Rev. Anthony Evans and the National Black Church Initiative urge more Christian churches to break ties with the Presbyterian Church USA over its acceptance of same-sex marriage. Photo: NBCI
A faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches in 15 denominations and 15.7 million African-American members has broken ties with the Presbyterian Church (USA), over its decision to allow same-sex marriages.
The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) also urged “the entire Christendom to do so as well.”
As of March 17th, a majority of PCUSA presbyteries — 86 if the 171 regional bodies — had voted in favor of changing the denomination’s definition of marriage so that same-sex weddings may be conducted by PCUSA pastors and in PCUSA churches.
The vote officially changed the definition of marriage found in the PCUSA’s constitution from being between “a man and a woman” to marriage being “a unique relationship between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”
Speaking the coalition’s decision to break ties with the PCUSA over its decision, the Rev. Anthony Evans, NBCI president noted “NBCI and its membership base are simply standing on the Word of God within the mind of Christ. We urge our brother and sisters of the PCUSA to repent and be restored to fellowship.”
“The PCUSA’s manipulation represents a universal sin against the entire church and its members,” the statement read. “With this action, PCUSA can no longer base its teachings on 2,000 years of Christian scripture and tradition, and call itself a Christian entity in the body of Christ. It has forsaken its right by this single wrong act.”
The statement cites the Apostle Paul, who “warns us about this when he declared in Galatians 1:8 that there are those who will preach another Gospel.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him…For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
“No church has the right to change the Word of God,” said a statement released by the NBCI. “By voting to redefine marriage PCUSA automatically forfeits Christ’s saving grace. There is always redemption in the body of Christ through confession of faith and adhering to Holy Scripture. In this case, PCUSA deliberately voted to change the Word of God and the interpretation of holy marriage between one man and one woman. This is why we must break fellowship with them and urge the entire Christendom to do so as well.”
According to the statement, the NBCI is “a coalition of 34,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public. Our methodology is utilizing faith and sound health science.”
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I would be interested in this organization’s ties to the ideologically sister religious groups that occupy the same space as the PCUSA; UU, UCC, Quakers, CC (DC). And also what formally constituted ‘in relationship’ or ties to the PCUSA? And who or whom did the relationship benefit?
In the question posed last week, is the PCUSA still Christian”? One metric to measure is the company one chooses to keep, or not. What or whom does one find itself in relationships with? I have stated that in terms of global Christianity the PCUSA finds itself on this self-imposed cul-de-sac at the end of the town, down a path little used. The combined membership of the above mentioned groups in 2012 stood at a little over 4 million, by their own reporting, the average decline across their organizations is about 3% per year, 60-70% over 30. Even if you count the PCUSA in the comatose and moribund WCC/NCC as “ecumenical”. American mainline liberal Protestantism is on the path to extinction within 25-30 years. And maybe that was informed choice all made in 14f.
When the Presbyterian churches of Mexico and Brazil broke off ties with the pcusa, louisville was not bothered a bit, and this will be greeted the same way.
They will see it as the verification of their prophetic stance.
In kowtowing to one of the Left’s favored identity groups comprising an estimated 1%-2% of the population, PCUSA leaders seem to have alienated one of the other identity groups, comprising perhaps13% of the population. But arithmetic has never been their strong suit — except when it comes to calculating exit fees for departing congregations.
As much as I agree with the sentiments expressed by this group, I think there is less here than meets the eye. I have looked at the group’s website, and see no evidence presented that “34,000” churches are represented. I think it’s wrong to say that this number of churches has broken ties to the PC(USA). Now, if the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the National Baptist Convention, and other recognized historically black denominations were to break ties to the PC(USA) over same-sex marriage, that would be a huge story. But this is not it, IMO.
Presbyterians around the globe are angry, confused, distraught over PCUSA’s strange actions, and PCUSA’s new interpretations of scripture. In a nutshell the PCUSA leadership, down to local sessions, is more of a self serving leftist political movement than anything else. Many top democrat operatives have taken leadership posts within the church in my state; they’re scheming apostates playing a worldy political game which is dangerous.
