Monday, July 17, 2006

Musing on Musings

PresbyPolity wonks are familiar with Advisory Opinions issued by the Office of the Stated Clerk. Advisory Opinions seek, sometimes more successfully than others, to clarify questions about the prospective application of provisions of the Book of Order and/or Authoritative Interpretations. Recently, the Stated Clerk's office issued one about the meaning of the adoption of the Peace, Unity, Purity Report at General Assembly.

But did you know that the Stated Clerk also issues "Musings"? Yes. The latest Musing, #11, was linked on Presbyweb, but as of this morning was not yet on the PCUSA Musing Page. Presumably it will be added soon.

A Musing is apparently less authoritative than an Advisory Opinion. Which makes me wonder if there isn't a plan to develop a whole series of utterances from the Oracle of the Stated Clerk's Office. Maybe it will look something like this, ranging from least authoritative to binding:

Random Brain Waves of the Stated Clerk
Bad Dreams of the Stated Clerk
Stream of Consciousness of the Stated Clerk
Idle Thoughts of the Stated Clerk
Musings of the Stated Clerk
More Than Musings But Less than Advisory Opinions of the Stated Clerk
Advisory Opinions of the Stated Clerk
Directives of the Stated Clerk
Go to PresbyJail Do Not Pass Go Judgments of the Stated Clerk

I'm just saying...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

rotfl

Michael Kruse said...

Very a-musing indeed!

St. Inuksuk said...

Still find myself musing over musings from our Stated Clerk.
I like your list of alternatives.
Not only Quotidian Grace but Amusing Grace!!

Anonymous said...

What about:
Late night after a large pizza before bed nightmares by the stated clerk

St. Casserole said...

What about: "reflections but not so deep as to fetter the conscience" musings?


Urghhhhhhhh