Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Presbyterian News
I realize a lot of my regular readers think I am a little weird - being a Presbyterian, particularly PC(USA). Take the guys at BHT who link to this which is supposed to make fun of us. I have no problem with anybody making fun of us, we are good targets for that -- I can probably tell you more Presbyterian jokes than you can tell me, but next time, make it actually funny - ok?
But, that aside there is some interesting news from the Prebyterian front. It appears that in that traditional Scottish/English rivalry, we are not to be outdone by the Anglicans and we have an actual atheist in our midst. While I am happy the Prebytery (that's our local governing group for the uninitiated) is looking into it, I am confident little or nothing will come of it, although I'd like to suggest we send him to plant a church in Sweden.
One of the two big issues facing the church this year is the ordination of homosexuals. This post gives some great links on the matter - although I must take exception with his characterization of the Layman as on the fringe, maybe at the Presbytery levels, but not in the pew. The same blogger looks at the history of conflict in the church with the same helpful linkage.
This is a great post from somebody wondering "What ever happened to Calvinism in the PC(USA)?"
Finally, the person that organized this little PCUSA dance asked a weekly question
Related Tags: PCUSA, issues, links, questions
But, that aside there is some interesting news from the Prebyterian front. It appears that in that traditional Scottish/English rivalry, we are not to be outdone by the Anglicans and we have an actual atheist in our midst. While I am happy the Prebytery (that's our local governing group for the uninitiated) is looking into it, I am confident little or nothing will come of it, although I'd like to suggest we send him to plant a church in Sweden.
One of the two big issues facing the church this year is the ordination of homosexuals. This post gives some great links on the matter - although I must take exception with his characterization of the Layman as on the fringe, maybe at the Presbytery levels, but not in the pew. The same blogger looks at the history of conflict in the church with the same helpful linkage.
This is a great post from somebody wondering "What ever happened to Calvinism in the PC(USA)?"
But do we even believe in Reformed theology? That is the billion-dollar question here! Do our seminaries trust in the Reformed essentials of classical Reformed theology--what is commonly known as 'Calvinism'? And if the answer is no...and you know by now that I feel the answer probably is, then it goes without saying that our pastors will not know the Reformed essentials either! And if pastors (teaching elders) do not know the basics, then the members certainly never will!WOW! that really lays it on the line. My opinion? Evanglicalism has taken us to a place where we are a little too narcissitic to worry about the bodies in the church apart from the local congregation - that's how we got here. The key is, I think to find some people genuinly committed to reformed thought and those others bodies - that's a tall order - it's the proverbial square peg thing.
But again the question will not let go of me: When did we lose our birthright and heritage of Reformed thought? If that blessed saint of our congregation had never heard about our beliefs regarding predestination, then for how long have we been drifting? I wonder now if it really is too late to regain what we have lost, within our current denominational structure. I'm not saying this to be schismatic or destructive, but the question must be asked and faced---Can we do the hard work of convincing our denomination that we need to return to and re-learn the basics of what we believe?
To return to the Reformed camp, away from mainline drift, we will have to reshape the seminaries, governing bodies and publishers of our denomination. This will take years of work, with the ever-present possibility of failure, as each year more and more saints slip away from our fold by their fatigue with the same old fights.
Finally, the person that organized this little PCUSA dance asked a weekly question
Should Christians Point Out Other's Sins?Short answer - YES! with love. Coming to grips with our own sin is the gateway to the glory of the gospel.
Related Tags: PCUSA, issues, links, questions
