On Thursday, September 30, Rocky Mountain Presbytery held their Fall Stated Meeting. One item of business was to hear a report concerning allegations submitted by another Presbytery against a member of RMP, Dr. Dominic Aquila, President of New Geneva Theological Presbytery

Following is the text of the letter sent to Metropolitan New York Presbytery in response to the allegations they had forwarded in May:

October 1, 2010

Dear brothers of Metropolitan New York Presbytery:

Greetings in the grace of Christ! We thank you for bringing your reports in regards to TE Aquila’s online postings to our attention. We took these reports seriously and appointed a committee of three presbyters to conduct an investigation in accordance with BCO 31-2. Their task was to determine if there is a strong presumption of guilt that TE Aquila violated the ninth commandment in allowing the two phrases referenced in your report to be published on The Aquila Report.

This committee met with TE Aquila to investigate these reports. After meeting with TE Aquila, this committee deliberated over the relevant matters before it and thoroughly discussed the question of guilt. We found that TE Aquila is exonerated from a strong presumption of guilt for the following reasons:

1. The two phrases under review, namely, “a very dangerous man” and “theologically incompetent” stated by Pastor Otis, were not aimed at being slanderous against TE Higgins, the person and pastor, but TE Higgins’ theological views as stated in writing. Therefore, they do not come under the domain of the ninth commandment, and thus do not violate it.

2. TE Higgins’ material has already been listed on his website; therefore, it is open to comment by others, whether within the PCA or not. Whatever the merit of Pastor Otis’ article, challenging TE Higgins’ views, the fact that it was posted on The Aquila Report, where responses can be given, cannot be taken as a slanderous reproach to TE Higgins’ character.

3. TE Aquila published the complete article in question, not selective parts which shows no wrongful prejudice to the matter.

4. TE Aquila did not attack TE Higgins’ character, but rather aimed to expose and circulate the substance of the stated theological ideas under discussion in the PCA. On that matter, the article’s use of “dangerous” throughout means dangerous ideas, not that the man himself is dangerous in any personal ways. Once theological ideas are open for review, they will naturally draw constructive critiques, some in sympathy and some not.

5. The ninth commandment was cited by Metro as being violated. There were no specifics, only a generalization, given as to how, or in what way, it was violated. One only needs to read through the Larger Catechism, questions 144 and 145, to see how specific the catechism is in describing how the ninth commandment might be broken. None of these were referenced. If RMP is to affirm or support any kind of strong presumption of guilt (i.e., ethical violation) on the part TE Aquila, this kind of specificity is necessary.

Thank you again for raising these reports to our attention. Like you, we are committed to the peace and purity of the church of Jesus Christ.

With you in His service,
Rocky Mountain Presbytery