PCUSA

What Forms Does Opposition Take?

1 Comment / Nehemiah 1-6, PCUSA / By /

Nehemiah suffered the opposition of men who did not want to see the Jews succeed in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. From the first six chapters of the book of Nehemiah, we find opposition in the following forms, some of which are evident today within the PCUSA: 1. The destruction of the Jerusalem wall, and the burning of its gates (Neh. 1:3).             Evangelical/conservative Presbyterians see this happen in the PCUSA in the form of deconstruction of our doctrinal foundation, redefinition of faithfulness, acceptance of sinful practice as normative. 2. Accusations of disloyalty to worldly authorities (Neh. 2:19)             “You’re […]

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Courage Amidst Opposition (Nehemiah 1-6)

1 Comment / Nehemiah 1-6, PCUSA, Theological Reflection / By /

The weekend retreat gathered forty-five women, many of them new in the faith, to a lovely site on the Pacific Ocean. The speaker’s topic was “Courage,” which would seem to have obvious application for women today; but the choice of Nehemiah 1 through 6 as the text was fascinating to me. God moved quite strongly among and in the women, and for that we were all very grateful! While listening to our speaker, the geek in me “traveled” to the former time and place and what the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall meant to God’s people, to their opponents, and, yes,

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What Would Jesus Do with the PCUSA?

6 Comments / PCUSA, Theological Reflection / By /

This of course is the harder question to answer: what would Jesus do with the PCUSA, and how would he advise congregations about their relationship with the denomination? To be honest, we have to start out by saying, “We really don’t know,” because there were no denominations in the first century. And what Jesus had in his mind’s eye for the church was a united body (John 17). We lost that distinction centuries ago, even before the Protestant Reformation. In recent posts I have commented on a few cornerstone assumptions going into this discussion: 1. No one denomination can claim

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What Would Jesus Do?

2 Comments / PCUSA, Sermon on the Mount, The Lord's Prayer / By /

Using our sorting matrix from yesterday’s post our attention turns to the center column in which the following questions are asked: 1.     What would Jesus do if he were in my shoes struggling with my place in the PCUSA? • Jesus would appeal to his Father’s authority over all things. In communion with God, Jesus’ incarnational call would be reaffirmed and the power to fulfill it poured out upon him. He would continue to “meet” daily in quiet solitude with his Father, feed upon God’s Word, and rely on God for direction and instruction. Lord, encourage me in your Spirit

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A Reconciliation of Loyalties

2 Comments / PCUSA, Theological Reflection / By /

Dilemmas abound in the PCUSA, at all levels of the church’s life. The more conservative church member feels the tension of holding the historic, orthodox faith while participating in an organization perceived to be drifting away from that faith. Congregations feel themselves at theological odds with the emerging denomination and yet have closely identified with its historic roots. The representatives of the PCUSA (office-holders and Louisville staff, for instance) recognize, to some degree, the angst among members and yet believe in the institution and seek to preserve its corporate integrity for the good of all. Every Presbyterian, to one degree

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‘Eye for an Eye’ and the Extra Mile

1 Comment / PCUSA, Sermon on the Mount / By /

This week’s lesson from the Sermon on the Mount addresses the issue of retaliation. There is a word here for all Presbyterians about responding to life’s hurts in a godly fashion. Particularly in the contentious environment in which some of us are working these days, where hurts are inflicted and wrongs are perpetrated, I predict that Christ may challenge us severely. 38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the

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I Made a Mistake: The Rules that Govern GA Overtures

Leave a Comment / 2012th General Assembly (Pittsburgh), New Form of Government (nFOG), PCUSA / By /

This week’s objective is to work through the process required to bring an overture to the attention of the General Assembly next summer. An overture is basically a motion, stated as a resolution that the General Assembly take such-and-such an action. This piece of legislation is often accompanied by a rationale, which itself is not enacted, but offers some background to the decision-makers. When the GA convenes next June, the committees will receive and debate the overtures relevant to their focus. Some years there are only a few dozen overtures; other years the Assembly must deal with perhaps 200. Already

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Those Mysterious Manuals

Leave a Comment / New Form of Government (nFOG), PCUSA / By /

Some of the changes to the Book of Order, particularly in the PCUSA Form of Government, were adopted earlier this year and their reality is only now hitting. The most obvious of these was the deletion of the fidelity and chastity standard for ordination, which I have written about extensively. But there are other more subtle changes whose impact is not yet clear, until we start using the book for our everyday business. At the time of the debates on the new Form of Government (also known as nFOG), I confess I was not particularly engaged, having other fish to

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The PCUSA as a Masked Ball

2 Comments / Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith, PCUSA / By /

The question is whether a PCUSA-ordained person still has the same dance partner now as when he or she took those ordination vows. The longer one has been ordained, the more serious is the question. I have been dancing with the PCUSA for twenty-four years (and longer if you count the years as a church member). Sometimes I feel as if I am waltzing at a masked ball, with a partner of unknown identity. Could it turn out to be someone other than the one with whom I came to the party? To those who believe the incremental changes occurring

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Living Into the Vows We Have Taken

Leave a Comment / Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith, PCUSA / By /

In yesterday’s post, I suggested that there is a mutuality in promise-keeping. Every church officer in the PCUSA answers questions for ordination committing oneself to trust Jesus Christ, abide by God’s Word, adopt the essential tenets of Reformed faith, further the purposes of the church, and faithfully serve the people therein. These are promises made to God, to the PCUSA church as a whole, and to the people in one’s worshipping community. The question is whether these “vows” (though technically the PCUSA does not call them such) are akin to a covenant which cannot be broken or an agreement that

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