Why I Changed My Mind on the Nashville Statement
Or another way to state it: Why I finally decided to publicly endorse the Nashville Statement.
There is a need for well-crafted and clear statements summarizing the Bible’s teaching about sexuality, gender, and what it means to be human. They are needful as means to catechize our children so that they may better resist the spirit of the age and avoid errors that will make shipwreck of their faith. But as... Continue Reading
A Sad Day in the PCA: Disagreement, Nuance, Or…
Disagreements are not surprising, and they are not un-Christian. No, they are not even un-Presbyterian.
I disagree with his assertions about Overture 15. I leave argument aside. I disagree that concerns expressed in terms of the reform of the church deserve to be greeted as malicious. I leave argument aside. I disagree that mendacity has been the substance of the controversy around Johnson, et. al. I leave argument aside. I... Continue Reading
An Update on the Voting of the PCA BCO Amendments: The Tale So Far
As of the end of November, 38 of the 88 presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church in America have voted on the BCO amendments. Here are the vote tallies thus far.
As Fall fades into Winter about 38 presbyteries have given their advice and consent concerning some or all of the twelve Items sent down from the 49th General Assembly (2022) in Birmingham, AL. To change the Book of Church Order, an amendment is run through a three-part process. First, it must pass the General Assembly... Continue Reading
Memorial Presbyterian Church Votes to Leave PCA
At a congregational meeting on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, 92% of the congregation of Memorial Presbyterian Church of St. Louis voted to withdraw from the PCA.
The attacks cited by the Memorial session relate to criticism Memorial and Johnson have received since hosting the controversial 2018 Revoice conference; Revoice is an organization created to support Christians who experience same-sex attraction while upholding the historic Christian teaching about marriage and sexuality. At a congregational meeting on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, 92%... Continue Reading
2022 Proposals: The Case for Item 6 & Against Item 11
Item 6 deals with suspending someone’s rights before the completion of his judicial process. Item 11 deals with suspending someone’s rights after the completion of his judicial process in the lower court, but while the decision is under appeal.
Item 6 proposes a change that would better bring the rights of the various parties into balance by requiring a 2/3 vote to suspend the rights of someone who has been accused, but not yet found guilty. Item 11, on the other hand, would have the opposite effect. Requiring a 2/3 vote to suspend someone... Continue Reading
Where Is There Side B in the PCA?
Competing claims: The PCA has always been Side B vs. Side B isn’t happening in the PCA.
Throughout this time many in the PCA have publicly promoted Revoice while at the same time claiming that Side B does not exist within the denomination. They have said that rather than change our Constitution to address a non-existent issue that we should make use of the AIC Report on Human Sexuality because it gives... Continue Reading
Does the PCA Ordain Homosexuals? Well, “Yes, But” or “No, But”
The addition of Overture 15 is (1) appropriate (2) needed; (3) addresses an unavoidable issue; and (4) failing to approve it will perpetuate one problem and create another.
When asked, “Does the PCA ordain homosexuals?” we cannot say, “We can neither confirm nor deny that the PCA ordains homosexuals.” We must either say, “Yes, the PCA ordains homosexuals, but men must claim celibacy from homosexual conduct in order to ordained,” or we will say, “No, but there may be men who count that... Continue Reading
How PCA Complaints Work: Against BCO Amendment Item 12
Item 12 is an amendment to BCO 43 that would require complaints be filed 10 days before a meeting of the court alleged to be in error.
For the sake of argument, even if we grant that the lower court’s procedure should mirror that of the higher court, this amendment misses the mark. Instead of adding a filing deadline, chapter 43 of the BCO ought to be upended and rewritten, particularly adding the complainant’s right to appear and present an argument to... Continue Reading
Against Overture 8
Overture 8 proposes amending BCO 33-1 and 34-1. Both of these paragraphs concern the jurisdiction of church courts in matters of church discipline.
Raising the threshold for assumption of original jurisdiction from 2 (2) Presbyteries to 10% of Presbyteries has the potential both to prevent and to pervert justice in church courts. By raising the threshold to 10%, nine (9) Presbyteries would have to request assumption of original jurisdiction. This represents a five-fold increase, and it makes BCO... Continue Reading
Two Final Pleas As PCA Presbyteries Vote on the Proposed BCO Amendments
Presbyters are urged to voted in favor of Item 1 and against Item 7
Regarding Item 1: No one is doubting the integrity of a man’s self-description. We believe he rightly owns that description. We believe he is a man of integrity. The major point is whether such a man is eligible to serve as an officer in the PCA. Regarding Item 7: It’s already difficult to get 2... Continue Reading
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