Church USA and the (southern) Presbyterian Church US. The UPUSA

itself is the product of a 1958 merger between the larger

Presbyterian Church USA (which First Presbyterian, Richmond was part

of) and the United Presbyterian Church of North America, a smaller

body which Reid Memorial descends from. The PCUSA has about 2.3

million members nationally.

Q: Why does there seem to be so much controversy among churches

today? We read about congregations leaving the Episcopal Church,

disputes among denominations such as Methodists, Lutherans, and of

course, Presbyterians!

A: Historically speaking, denominations have never been free of

disputes, controversies, and divisions. Many denominations split

before or at the time of the American Civil War. It took the

Presbyterians over 115 years to mend their split! Presbyterians

earlier had split over revival movements on the frontier. Questions

of Biblical interpretation and its relationship to science following

Darwin's theory of evolution embroiled Presbyterians and other

denominations late in the 19th century and continue today. Movements

in society pertaining to the role of women and sexual ethics have

intensified controversies in many churches in the last 40 some years.

Other denominations have controversies as well--often involving

differing styles of worship.

Q: What is the "Presbyterian Church in America"?

A: The Presbyterian Church of America was formed in 1971 and grew

significantly when southern Presbyterians in the PCUS that did

not want to merge with the northern PCUSA in 1983 split off, and

began founding new congregations around the country (including Christ

Presbyterian, Richmond). Its confessional statement is Westminster.

The PCA does not ordain women as elders or deacons. It has about

330,000 members nationally.

Q: What is the "Evangelical Presbyterian Church"?

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church was organized in 1981, and has

about 66,000 members nationally. Its confessional statement is

Westminster. Congregations have "local option" preference concerning

the ordination of women and speaking in tongues. There are very few

women pastors in the EPC, and many congregations have no women elders

or deacons. There are 4 EPC congregations in Indiana (the closest

being Auburn).

Q: We read and hear things about the Presbyterian Church on the

national level that disturb us. They don't seem to be speaking for

what we believe. Why do we have national church officials doing

things we disapprove of?

A: We may feel the same way about Congress, judges, and our national

leadership. People on the local level can't always control the

decisions and actions of those on a national level.

Q: But why are there people in positions of national authority in

our church that view things so differently from us?

A: First of all, we are the largest and most theologically diverse

Presbyterian denomination. Not all Muslims, Catholics, Baptists,

Republicans, or Democrats, see things the same, either!

Presbyterians have a form of government quite similar to the US. We

are a "representative democracy". We elect people to represent us as

elders in a local congregation, as voting delegates at Presbytery

(regional body), Synod (in our case, the states of Illinois and

Indiana), and at General Assembly, a national body of over 500

delegates that meets every two years to make decisions. But while

there are delegates elected from all parts of the country, there are

also regional and national staff people that may serve for long

periods of time, shape the agenda, encourage the selection of people

of their own persuasion to serve in critical positions as committee

chairs, etc. If a regional or national staff person is of a certain

persuasion, and knows how "the system works", they can often

influence the process to bring about their desired results. Voting

delegates that don't understand how the system works and are hesitant

to speak up may be swept along.

Q: Why is it that Presbyterians are often considered more

liberal on social issues than members of non-denominational and

Pentecostal churches?

A: Presbyterians have long emphasized higher education, helping

found many of the colleges and universities that dot our land. For

example, Princeton, Hanover, Miami of Ohio, and Indiana University.

Although never "church related universities", IU and Miami had many

trustees and early presidents that were Presbyterians and

Presbyterian ministers. As the academic communities of our nation

have become more liberal in recent generations, so have some

Presbyterian congregations and national staff members of denominations.

Q: Is the liberalizing trend of society permanently altering our

religious landscape?

A: That's yet to be determined. On the one hand, some of the most

growing and vital congregations in our land are more

conservative theologically (including Presbyterian congregations.)

Fewer people on the more liberal end of the spectrum are

participating regularly in the life of any congregation. If the more

Biblically focused Presbyterians hold their ground and continue to

maintain their witness in the PCUSA, the tide may be turned. If

large numbers of Biblically focused Presbyterians withdraw from the

PCUSA, the considerable resources of this once prominent denomination

will come under the long term stewardship of those who currently

appear to have the upper hand.

Q: We hear of lobbyists that are influential in Congress. Are there

people like that involved in Presbyterian General Assemblies?

A: Yes. Not so much with money to spend for entertainment, and

offering paid vacations for "fact finding" trips. But advocacy

groups have agendas and want to see their causes endorsed by national

religious bodies.

