Tracking trends
September 10, 1998
Following the defeat of Amendment A, a proposal to undermine biblical sexual standards for Presbyterian Church (USA) leaders, its proponents found scant comfort in Scripture. So they turned to sociology.
The argument went like this: Presbyterians are just not ready for this amendment, but give them time. Culture is trending toward tolerance. In a few years, this amendment will pass.
On its face, the argument is persuasive. American culture is unquestionably spiraling into the vortex of a behavioral cesspool. If the Presbyterian Church (USA) follows culture, then one can reasonably predict that we will baptize increasingly bizarre forms of sexual activity while killing with impunity our infants, elderly and others whom we deem sufficiently challenged.
But will the future Presbyterian Church (USA) follow culture? Our analysis of Amendment A statistics suggests that this assumption may be unwarranted. Presbyteries that voted for Amendment A are losing members three times faster than presbyteries that voted against it. In those areas where Presbyterian congregations are thriving, Amendment A was crushed. The Covenant Network’s pro-Amendment A rally turned up barely 35 participants, mainly aging denominational bureaucrats, while the Presbyterian Coalition’s rally opposing the amendment drew more than 1,000, many of them young and eager to influence the Presbyterian future.
What does this tell us? The theology that undergirds Amendment A is a killer. The lifestyle that it engenders is lethal both to individuals and to the institutions they control. Amendment A’s bloc has chosen a suicidal trajectory, while congregations that passionately proclaim biblical faith are growing at an impressive rate.
Most Presbyterians who insist on Scripture as the rule for our faith and life don’t pay much attention to trends. But for those who do, we suggest studying denominational demographics. If you’re looking for a trend, we think this one is worth watching.