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Amendment O defeat (for story, click here) Confessing Church Movement right approach April 3, 2001 Thank you all for your leadership in this moment of crisis. I am convinced that this "Confessing Church Movement" is exactly the right approach. Far better that we who remain in the faithful opposition join together for a forceful and decisive stand, even if that results in our being kicked out of the PCUSA, than for individuals and congregations to trickle away little by little. Far more than just passing resolutions in our sessions will be required, of course. Sometime fairly soon we will need to convene a Confessing Church synod to consider our next steps. We are going to need to map out a more comprehensive plan of action. High on the agenda must be the formation of a plan of practical group solidarity and mutual aid. If the liberals who oppose us start to misuse the disciplinary mechanisms of the Book of Order to clear the sessions of Confessing Church congregations, or to defrock Confessing Church pastors (remember what they did to Dr. Machen back in the '30s), we will need to have some mechanism in place to render aid to those under attack. Be assured that those who oppose us will use every weapon at their disposal, "divide and conquer" being chief among them. Stefan B. Stackhouse Elder, Montreat Presbyterian Church Montreat N.C. What's the point of the movement? April 3, 2001 What's the point? We have always confessed these three points in the Book of Order. Confessing them again in some rewritten form will change nothing. It is too late – the horse is out of the barn. Bruce Boyles Tyrone Pa. Church is sleeping with theological prostitutes April 3, 2001 When I was in seminary (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), I considered ministry in the PCUSA. I'm glad I chose another denomination. You have some very nice buildings, fine pipe organs and big endowments, but you are having to sleep with theological prostitutes. Put a little more makeup on her, spray on some perfume, but she's still a whore. I recommend a divorce! Rev. Edd Cathey Wilmington, Del. A church where anything goes April 3, 2001 So, the stated clerk has sent his commentary on the defeat of Amendment O, signifying that pastors and sessions may now hold same-sex union ceremonies, so long as they are not classed as marriages. Does this mean that couples of different genders, who are living together but who do not wish to get married, can now have their union blessed, too? It used to be called "living in sin," but with the defeat of this amendment, we have now become a church of "swingers," where anything goes. John Stuart Knoxville, Tenn. Theological liberalism has taken over the church April 3, 2001 About two years ago, I started reading The Layman. A friend said to me in Bible study, "Look at what is going on with PCUSA. Were you aware of ... You need to read The Layman." Of course, I wasn't aware of how liberal the church had become. Like most others, I just assumed that the church was doing the right thing. My eyes were opened. We have been praying about how to address our concerns. That is the good news. The bad news is that we are leaving PCUSA. Theological liberalism has taken over the church. There is more and more secular thinking and less and less Scriptural integrity. We cannot state strongly enough that we believe the church has left us. This is no small thing for us to do. We have a long and cherished history with our local congregation. We will continue to pray for the church. We cannot, however, condone with our membership the attack on the one thing we have come to rely on and respect – the Bible. Martha Larsen Oklahoma City, Okla. Pastor has never performed same-sex union April 3, 2001 Whitman Brisky has taken a view that knows nothing of my church. Although I am a pastor of a More Light church, I have never done a same-sex union or been asked to bless the same. My point in my first letter is that same-sex unions or blessings are extremely rare. Again, I point out that we spent lots of time and money over something that is rare. Now let's get to the real point of how we care for God's children in this broken world. Art Seaman Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church in Terra Linda San Rafael, Calif. Don't deviate from the Scriptures because of 'social progress' April 3, 2001 Concurrently with retiring and escaping from the nearby "big city" of San Antonio, I moved far away from my previous home church - and, for convenience, joined a nearby Baptist church. I didn't leave the Presbyterian Church; it left me. I stuck it out for years, but finally enough was enough. I was pleased to note that there are still those fighting the good fight – as witness Amendment O. Although this amendment was defeated, we can always pray for a better day. There seems to be a prevalent attitude that Scriptural command must yield to the pressure of social convenience and this attitude has no place in church polity. I depend upon my church to keep me morally upright and cannot depend upon any church willing to deviate from the Scriptures merely because of "social progress." For those who would argue liberalism vs conservatism, I would point out that God is not bound by any political philosophy. If there is a question regarding social issues, then the question should be answered by the Word of God – and not by the pressure of popularity, personal