Q: Are there "special interest" and "advocacy groups" within the PCUSA?

A: Yes there are!

Q: What are some of them?

A: The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is a special interest

organization that has worked for the elimination of G-6.0106 b, which

requires that those being ordained to live either in fidelity within

the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in

singleness.

The Presbyterian Layman is a publication of the Presbyterian Lay

Committee, reporting and interpreting the work of the Presbyterian

Church USA. The Presbyterian Layman has focused its major efforts

over the years to publishing articles from a conservative perspective

critical of the PCUSA.

The Presbyterian Coalition is an umbrella movement of people

committed to the transformation of the PCUSA by exalting Jesus

Christ, energizing its congregations and upholding historic biblical

leadership standards. It includes members of Presbyterians For

Renewal, the Presbyterian Lay Committee, Presbyterian Global

Fellowship, etc.

The Confessing Church Movement is not an organization, but the

affirmation of historic Christian beliefs (Jesus alone is Lord of all

and the way of salvation, Holy Scripture is the church's only rule of

faith and life, and God's people are called to holiness in all

aspects of life, including honoring the sanctity of marriage)

beginning in 2001 of over 1,300 PCUSA congregations. First

Presbyterian's session made its own affirmations of these basics in

the spring of 2001.

Representatives of a small group of Confessing Churches gathered

to discuss what the PCUSA might look like if it was renewed

Biblically. This group came to be known as the New Wineskins, and is

drawn from over 100 Presbyterian Church USA sessions, who have sent

representatives to its meetings in search of articulating a new

future for the PCUSA. Our session voted to send Bill Stackhouse and

Les Hunt to national gatherings of New Wineskins in 2005 and 2006.

We have not sent in contributions for financial support of this

organization. Following the 2006 General Assembly, a task force of

New Wineskins members was appointed to draw up a plan for the

future. The results, released in January of 2007, were surprising to

some. They advocate congregations consider withdrawing from the

PCUSA and connect with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

More Light Presbyterian Churches have defied the PCUSA ban on

ordination of practicing homosexuals. There are 54 More Light

Pres. Churches in the PCUSA. In spite of their small number, they

have received considerable media attention.

The Presbyterian Global Fellowship held its first meeting in Atlanta

in August of 2006, with 800 in attendance. The goals of this

organization are to focus on the evangelical faith and connecting

with other believers throughout the world, while seeking to reform

and redeem, not depart from, at least at this time, the PCUSA.

Presbyterians For Renewal: A special interest group within the PCUSA

founded in 1988 which emphasizes the historic Christian faith,

scholarly and thoughtful publications such as "Theology Matters" and

"ReNews", and leads renewal events in local congregations, such as we

hosted in the fall of 2005.

One by One is a special interest group seeking to help Presbyterians

deal with homosexuality in a way that is loving and faithful to

the Biblical witness.

Presbyterians Pro-Life is an interest group that seeks to influence

our denomination in the pro-life direction.

Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International is a charismatic group

of Presbyterians that speak in tongues and emphasize the work of the

Holy Spirit.

Q: We hear about some "New Wineskins" Presbyterian congregations

withdrawing from the denomination, and entering into a relationship

with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Are any Presbyterian

congregations near us doing this?

A: Not that we know of, at the present moment. Most Presbyterian

congregations in our area that are upset with the national PCUSA are

currently evaluating their options, and considering what God might be

calling upon them to do.

Q: If our congregation ever were to change its affiliation with the

PCUSA, is that an action the session could make on its own?

A: No. Discussions with Presbytery, and a vote by the

congregation would be required.

Q: What are the options for congregations in the PCUSA today?

A: Remain within the PCUSA, seeking to influence it to change its

current course. Remain within the PCUSA, content with its current

perspectives and status. Seek to withdraw and become part of another

national body. Start a new denomination.

Q: Can a congregation just say "We're leaving the PCUSA" and take

its building with them?

A: Good question! Our Book of Order states that the higher

governing body holds all local church property "in trust". (Book

of Order G 8.0200) That is, if a local church desired to leave the

denomination, they might have to turn over their building and bank

accounts to their Presbytery. Presbytery would invariably establish

a commission or committee to work with the dissenting congregation,

and likely call for a vote. In very few churches would every single

congregational member chose to depart, or stay. So a split would be

likely. Presbytery could award the building to a small minority of

members that chose to remain loyal (5%, for example), and make the

95% go out and start from scratch. Or some sort of compromise might

be reached. In the case of medium or smaller sized congregations, it

might be that neither segment of a divided church would be large

enough to sustain a viable existence.

