The most important question of our day is ‘Where is the authority?’ ‘Sola Scriptura’ is dead in most places, and dying rapidly in others. So where do we lodge the authority of our faith? We’re not really arguing about LGBT inclusion, we’re arguing about how we read the Bible. As I mentioned here a few... Continue Reading

An open letter to the Covenant Network, et. al. (Editor’s note: This is the group in the PCUSA that supports LGBT issues.) The camel called the PCSUA is getting smaller and the load is getting heavier. Now is not the time to push or add to any more that load. At seminary, I started out... Continue Reading

There was a ray of hope in the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly when the Ecumenical Advisory Delegate from the Orthodox Church in Belarus, Archpriest Siarhei Hardun, brought greetings. Archpriest Siarhei Hardun of Belarus thanked the PCUSA for its mission work in his country, but also questioned some of the moral issues decided this week... Continue Reading

The General Assembly that had been busy changing any number of things for more than a week was not prepared to change itself. During the report of the Committee on General Assembly Procedures Friday afternoon, item after item of genuine grassroots concern met a swift and almost reflexive death at the hands of the Assembly.... Continue Reading

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is over. So, let’s do the math. During the week, the assembly approved items of business with financial implications for the denomination’s two budgets – the mission budget and per-capita budget. Additions to the mission budget were: $52,087 for 2010, $295,861 for 2011 and $207,683 for 2012.... Continue Reading

Four versus 57. Numbers talk. Great Commission versus Cultural Mandate. That was the ratio of General Assembly business items dealing with evangelism or church planting (four) versus the number of business items (57) in five committees tasked with social-witness business. Between the evangelistic mandate to make disciples and the cultural mandate to make the world... Continue Reading

Doug Nave told…how he had to “come out of the closet” twice. He “came out” as a gay man, and in…the Presbyterian tradition. As the keynote speaker at the Covenant Network of Presbyterians General Assembly Commissioners Convocation, Doug Nave told the packed sanctuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church how he had to “come out of the... Continue Reading

“No one wants to be held hostage to a threat from people who don’t like our actions. We made a covenant to be together even if we’re not of the same opinion. We should stay together.” Increasing Power At The Top By an 84 percent majority, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has... Continue Reading

The dues increase related to this action is capped at one percent of total effective salary and is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2012. The 219th General Assembly approved increasing the mandatory dues congregations pay to the Board of Pensions benefits plan up to one percent to pay for extending spousal and dependent benefits... Continue Reading

“We did find instances of persons,” she noted, “who, when invited by PCUSA congregations, put the PCUSA in a negative light and the EPC in a positive light.” Without a word from commissioners, the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly quickly approved a set of recommendations for handling the delicate topic of ecumenical relations with the... Continue Reading