choice or social convenience. After all, John's voice "crying in the wilderness" wasn't all that popular either. Lewis Briley Pipe Creek, Texas Same-sex unions are sinful April 3, 2001 Same-sex unions are sinful! Period. Do not hate the sinner but hate the sin! Alan Campbell Elder, St Petersburg Fla. You are trying to divide the church April 3, 2001 The "arrogance of the modern" is nothing compared to the arrogance of The Layman. You should be ashamed. You dishonor the sacrifice of all those members of the real Confessing Church. You make a sham of the courage of Barth, Niemoller, and others. Your arrogance is to take a petty political matter – and an un-Christian political position – and elevate it to the level of "Confessing Church." Your self-righteousness, arrogance, and, yes, idolatry, are shameful. And now you are trying to divide the church. It is not about theology or ethics, because you have no regard for either. Shame, Shame. Shame. William Saum We either act or fall April 3, 2001 I was raised in a Christian church (one without any affiliation).It was not part of any denomination. The beliefs of the congregation were very simple. They took the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. My wife and I have been Presbyterians for more than 20 years. Lately, we have become very concerned about what is happening not only in our denomination but in others throughout the country. It always amuses me about how we as human beings view the Devil. We use him to scare ourselves by painting him as a monster with clove feet a tail and horns. What he really looks like is a man or woman in a $1,000 suit who is sitting either on the front row of the church or is standing in the pulpit. He or she tells us that God does not exist and/or that the Bible is just an old history book and that we should discard it because it is not relevant to our modern world, and we foolishly believe it. I have to thank God that he has placed me and my family in a church that teaches and preaches the gospel from the Bible. Several years ago, we had an interim pastor who felt that being lesbian and or gay was OK. He and I did not agree and we really went to task about his stand. Thankfully, he moved on and we gained a pastor who believes in what the Bible teaches, thanks to our pastor search team. During one of our more heated moments he was talking about the General Assembly and I told him that I didn't give a hoot about what the General Assembly had said or didn't say. What I was concerned about was the stand our local church was taking in this matter. We have said that as part of our faith that the act of homosexuality is wrong and a sin. We do not condemn the individual – that is up to God – but we can say with certainty that the act is wrong, just as stealing, or lying or sleeping around. You can be assured that if our local church decides to go with what appears to be an endorsement of homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle, I and my family will no longer be Presbyterians. We either stand up as Christians and push from our churches those acts and elements that condone the destruction of our faith or watch as the Presbyterian denomination no longer remains a Christian faith but simply becomes a social organization. We either act or fall it is that simple. Loren Loibl Omaha, Neb. The PCUSA has stepped across the line into blasphemy April 3, 2001 My husband and I, both elders in the PCUSA, resigned from our church of 15 years and from the denomination of his lifetime a year ago when the same-sex union and acceptance under care of a self-proclaimed homosexual man in candidacy as a minister of the Word and sacrament were upheld by the Permanent Judicial Commission of the national church. It was clear to us at the time that, by tolerating such things, the PCUSA had stepped across the line into blasphemy and we could not follow. The recent defeat of Amendment O confirms this. To "bless" what God calls abomination and to "curse" God's holy standards and boundaries for sexual behavior is to call evil good and good evil. That is blasphemy. In its long-developing apostasy and confusion, the denomination has perhaps unknowingly crossed over a line where no true Christian may follow. And, not only that, but also in denying homosexuals the power of the blood of Jesus Christ to deliver them, "liberals" strike at the very heart of the Gospel. If Jesus cannot save the homosexual from his or her bondage to sin, can He save me? Or you? Or anyone? It's hardly surprising that these same "liberals" think that Jesus is "no big deal!" Evidently, they do not know Him or His power to save. It is hard to give up cherished relations, positions and property. But as Luther wrote, "Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever!" It is time to leave the "old wineskin" of the PCUSA and seek Jesus "outside the gate." Kathryn Riss ThM Princeton Theological Seminary, 1986 Writer has watched the watering down of the true faith April 3, 2001 I am deeply troubled by the false direction of this church. For the last few years, I have been watching the watering down of the true faith. Oh, we come up with new prayers to mumble, talk about life in the fast lane, make pronouncements that really have no real meaning. Is it any wonder we lose membership? I have just seen a T-shirt that says "Born Again Pagan." Maybe this will be the new way. Benjamin W. Barr North Wilkesboro, N.C. The Biblical standard