On the other hand, some believe departing congregations could win a

legal battle in court. And that those desiring to depart, deeply

committed to their faith, could experience growth and renewed life,

freed from the "albatross" of national affiliation, in a day when

local relationships means far more than "brand loyalty" to a

declining national institution. Millions of Americans that once were

loyal to Ford or General Motors are driving Japanese and Korean made

cars!

Q: What does the Bible have to say about the situation we currently

find ourselves in?

A: There are a number of Biblical passages to take into

consideration: In John 17:11, Jesus prayed for unity among his

disciples. I Corinthians 1:10-13 is an appeal for unity in a divided

church. I Corinthians 6 discourages believers from taking disputes

before non believers for judgment, encouraging the settling of

disputes within the community of faith, not in civil courts. First

Corinthians 6:7 asks "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be

cheated?" (instead of going to a civil court for a dispute among

Christians.) II Corinthians 6:14 urges that believers not be matched

with unbelievers. Is Paul speaking about more than marriage here?

II Cor. 6:17 has Paul quoting from Old Testament passages, urging

separation from the pagan world. The Pharisees in Jesus' day sought

a strict separation from pagans and non-Jews, yet Jesus reached out

to all, including despised Samaritans, and offered mercy to a woman

caught in adultery (also saying to her, "Go and sin no more.")

Faithful believers in the Bible often wound up as a minority, the

"righteous remnant".

Q: Considering that the Biblical passages relating to homosexuality

clearly indicate it to be sinful behavior, how can some within the

church today accept homosexuality as a legitimate form of behavior?

A: They maintain that, in Bible times, nothing was known about

genetic factors that may relate to homosexuality. They believe

that Biblical passages relating to homosexuality are akin to passages

that forbid the eating of pork--no longer valid for today's

Christian. Many proponents of the acceptance of homosexual behavior

also see it as akin to women in ministry... a culturally conditioned

"taboo" that has been lifted in our generation. They also maintain

that, for many, no conscious decision is reached concluding one is of

a same sex orientation.

Q: But do all Presbyterians look at the issue this way?

A: No. Many reason that both the Old and New Testaments speak

against homosexual behavior, with one voice. That, while Jesus said

nothing specific about homosexual behavior, the reason he did so was

that no one was advocating that homosexual behavior was acceptable in

that culture and time. Homosexuality was common in Greek and Roman

society, and Paul spoke against it. While Jesus was invariably

filled with grace to those caught in sin, he never took a casual

attitude toward it. Jesus in fact invariably made Old Testament

teaching more challenging than less: "Whoever looks at a woman with

lust commits adultery with her", "If your eye causes you so sin,

pluck it out", "How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of

heaven." Jesus spoke of the road of faith as being hard and narrow.

Q: Is there any way out of this controversy for Presbyterians?

A: The 2006 General Assembly sought to propose such a path through

its "Peace, Unity and Purity" report, concluding several years of

study by a selected group representing some diversity within the

denomination. Instead of removing wording from the PCUSA Book of

Order requiring all officers to "lead a life in obedience to

Scripture" [including the requirement to live either in fidelity

within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or

chastity in singleness], the General Assembly allowed individual

Presbyteries and Sessions some discretion to allow those considered

for church office to declare "scruples" about a particular item of

belief. If the governing body did not consider that particular

"scruple" to be significant, they could still ordain/install the

candidate. While this was approved by General Assembly, both those

who endorse the ordination of practicing homosexuals (such as the

Episcopalians have done) and those opposed to such an action were

opposed to this approach. Enough Presbyterians thought "the Peace,

Unity and Purity" paper was a way to avoid a split, that it passed.

But there continues to be turmoil within the PCUSA.

Q: What is the "Book of Order"?

A: The PCUSA Book of Order is part of the official constitution of

the PCUSA, which outlines how the PCUSA is governed, the nature and

meaning of worship, and church discipline.

Q: How important is the "Book of Order"?

A: Not as important as the Bible, but it gives Presbyterians

throughout the country a common form of organization and practice.

However, the Book of Order's guidance is not always evenly followed

and enforced. And we live in a generation when not only a President

but others have questioned "what the meaning of 'is' is"!

Q: What do different groups within the church say about the Trinity

paper which has aroused some controversy?

The PCUSA General Assembly of 2006 "received" but did not "approve" a

paper that affirms "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" as the church's

primary language for the Trinity. The paper also lifts up other

Biblical images of the Trinity for study and use in worship.