NBCI is a post office box. If you read the press releases and read the website, there seems something amiss. Presbyterians should be glad they have cut ties, whatever they think they might be.
Agreed. The PC(USA), by shedding the unnecessary weight of these so-called coalitions, can get on with the business of being a prophetic voice to the culture and a safe harbor for those historically-marginalized groups that continue to suffer at the hands of backwards “Bible-believing” Christians.
If I’m in Louisville, I’m thinking “good riddance to bad rubbish”.
After doing some further research—which the Layman should have done—-this is a few people with a dubious 501C3 soliciting funds for education, medical issues, discrimination that claim to represent thousands and thousands. It is obvious these are shake down artists like Sharpton and Jackson. Layman—show some integrity and take this article down. wipe the comments clean and move on.
Well, yes, a little harsh but about right. A group with a handful of employees whose primary function is to issue press releases with their claim of representing millions. And funny/ironic for the Layman. Try to picture if the Layman had instead re-posted one of their other releases criticizing the Trayvon Martin decision or pointing out racist aspects of the death penalty. Some of the usual angry Layman posters would be whistling a different tune.
The eternal question has been answered. “Pres” and Moderate are different people, maybe.
Where do you hold presbytery meetings?
Can I come? Do you serve Danish?
Why is this not considered a perfectly natural consequence?
General Powell made it very clear that sexual preference and race do not equate in matters of civil rights, bias, or other issues ordinarily associated with justice.
Peter
We hold presbytery meetings in churches. And we serves Danes, Finns, Scots and all manner of breeds.
well, red dirt, Colin Powell has since then endorsed gay marriage, repudiated don’t ask don’t tell, and I suspect he may regret anything he said related to your comment. Be that as it may, he is hardly the ultimate authority on that topic:
“I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination.” – Coretta Scott King
“I fought too hard and too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up – and speak up – against discrimination against our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. I see the right to marriage as a civil rights issue.” – John Lewis, youngest speaker at the March on Washington, last surviving member of the Big Six of the civil rights movement, freedom rider, leader on the Edmund Pettus bridge on bloody Sunday, etc.
“LGBT rights are civil rights.” – Julian Bond, former chair of the NAACP, one of the founders of SNCC, first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
One could go on all day…
A Moderate, and pres seems to have no problem that this coalition broke off ties with the pcusa,and frankly I don’t care either, but that’s missing the bigger picture, and that is we have fellow international presbyterian churches that have broke ties with us, without hardly a peep from louisville, and these are big denominations. The african churches by in large have kept quiet,(mainly because they need our money) about this gay marriage issue. Because of our actions we have lost fellowship with our own kind of churches.
At the end of the day we’re going to find this may not have been worth it.
It may be your perception that Louisville was “not bothered a bit” but following the break of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico the PC(USA) issued these statements from Louisville.
“I deeply regret their decision to end a relationship that has brought blessings to both churches,” Gradye Parsons said in a statement following the vote.
“Presbyterians do mission in partnership here and around the world, so we take the voice of the Mexican church very seriously,” Hunter Farrell said in a statement. “We are grieved by their decision, but we want to emphasize that we are grateful for their witness and our history together, and will listen carefully as we engage in dialogue about where God is leading us in mission.”
I imagine similar statements were made when the Presbyterian Church of Brazil broke all ties with the PC(USA) but that was more than 30 years ago. However I would say it’s misleading to suggest their break is somehow directly related to recent decisions by the PC(USA) regarding homosexuality like the breaks of the Presbyterian Church of Mexico and the National Black Church Initiative.
During the early 1970s, tension arose between the IPB and the former UPC(USA) over theological divergences and the appropriate response to the political repression. All issues came to a head in 1973, when the IPB severed relations for a number of reasons, including disagreements about properties, social justice issues, confessional standards and ecumenical stances. The IPB did maintain relations with the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS). After unification of the U.S. churches in 1983, the IPB unilaterally ended the official relationship with the PC(USA).