places a litmus test on us April 3, 2001 The side of the church that is either cold or luke-warm appears to want a litmus test requiring political correctness as it regards sexual relationships and other issues of Scriptural authority. The Biblical standard places a litmus test on us, our teaching elders and ministers of the Word that would bar them from service for disobedience to the Word. Luke-warm and Bible-ignorant church members disregard what the Bible teaches at their own peril. God will not hold faultless those who trample his Son, his prophets, his apostles and his saints under their feet and teach others to do so! James H. Logan McHenry, Md. PCUSA has become a political body April 3, 2001 The fact that an Amendment O was even being brought forward for a vote shows just how completely the Presbyterian church has become a political body instead of spiritual one. We've lost our way! Lynn Fetterolf Kreutz Creek Presbyterian Church Hellam, Pa. Human sacrifice in PCUSA churches? March 29, 2001 Does this mean that we can now have human sacrifice in Presbyterian churches? If one congregation doesn't believe in this practice, of course, it wouldn't have to allow it; but, as I understand it, every minister has the freedom to offer the kind of "pastoral ministry" that his congregation needs. Think of the gifts that those who are called to conduct such services will bring to our denomination. Human sacrifice is not specifically prohibited in the Bible, you know; and even if it was, it was probably just a misunderstanding on the part of whoever wrote it down; and even if it wasn't a mistake, it was probably just a cultural thing and doesn't apply to us anyway. We've come so far since Biblical times. May the Lord, in His mercy, correct our collective foolishness! Jim Watts Gaffney, S.C. 'Isn't something very wrong here?' March 29, 2001 When I read Matthew 28:16-20 (the Great Commission) and then read the Presbyterian New Service's "Top Ten Issues" to be addressed at this summer's General Assembly, I begin to seriously question what sort of mess we've gotten our denomination into. Issues two and three deal with the ordination of homosexuals, which is the same debate that has raged in our denomination for years. Why are these some of the "big issues" that will be dealt with? How can these be big issues when we are dealing with a pastor shortage and a denomination losing 20,000 - 30,000 members per year? Whatever happened to "making disciples of all the nations?" I hear both sides arguing that Satan is at work in the PCUSA. I agree, but Satan is working in all of us, not just the conservatives or the liberals. We pick up sticks and stones and hurl them at one another instead of using them to lay the foundation of a new church Satan delights. He sees that we would rather destroy one another than spread the news of Jesus Christ's love for every person. As we prepare for what looks to be a contentious General Assembly this summer, I call upon everyone to pray that we will refocus the church on its true mission, instead of destroying each other. Has God forgotten the PCUSA? Not a chance, but I doubt there is much delight in heaven every time he sees believers who have decided that it is better to fight than to do the work that Jesus commissioned us to do. Brian Wallace Rochester, N.Y. / Grove City, Pa. Already gone March 29, 2001 I have followed information and letters over the past year regarding the apostate values of the PCUSA. I understand your desire for members to stay and fight for the principles upon which the denomination was founded. However, I refuse to further expose my family to values that place God's Word, lordship and revealed will subordinate to the secular values of this so-called "church." The stances of the PCUSA that lend support and/or credence to partial-birth abortion, liberal political groups like the National Council of Churches, same-sex unions (as long as they are not called "marriage" – what a joke) and other secular agendas expose this dying denomination to their real values. Does anyone really believe it will not be many years before the PCUSA will ordain homosexual ministers when the research shows that 41 percent of the ministers educated in our liberal seminaries believe homosexuality is an acceptable alternative lifestyle? Or that 50 percent of them believe they should not be prohibited from blessing same-sex unions? Who trained these pastors in Biblical principles? I have resigned as session member, elder and Sunday school teacher of our church and removed our family membership from the PCUSA. We will find a PCA or non-denominational church to serve and worship God until the day should ever come when the pastors and members of this denomination will arise to declare in a loud voice that they are more concerned with offending God than they are with offending special-interest groups. Social clubs like the PCUSA are permitted to accept all manner of "diversity" (meaning we stand for nothing in particular), but a true church of Christ is supposed to stand for the values and principles of God. Dr. H. Thompson Stevens Time for a new Reformation March 29, 2001 It is time for a new Reformation. There are those congregations in the PCUSA that uphold the Word of God and it is important to thank God for them. It is vitally important to pray that their pastors, elders and members will now have the strength to resist a call for "unity" when it is unbiblical to be yoked with those who have trampled on the Word of God. There are other Presbyterian denominations, like the Presbyterian Church in America, which left the Presbyterian Church U.S. more than 25 years ago over orthodoxy. They would welcome you into their family. The PCA has remained faithful to the Word of God and has grown tremendously while the PCUSA has moved away from Biblical orthodoxy and had massive losses in membership. If joining another denomination is not possible, then starting a new Presbyterian denomination would be a better option than continuing to be joined with apostates. The Reformation came about because of a desire to follow what the Bible teaches rather than what man devises and his itching ears want to hear. The Reformation was very painful and many lives were lost, but many more lives have been brought into the kingdom because the truth of God has been taught. Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide and Soli Deo Gloria! Bob Thompson Ruling elder Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) Harleysville, Pa. Florida church has nothing to do with O March 29, 2001 As moderator of the administrative commission working with the wonderful flock at First Presbyterian Church of Miami, Florida, I am amazed at how one writer, Gary Houseman of the Ashburn Presbyterian Church in Ashburn, Va., was able to stretch the imagination of the most liberal mind to wrap the hard work being done by our commission with the concept of Amendment O. The manner in which you titled his letter, "The illogical anti-O argument," was ideal. What in the world does our work at First Presbyterian Church of Miami, in seeking to rebuild a hurting church, have to do with anything connected with Amendment O? I would recommend that Mr. Houseman clarify facts before writing letters such as this. For instance, there was no "ouster" that occurred. Also, for the first time in several years perhaps, the Book of Order was followed to the very letter in the manner in which our commission operated. Dr. Keith L. Riddle Moderator, administrative commission First Presbyterian Church of Miami Conscience and freedom must cut both ways March 29, 2001 One of the main points in the debate on Amendment O has been whether to allow local sessions/pastors to decide for themselves whether they will sanction same-sex unions based on individual conscience and congregational consensus. However, if anyone would like to visit the PCUSA Web page, particularly that part of the page that deals with overtures that will be forwarded to the 213th General Assembly, they will discover Overture 01-1 from the Presbytery of Scioto Valley. This overture addresses the issue of local sessions withholding funds from presbytery for a variety of reasons. To quote the actual overture: "Unless excused by the presbytery a session shall be responsible for raising and timely transmission of per capita funds to its presbytery. A presbytery may exercise care and oversight over congregations in its bounds that fail to raise or transmit such funds to the presbytery." If I understand this overture correctly, this means that a congregation which may be withholding funds because of conscience could, if this overture passes, be open to the "care and oversight" of the local presbytery and compelled to supply those funds its session withheld. Does this sound like allowing individual congregations, pastors and sessions to act according to their own consciences? This overture is an example of gross hypocrisy among some members of our denomination who claim inclusiveness and tolerance as their watchwords and then produce overtures such as 01-1, which plainly demonstrates an intolerant attitude toward others who hold different views. George A. Everson Rivermont Presbyterian Church Lynchburg, Va. Declaration 'fresh air' in 'polluted church' March 29, 2001 The Summit Presbyterian Church declaration of faith is encouraging, especially when the Presbyterian Church (USA) is looking for loopholes to keep "sin" in the denomination. Such declarations are like fresh air in polluted church. I say polluted church because what is seen in so-called mainline denominations (I call them "sideline denominations") has nothing to do with basic Christian faith. All that is being discussed in every church is "sexuality." The issue is resolved by the Holy Bible once and for all. Let the church get on with its task of preaching of the Gospel to all nations and stop time-wasting debates. Rev. Dr. Timotheus Nasir Moderator The United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan Gujranwala. Pakistan Campaign concentrated on peripheral issues March 29, 2001 Like most of the people who have written to The Layman over the past several days, I am disappointed that Amendment O lost. I believe it was a necessary measure because of a mistaken and confusing decision by the GA's Permanent Judicial Commission, which formally affirmed the sanctity of marriage but then allowed same-sex union ceremonies in the back door. I am also saddened that Amendment O failed in the face of a campaign that concentrated on peripheral issues that were not within the amendment's intent (such as praying in hospitals, conducting funeral services, etc.). All in all, the rejection of Amendment O represented a sad day for our denomination, and a significant setback for those of us working for renewal in the PCUSA. However, I have said before in various forums that I do not believe that God is