Renewal leaders’ statement criticizing PUP report continues to gain endorsements
The Layman Online, November 21, 2005
A statement signed by renewal leaders October 10 that criticized the final report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (USA) continues to garner endorsements from Presbyterians across the country.
The “Statement of Presbyterian Renewal Ministries on the Peace, Unity and Purity Report” originally was signed by 23 of the participants who met in Chicago to draft the response. Presbyterians For Renewal on November 17 released a statement that said:
“We are pleased to endorse this statement and find it to be consistent with PFR’s own position and a clear witness to the truth…. We strongly encourage congregations and governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to use this common statement, along with our own statements, as they consider the Task Force report.”
The Chicago response also has gained more than 320 signatures from Presbyterians across the country. Presbyterians are invited to add their signatures by sending an e-mail to info@presbycoalition.org, including your name, affiliation, and contact information.
In addition, nine sessions have endorsed the report. They are:
- The Session of First Presbyterian Church, Hillsboro, Ill.
- The Session of New Hanover Presbyterian Church, Mechanicsville, Va.
- The Session of Lebanon Presbyterian Church, Lebanon, Pa.
- The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Mobile, Ala.
- The Session of Arcadia Presbyterian Church, Arcadia, Calif.
- The Session of the French Camp Presbyterian Church, French Camp, Miss.
- The Session of First Presbyterian Church Kokomo, Ind.
- The Session, First Presbyterian Church, Oostburg, Wisc.
- The Session of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Va.
In September, the co-moderators of the Presbyterian Coalition, Anita Bell and Jerry Andrews, invited a number of renewal leaders, theologians and ministers to a meeting in Chicago, where they wrote a response to the task force report.
The “Statement of Presbyterian Renewal Ministries on the Peace, Unity and Purity Report” said the report “constitutes a blend of truth and error that, if adopted, will undermine the church’s purity and exacerbate the denomination’s disunity. Indeed, it will promote schism by permitting the disregard of clear standards of Scripture and the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
“For the past quarter century, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has repeatedly expressed its conviction regarding God’s will in matters of sexual morality,” the renewal statement added. “The Report subverts these core sexual standards of behavior that are grounded in Scripture by substituting sincerely expressed personal opinions for rigorous biblical exegesis that has been confirmed by centuries of church tradition.”