(Presbyterians Today, August 2006, p. 5)

Presbyterian Coalition: "The Trinity paper was "received" and so

assumes no official status at any level of the denomination;

however, it is a document available for discussion and decisions

related to worship."

The Presbyterian Layman fears "The Trinity paper will be used as

justification for using nontraditional language when referring to the

Trinity." "Metaphorical triads" are cited in the paper, including

"Compassionate Mother, Life-Giving Womb and Beloved Child", "Rainbow,

Ark and Dove, "Speaker, Word and Breath". However, its article also

quotes Charles Wiley stating "This document has no constitutional

authority, no binding authority on anyone in the church." (July 2006 issue)

The PCUSA Book of Confessions: Traditional, historic understanding

of the Trinity.

Q: What about the report of the Theological Task Force on Peace,

Unity and Purity of the Church?

A: PCUSA interpretation in Presbyterians Today, official

denominational magazine: The Assembly approved this report, but did

not alter historic standards for ordination. However, it did

make clear that more responsibility is to be exercised by sessions

and presbyterians regarding the examination of candidates for

ordination.

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians: "We are disappointed that the

Task Force has not found a means of immediately recognizing that gay

and lesbian Presbyterians are called to the ordained offices of the

PCUSA." (Summer, 2006 newsletter)

The Presbyterian Layman noted in its July 2006 issue "For more than

40 years the Presbyterian Lay Committee has worked for renewal within

the structures of the PCUSA. We have sought to be faithful

presbyters....while voicing loyal opposition to policies and programs

that have compromised God's Word. Denominational leaders have

resisted calls from our partner renewal organizations and us to turn

back. Now, by the actions of the 217th General Assembly, our highest

governing body has crossed a critical line of demarcation.

Reluctantly, and with deep sorrow, we conclude that current renewal

efforts within the PCUSA are not capable of reversing the

denomination's plunge into apostasy. Continuing the remedial course

that our renewal organizations have pursued...will not save this

ecclesiastical body; for its sin is so systemic as to render it

impervious to change from within....We call upon Presbyterians at

every level ...to challenge its seismic breaches of covenant. We

urge sessions to seek counsel and take all necessary steps to ensure

that all gifts and the real property entrusted to them are used for

ministry in Christ's name. Further, we urge them seriously to

explore fellowship with other like-minded Presbyterians who share

their commitment to the historic Reformed Christian

faith." (Statement by the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian

Lay Committee, July 4, 2006.)

The Presbyterian Coalition:

"Each ordaining governing body still retains the right to assert that

its ordination boundaries will match the express standards of the

Book of Order." It noted with concern that some bodies might use the

"Peace, Unity and Purity" report adoption as justification for

circumventing denominational standards, but believes the change it

brings is not irreversible. The Coalition issued this statement

November 25, 2006: "We do not believe the situation in the PCUSA is

hopeless. The Peace, Unity and Purity (PUP) report was amended by

the assembly and passed by a narrow margin. The assembly reaffirmed

our Book of Order ordination standards of "fidelity in marriage and

chastity in singleness" (G-6.0106 b) and the authoritative

interpretation of 1978. It upheld biblical and confessional

standards of marriage and sexuality and ordered denominational

agencies to express that position in written materials. The GA

rejected the notion that Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are

basically the same religion. It backed away from endorsing the

Trinity paper by voting only to receive it. It effectively reversed

the 2004 General Assembly's action on divestment with a more reasoned

approach to the conflict in the Middle East. It adopted the

strongest statement of any mainline Protestant denomination on

preserving the lives of babies in the womb who are viable."

Q: How much does what happens at the national, General Assembly

level of the PCUSA affect a local church such as ours?

A: That depends! It's already affected our congregation, because

one couple chose to leave First Presbyterian because we are

affiliated with the PCUSA, in spite of their affection for many

within our fellowship. Some people (not as many as a generation or

two ago) look for a particular denomination when they move to a new

community. Presbyterian congregations vary from one locale to

another much more than Applebees and McDonald's restaurants!

Presbyterian congregations within the PCUSA have considerable

freedom. While congregations are strongly encouraged to contribute a

per capita assessment for each person on the active member role

($5.79 per person per year to General Assembly, $3.35 to Synod and

$14.47 to Presbytery), this is not a requirement. First Presbyterian

in Richmond has the freedom to choose what benevolences they

contribute to, what curriculum resources they use, what special

offerings they contribute to, and what aspects of the Christian faith

they want to emphasize.

Date: March 28, 2007

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