Where do you get your news about Eastminster Presbytery? Various sources are available. The presbytery’s Web site, www.faithfulness.com, is presently in transition (they’re looking for a new webmaster – might you be interested?). Rev. Christy Ramsey (Goodyear Heights P. C., Akron) runs a lively and informative Web site – www.extrachristy.com – where you can pick up a link to the Quickline, a succinct authoritative report on each (bimonthly) presbytery meeting.
The site you’re looking at now takes a somewhat different approach that has two objectives. First, it tries to meet the information needs of concerned but busy Presbyterians who want to know what’s going on, but without details that can be found elsewhere. Second, it offers some commentary intended to help people see “the big picture.”
In that context, let’s look at the November 14, 2006 presbytery meeting. There was some “upbeat” news – a group from our Mission Committee recently met with a Presbyterian group in Spain, and a delegation from there will be coming to Eastminster in February.
Also, Adam Marquette was enrolled as a clergy candidate – it’s always heartening to see capable, dedicated young people preparing to join the next generation of Presbyterian pastors.
On a more somber note, much of the meeting focused on responding to the moves by the Hudson and Stow congregations to leave our denomination. There was a consensus that they should be free to go if they act honestly and in conformity with Presbyterian “polity” (church law), but there were serious concerns about apparent violations of those requirements.
General Presbyter Dan Schomer gave a formal statement about truth-telling that was particularly noteworthy. Dan is a real gentleman, committed to Christian standards of conduct and remarkably polite and soft-spoken. On this occasion, though, he pointedly reminded his listeners about biblical requirements for honesty (Exodus 20:16 and Ephesians 4:15). His words resonated with listeners who have been hearing from multiple sources that some of the advocates of schism appear to be intentionally misrepresenting the character and actions of Presbyterian leaders.
There was, however, a firm consensus at the presbytery meeting that we must “walk the second mile,” avoiding malice and exploring all reasonable avenues toward reconciliation and a mutually satisfactory outcome. Commissions have been formed to work with the Hudson and Stow congregations toward that end.
Readers who may be interested in getting the “flavor” of schismatic arguments might want to listen to a May 21, 2006 sermon at www.hudsonpc.org/PodArchiveMAY.html. It’s a useful example of the power of pulpit oratory. I might be persuaded myself if I didn’t know what PCUSA people actually do and believe.
posted by Bob Gillette @ 4:39 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I have listened to the sermon preached at the Hudson Church on May 21st, and I will agree that it is a powerful, nonetheless sadly flawed, proclamation.
It illustrates to me the need for study and discussion among us concerning the meaning of "Scriptural authority", principles of Scriptural interpretation ("hermeneutics"), and problems of language with respect to our speech concerning "God" and "Jesus Christ." In short, we are impoverished with respect to a habit of communicating with one another concerning the meaning of "revelation" within our tradition.
How, then, do we determine the nature of the choices which confront us, and how do we distinguish the "will of God" from among these choices???
We are currently embroiled in controversies which we tend to address as "polity" issues - and this is necessary considering our disagreements and their resolution - but it seems to me that to truly address our situation will take steps to forthrightly articulate and address our real theological differences.
Harold Walker Jr.
Thanks to Matthew Everhard for responding to my call for dialogue about the issues presently facing Eastminster Presbytery and the PCUSA. It is my pleasure to accept his challenge to debate the veracity of his assertions and various implications that may be drawn from them.
1} “The denomination is dying and cannot be fixed.” The first part has at least partial truth – the PCUSA certainly could die if present trends are not reversed, but “cannot be fixed” seems to suggest that we should just jump in the grave and let them cover us with dirt. There also seems to be a moral message in his words, but I’m not sure what it is.
2} “The PCUSA had 2,100 missionaries 20 years ago, yet we have only 253 missionaries today…. They were cut from denominational funding.” I agree that the decline in mission support is a matter of great concern, but its causes and implications are complex. The funding cuts reflect decreased giving, not sinister intent. Part of the reason is that indigenous churches in much of the third world are now strong enough to “stand on their own feet” without our support. Praise be to the Lord for that!