finished with the PCUSA yet. The Bible is replete with examples of God's people losing various disputes, and yet God never abandons them if they persevere in faith. That is the task ahead for those of us who continue to hold to a Biblical and Reformed faith. For those who are ready to leave the church because of this setback, I would caution that schism is a very grave step. Pastor Craig Barnes has stated that we are to love the church just as she is, even as we work for change. The original Reformers, such as Martin Luther, did NOT want to leave the Roman Catholic Church despite profound theological disagreements. However, the Reformers did break away when their own freedom of conscience was violated by church authorities. I would also like to address a couple of other concerns I have with threats of schism. Some people state that they want to protect their families from the malign influence of theological liberalism. But there really is nowhere that one can be totally safe from the world, is there? Does a liberal presbytery somewhere or other really impact upon our lives more than, for example, the news or entertainment media? John Erthein Princeton Theological Seminary Writer applauds confessional statement March 23, 2001 I applaud Summit Presbyterian Church of the Beaver-Butler Presbytery for its three fold confessional statement. Anyone who disagrees with those three statements either doesn't know their Bible or doesn't care. Twisting the Word of God to suit today's wrongful cultural teachings will get you only one place; hell. Those who don't agree with the Summit Presbyterian Church confessional statement need to reexamine what the Scriptures really say. Afterall, they really aren't confusing words that God has spoken. "Thou shall not commit adultery" is pretty simple and clear as are the other commandments. Jack Fox Towanda, Pa. Act of one is act of the church March 23, 2001 Art Seaman writes that same-sex unions are rare in our Church, perhaps only 50 per year, and that most of us who oppose them belong to congregations which would never perform such a ceremony. Even assuming that this is true, and would stay true into the future, this is no answer. Section G-9.0103 provides that "... the act of one [governing body] is the act of the whole church ..." Thus if he, acting with the consent of his session does an act which is an abomination, that act is also our act as a Church and my act as an elder and presbytery commissioner in that Church. Whitman Brisky Clerk of Session Evanston, Illinois First Take a stand March 23, 2001 My wife and I are members of Summit Presbyterian Church in Butler, PA. We are extremely excited that our session and congregation have come together in full support of our confession of faith. We pray that other churches and presbyteries take a stand and accept this confession of faith. Garry Faust Don't advocate maintenance of status quo March 23, 2001 Like many readers, I eagerly await the message you will post following your meetings this weekend. I hope you are aware, having read the e-mails sent to you in recent days, that a message to the effect of "Don't be discouraged – we must continue the fight..." will not be well received by readers of The Layman – many of whom are understandably weary of fighting a battle that never ends while continually losing ground to the liberal minority. If you advocate maintenance of the status quo, prepare to see your web site traffic decrease sharply – along with the number of people in pews of PCUSA churches. Mark Jones Grapevine, Texas Church leaders should be united in 'one faith and one doctrine' March 23, 2001 It is the responsibility of church leaders to be united in one faith and one doctrine. The liberal notion that historically it is normal and healthy for the church to disagree in spiritual matters because of our diversity is fraudulent. The continuing disagreement over theology, Biblical authority and the very truthfulness of Scripture is the very reason the PCUSA is fragmented in its Biblical and moral moorings and has drifted away from its historical tradition of Reformed doctrine. There should be no doubt that the dominant voice of the church today is the voice of heretics. There is one thing that must be understood in this continuing struggle with the homosexual community and those who approve of their lifestyle; theirs is a political battle, not a spiritual battle. Their agenda is to gain acceptance of the unnatural as natural from all segments of society. They say they want dialogue but that is nothing more than a political stratagem. The dialogue will not stop until they achieve their goals, which go far beyond the issue of Amendment O. They will continue the debate until they win the battle. This is called the "Third Way." "The Third Way" is a leftist socialist political stratagem created and used in the 20th century to achieve a goal or power. It is a deceptive political tactic to insure the "Continuance of Them" until they acquire enough support to win an election or gain absolute power. David Horowitz, a convert to conservative in political thought wrote: "In the 1930's, Nazis used the 'The Third Way' to characterize their own brand of national socialism as a equidistant between the 'internationalist' socialism of the Soviet Union and the capitalism of the west. Trotskyists used 'The Third Way' as a term to distinguish their own Marxism from Stalinism and capitalism. In the 1960's, New Leftist used 'The Third Way' to define their politics as an independent socialism between the Soviet gulag and America's democracy." I was offended by the use of this tactic in our church. I believe it to be naive to think that dialogue and debates are going to change minds. The "Continuance of Them" will cause schism in the church. I believe it's now time to go beyond dialogue. The coalition of the renewal groups and faithful ministers and sessions of particular Presbyterian churches should now take a proactive position within the church. They should sue for righteousness each time an ordained minister, elder or session violates the constitution of the PCUSA no matter the presbytery involved. Furthermore, those currently ordained who violate or denounce their ordination vows in favor of heresy should be given an opportunity to repent. But failure to do so should result in removal from their ministry. William Cramer Elder, Christ Presbyterian Church Phoenix, AZ Beyond Amendment O March 22, 2001 As we formulate a response to the defeat of Amendment O, it is important to begin with a period of reflection rather than hurtful reaction. This is a time to take stock of where our denomination is in its journey of faith and carefully assess the theology and political mechanics that have led to this pass. It is then a time to act. It is important to remember that under our system of governance, we are led by highly educated, ordained clergy. The vast majority of these leaders are products of a liberal academic background rooted in a proper tolerance of differing opinions. Unfortunately, many continued their education at seminaries where this healthy intellectualism was coupled with an academic tendency to reject tradition. Inevitably, this led to a practicing philosophy that all ideas, sincerely held by good people, have enough value that they should not be squelched by a Biblical hard line. It is innocent, it is human, it is loving, and it has led us to disaster. Less constrained by Scripture and fueled by an overly simple view of God's love, prevailing theology has cast our relationship with Him in a totally new light. No longer are we creatures of free will struggling to obey the fixed laws of God, but now liberated by His love, we are freer to make our own rules. Risen to this state, is it any wonder that we now try to turn God's plan for human sexuality on its head? Of less moment, but still very important, our church beyond the local level is a well entrenched bureaucracy. Staff and paid committee members have a self-preserving survival instinct. Pastors and presbyters are human and are reasonably swayed by forces active within a structure that will provide their career employment. The tension between working for the peace of the church while maintaining its purity will invariably tend toward maintaining peace. Given this environment, recent events hold no surprises. Place this organization, now rooted in a more user-friendly theology, against a well funded, well educated, and intensely motivated group of advocates, who march in the name of Jesus, seek His peace, proclaim His love and decry those who judge them as unloving, and what you have is the overwhelming defeat of Amendment O. Where to from here? As frail creatures we simply cannot flourish under this new theology. We have already been warned not to lean so completely on our own understanding and while no one wants to return to an era dominated by rooting out sin, we cannot ignore its presence as we have done. Sin is not some ancestral plague forever banned by the New Testament but an ever-present reality. We are better advised to acknowledge it, reject its power and walk in the light of God's love as His forgiven but obedient children. Have we not all become so numbed by sermon after sermon on the love and ready forgiveness of God that we have lost the urgency to confront our sin and to repent? Have we not heard the admonition to "judge not that ye be not judged" for so long that we have lost the confidence to judge at all? We must, as lay people, exert ourselves within our own congregations. Elders are responsible for the spiritual direction of the local church. Perhaps the old concept of "teaching elders" and "ruling elders" needs revisiting. While local pastors will and should exercise great influence, their work is made harder over the long run by an overly compliant and agreeable session. It is a team effort that leads us toward the light. We should emphasize the importance of our role in presbytery and consider electing presbytery commissioners for one year. While they are free to vote their conscience, that right doesn't exist in a vacuum. We must discuss these important issues as a church and certainly as a session so that a commissioner's conscience has the benefit of many views. We should take local and, if possible, presbytery action to clarify how we feel about this issue. Same-sex unions will become so frequent in some locations that the practice will be associated with Presbyterianism everywhere. That will have a profound impact on our local churches particularly if we fail to speak out clearly on behalf of our congregations. Already the media ponder the irony of how our great denomination, inheritors of the traditions of Calvin and Knox, now comes to embrace the morality of Sodom. Consider passing the following resolution as a Session:
John A. Cowan Cartersville, Ga. |
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