Montreat, N.C., session accuses PCUSA council of delinquencies

Montreat, N.C., session accuses PCUSA council of delinquencies

By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, October 30, 2000

MONTREAT, N.C. – The session of Montreat Presbyterian Church has accused the General Assembly Council of a number of “delinquencies” in its response to the 2000 Peacemaking Conference where a Presbyterian minister said other religions provide valid paths to God.

The Montreat session concluded that an Oct. 25 response by the council’s executive committee to a similar complaint by the session of Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas did not address the “delinquencies” or provide remedies. That response basically agreed with the theological assertion that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone but concluded that freedom of conscience allowed a Presbyterian minister to say otherwise at the Peacemaking Conference.

Citing General Assembly Council duties set forth in the Book of Order, the session’s 12-page letter said the General Assembly Council failed:

1. to warn or bear witness against error in doctrine or immorality in practice in or outside the church by neglecting to correct the keynote address of the Rev. Dirk Ficca. [Ficca, who is executive director of an international inter-faith group that includes neo-pagan religions, asked at one point during his address, “What’s the big deal about Jesus?”
2. to review the work of General Assembly agencies and bodies in light of General Assembly mission directions, goals, objectives and priorities by neglecting to call the peacemaking unit to act in accord with the creeds and confessions of the denomination.
3. to uphold the great ends of the church by not declaring the necessity of the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of all humankind.

The complaint proposed eight “cures” of delinquencies:

1. A written and published rebuke “of error concerning the serious doctrinal violations” in Ficca’s presentation.
2. A written and published “summation of the teaching found in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) concerning the nature of Jesus Christ and the necessity and sufficiency of Jesus Christ alone for salvation of all people everywhere.”
3. Guidelines to govern “the office of Peacemaking, in specific, and all other agencies in general in arranging all future programs and conferences of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
4. Requiring all denominational staff to “assent annually in writing to abide by the Constitution” of the PCUSA in their official actions, pronouncements, program, presentations and functions.
5. “Issue an affirmation of the mandate for missions and evangelism … to encourage faithfulness to the great commission.”
6. “Publish a call to exalt Jesus Christ in the world by praying, supporting and encouraging more Presbyterians to engage in missions and evangelism.”

Both the Highland Park and Montreat sessions wrote their complaints before the deadline elapsed for judicial action against the General Assembly Council. Neither session has indicated whether it will file a formal complaint with the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly.