To the Elders and Ministers of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Dear Brothers:

As you know, the decisions taken by our General Synod in relation to Erskine College and Theological Seminary on March 3 were quickly challenged by the Chairman of the Erskine Board of Trustees, Mr. Scott Mitchell. Within a few days

Mr. Mitchell dropped his suit, but then three trustees-Dr. Richard Taylor, Dr. Parker Young, and Mr. J. David Chesnut – very quickly filed suit and secured a “temporary restraining order,” which effectively prevented the Board of Trustees appointed by the Synod from beginning its work for the college and the seminary.

A hearing was conducted in the Newberry Courthouse on March 25 before Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr. On Friday, April 9, Judge Griffith entered “a preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo as it existed prior to the General Synod’s March 3, 2010 actions.”

I hardly need tell you that I am grieved by what has taken place. That will be the case for many of you as well. We were surprised that some among us have believed it necessary to take the step of going to law against the Synod and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. At the same time, we believe that the Synod’s cause is just. Erskine College and Seminary have been an integral part of our denomination from their inception: the seminary since 1837; the college seminary since 1839. It is virtually impossible to think of either institution as anything other than a ministry of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Over the past several decades some tensions have arisen between the denomination and its educational institutions. It was precisely to resolve these tensions and to draw them back into full accord with the Synod and the standards of our Church that we acted as we did during our March 2 and 3 meeting.

On March 18 the Executive Board of the General Synod authorized me to appointed a Liaison Committee to work with the attorneys who represent us. The members of the committee, in addition to the Moderator, are Steven J. Maye, Robert E. Patrick, and Peter A. Waid. Steve is the Vice Moderator and Moderator Elect; he is also serving as Chairman of the Liaison Committee. Rob is the minister of the Bartow Church and Vice Moderator Elect. Peter is minister of the Spartanburg Church.

Decisions will have to be made as to our future course of action. Moderator Elect Steve Maye and I believe it would be irresponsible to turn aside from the task in hand. You should be aware, however, that our defense of the integrity of the Church and her institutions will be both time-consuming and expensive.

I want to say also that I am deeply grateful for the large measure of restraint which has been so apparent on the part of the Synod and the Church. A great deal of heated rhetoric is to be heard at present. We have chosen to respond in a muted way because we believe that God’s people should exercise charity even in the face of substantial provocation. I hope and trust that we can find ways of being both firm and resolute, on the one hand, and loving toward those who have chosen to disagree with us, on the other.

Clearly the solutions we had hoped were at hand will not be reached as quickly as we anticipated. At the same time, I am convinced that God is at work even in the struggle now before us, and that he will bring it all to his own appointed ends. I ask that every member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
engage in earnest prayer that the outcome will honor the One to whom we are all accountable and will bear rich fruit in an Erskine committed to the integration of Christian faith and learning under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

For the Redeemer and his Church, I am,

Very truly yours,

John R. (Dick) de Witt
Moderator of the General Synod