offer Thanksgiving and Celebration for the pioneering and self-sacrifice of persons, including Presbyterians, who have developed research programs and ministries of service that are helpful to persons with AIDS, and for courageous public health officials and disease prevention educators whose work helps to reduce both the sexual transmission and blood transfusion-associated transmission of AIDS.
We Resolve That:
- The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at all levels, in all places, should be a community of openness and caring for persons with AIDS and their loved ones, working to overcome attitudinal and behavioral barriers of race, social class, and sexual orientation that hamper acceptance of and positive ministry with sufferers from this disease.
- Ministries in response to AIDS will be developed, whenever possible, in consultation and collaboration with local department of public health and community-based groups which have already identified priorities for action and in linkage with ecumenical and interfaith efforts.
- Educational efforts must include reliable medical and scientific information, as well as theological and biblical components that enable participants to address issues related to death and dying, human sexuality, and recognition of people’s fear and lack of knowledge. Such educational efforts can prepare congregations to respond appropriately when they learn that a member or persons in the community have been infected by the HIV or diagnosed as having AIDS, and can lead to the developing of compassionate, rational policies, educational materials, and actions.
- Pastors, educators, and other church workers, as well as seminary students, should prepare themselves to provide appropriate pastoral care and counseling to persons living with AIDS or AIDS-Related Complex and the loved ones of these persons.
- The church’s worship life should express pastoral care and hope and provide time for lifting up of special concerns.
- Presbyteries and congregations should use their human and material resources to respond to the AIDS crisis with support groups, counseling, grants, facilities for recreational activities, and community organization of persons with AIDS.