3} “Presbyterians around the world are cutting off relationships with us.” Does that necessarily mean that our positions on issues are wrong? Let us celebrate the rapidly expanding numbers of Christians in the third world and their increasing self-confidence.
4} These sweeping generalizations concern me, but addressing them would take more space than we can allot here.
5} “…The PCUSA actually had to debate the lordship of Jesus Christ on the floor of the General Assembly in 2001.” It doesn’t seem necessary to become frantic at the slightest whiff of heresy. Oh, ye of little faith!
6} “The 2006 General Assembly defied Scripture, the Constitution, and our Confessions by allowing ‘scruples’ to be declared to avoid the fidelity/chastity clause….” The PUP Report and actions taken on it at the GA have been widely misrepresented. The Bible, ordination standards and belief in The Trinity stand today exactly where they stood before the GA. The word “scruples” appears in background documents but not in the final motions passed by the GA commissioners.
One GA action that has not received the public attention it deserves is a fervent affirmation of the importance of honoring each other’s views and keeping the PCUSA intact. There was a remarkable 91% affirmative vote supporting the PUP Report’s first recommendation that, “…every member of the (PCUSA should) witness to the church’s visible oneness, avoid division into separate denominations that obscure our community in Christ, and live in harmony with other members of this denomination, so that we may with one voice together glorify God in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit….”
7} “The PCUSA actually sponsored a conference to proclaim the goddess Sophia….” Well, yes, a proposal of this nature did come up several years ago, but some heads rolled and the concept never achieved enough salience that we should be fretting about it today.
No human institution is perfect, and that includes the PCUSA, but it has served the Lord well over the centuries and will continue to do so.
Further dialogue on this matter will be welcome.
-- Bob Gillette
A message has been received on this blog signed “Matthew Everhard,” dated 11/26 and actually received 12/5. I tried to post it repeatedly but some electronic gremlin won’t let it appear on the blog. I’m retyping it verbatim and hope that the new version will get into the system – if only because my reply to it is already posted.
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Much has been made about truthfulness as of late. I challenge anyone to debate the veracity of the following statements.
1} The denomination is dying and cannot be fixed.
Last year we lost 65,000 people. This year projected losses are around 85,000. The PCUSA is dying 2nd fastest of all denominations. The last time the denomination actually grew was 1967. There simply will be no denomination to leave to our children.
Our own Eastminster Presbytery has dropped from 65,000 to 11,800 people!
2} World missions is no longer central to the PCUSA anymore.
The PCUSA had 2,100 missionaries 20 years ago, yet we have only 253 missionaries today. Where did they go? Answer: they were cut from denominational funding.
3} Presbyterians around the world are cutting off relationships with us.
The Presbytery of East Africa refuses even PCUSA money because they consider the PCUSA to have compromised the faith. Similarly, the Presbytery of Brazil also has cut off ties as well due to embarrassment.
4}The Authority of the Word.
The view of the PCUSA on the Bible has changed from infallible.. in the Westminster Confession of Faith to the word of men.. Confession of 1967. This is apparent in nearly every decision the PCUSA makes, from abortion, to homosexuality, to missions.
5} Who is Jesus Christ”
The Bible declares Jesus Christ to be the resurrected son of God, yet the PCUSA actually had to debate the lordship of Jesus Christ on the floor of the General Assembly in 2001!
6} The Peace Unity and Purity Report (PUP Report)
The 2006 General Assembly defied Scripture, the Constitution, and our Confessions by allowing “scruples” to be declared to avoid the fidelity/chastity clause. Already one of the PUP panelists himself (an openly gay man) is now applying for ordination.
7} The PCUSA actually sponsored a conference to proclaim the goddess “Sophia.”
This was done in the Re-imaging God Conference of the early 90s, and is still promoted on the PCUSA website. Simply search for “Voices of Sophia” to see pictures of Kirkpatrick, Ufford-Chase and others hobnobbing at their GA gathering.
Matthew Everhard
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