The OPC is known for having hearty discussion on the floor of its assemblies, and several commissioners noted this year that the expression of strong convictions can be maintained together with “the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13) as the tenor of the debates can testify.

Forty-six percent said they believe God created human beings pretty much in their present form within approximately the last 10,000 years. Thirty-two percent said human beings develop over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided the process.

It used to be that clergy knew the difference between right and wrong. After all, teaching such matters was seen as a core part of the job. But eroding standards, moral ambiguity, and other factors have made that assumption dangerous, says Luder Whitlock, who chaired a drafting committee for a National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) clergy code of ethics for clergy.

So be careful little fingers what you post. The internet is like God and like the devil. It sees all and forgives nothing. Knowing this, I will still tweet and blog, and I’m sure I’ll make mistakes from time to time. But I hope I won't forget the one indispensable rule.

Synod also directed the council of Maranatha CRC to contract immediately for ongoing oversight of the healing ministry at the church by an independent, accredited agency, because, it said, “Council, comprised of laypersons, is not capable of such oversight.”

The Dublin Agreed Statement of 1984 says, "Further discussions on the Filioque led to the reaffirmation by both Anglican and Orthodox of the agreement reached in Moscow in 1976 that this phrase should not be included in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Certain Anglican Churches have already acted upon this recommendation, whilst others are still considering it.

Further, the New Testament explains another change between the Testaments. Sins continue to be sins—but the penalties change. In the Old Testament things like adultery or incest were punishable with civil sanctions like execution…But in the New Testament the people of God are an assembly of churches all over the world, living under many different governments. The church is not a civil government, and so sins are dealt with by exhortation and, at worst, exclusion from membership.

Joining a Reformed church, I felt like I belonged in some way now to the communion of saints—not just in my local church, but in all times and places. I had to get used to words like “liturgy” and “catechism.” (At the time, I didn’t even know that the Reformers recovered the ancient practice of catechism instruction and Rome only picked up on it as a way of countering the movement.) The public recitation of the creed and the confession of sin was jarring at first. It was a little off-putting to hear the pastor declare in Christ’s name that I am forgiven.

I believe one key is to renew our commitment to the church as an intergenerational family, in which each person has a unique role in helping the others toward our shared goal of maturity in Christ…Young people need adults in their lives who are modeling a vibrant spiritual maturity. One reason no one wants to grow up in America is that many adults don't make their life stage look very attractive.

This view of Warfield is widely accepted, perhaps the “canonical” understanding, and Livingstone and Noll are often cited, uncritically, in support. I am persuaded, however, that this understanding is mistaken. Warfield did claim to have accepted the theory of evolution in his youth, but he then rejected it early in his career. Thereafter he remained open to the possibility of it and affirmed that Scripture could accommodate it, if it were to be proven true, but he himself continued to reject the theory.