It is true the PC(USA) did not change course following these breaks but as a member of the PC(USA) these breaks grieve me and many others I know.
Although I agree with the current stance I do not see these breaks as verification of a prophetic stance. Rather I see them as verification of sin’s power to divide us – sin we all share – and the need we all share for forgiveness and reconciliation made possible only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It really doesn’t matter what any human or group of humans thinks about this subject (or really anything else).
Galatians 1:10 (NRS) Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
God’s approval?, I think that left with 14f.
You could go on all day, Pres, and probably will…but you (and the quoted folks) are still talking about unrelated things…..race and how people choose to behave are not even remotely equivalent. And yes, we do indeed choose every single day and minute what will control our lives and thoughts….will it be greed…jealousy….love of money….desire for neighbor’s house, car, wife…immoral sexuality of any form? We are not puppets of every thought or desire that comes upon us. And we do no favor to others by making them think they are! Grow up, get a grip, and live the way you want to–and should.
Very well put, don.
1983, and the years leading up to ’83, woke me up that PCUSA was in bed with World Council of Churches, and other questionable leftist leaning groups, giving money and other aid to Communist aggression while screaming for US disarmament and other strange anti-USA actions. Hard line leftists, social and cultural leftists, were deeply embedded in sessions, synods, etc. and had ‘captured’ this mainline church.
You seem to have missed the point that this is a few individuals with a website who spend their time issuing press releases claiming to represent a large group of people who have more or less never heard of them.
So, we have:
Common tater = expert on what is a civil rights issue.
Coretta Scott King, John Lewis, Andrew Young, Julian Bond, Mildred Loving, Jim Lawson = what do they know about civil rights?
So are you are saying they are pretty much like the PCUSA’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy?
ACSWP is elected by the General Assembly.
Thanks for that correction of General Powell’s “evolution, Pres. I’ll remember to avoid quoting him in the future, after I verify your statement.
Won’t change my thoughts. Common Tater hits the nail on the head, writing, “..race and how people choose to behave are not even remotely equivalent. And yes, we do indeed choose every single day and minute what will control our lives and thoughts…”
I applaud the courage and integrity of the NBCI to buck the media tide, here. I suspect the position reflects a little more than poll watching.
My outdated reference might indicate just how up to date I have kept on these issues, not very. The emergence of affirmative action’s what has me worried.
Pres, are you REALLY that dim-witted?
My whole point is that it is in no way an equivalent “civil rights” issue. I don’t believe any of those you claim to be experts on this were ever denied ANY right, let alone a guaranteed civil right because they chose to engage in homosexual behavior.
Concerning General Powell’s statements:
We must be careful to keep our points of contention straight, here. There are points of discernment in language and the law so fine, so minute, as to render common debate to be nearly useless. Emotions make it worse, so does input from elected officials and the media. We rely on courts and lawyers to hash things like this out.
It has never been proven conclusively that homosexuality is a genetic trait, inborn. Clinical evidence abounds that adult homosexual behavior is linked to many environmental factors. That debate is ongoing among professionals, whereas, among the lesser intellects, that issue has already been decided, one way or the other.
I have not seen much of anything current on the topic from General Powell. The following quote is consistent with his political leanings and personal conviction, I think.
“There may be religious objections to it, and I respect that many denominations have different points of view with respect to gay marriage. And they can hold that in the sanctity of their place of religion and not bless them or solemnize them. But, in terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people that’s called marriage, and allowing them to live together with protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country.” (Gen. Powell)
Powell said he is aware of religious objections to same-sex marriage, but spoke primarily about it as a matter of public policy.
“I respect the fact that many denominations have different points of view with respect to gay marriage and they can hold that in the sanctity in the place of their religion and not bless them or solemnize them.” (Gen. Powell)