PCUSA pastor’s letter to the church
has 175 concurring signatures
The Layman, February 16, 2011
Originally released Feb. 2, 2011, the letter from Presbyterian Church (USA) pastors call for something new in the denomination has a total of 175 concurring signatures as of Feb. 15. Included with the 142 signatures from pastors across the country, are 33 concurrences from elders, lay leaders, honorably retired pastors and parachurch leaders.
The open letter has already generated widespread conversation across the PCUSA among a variety of interest groups. Denominational leaders have invited people to discuss it and the drafters, calling themselves Fellowship PCUSA, have posted materials in response to criticisms raised.
Stating that the denomination has been in steady decline for 45 years, the Fellowship declared “We believe the PCUSA will not survive without drastic Related Link
PCUSA Pastors in Talks of a New Future
intervention, and stand ready to DO something different, to thrive as the Body of Christ. We call others of like mind to envision a new future for congregations that share our Presbyterian, Reformed, Evangelical heritage. If the denomination has the ability and will to move in this new direction, we will rejoice. Regardless, a group of us will change course, forming a new way for our congregations to relate. We hate the appearance of schism – but the PCUSA is divided already. Our proposal only acknowledges the fractured denomination we have become.”
A meeting has been planned Aug. 25-27 at Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) in Edina, Minn., for like-minded pastors and elders to explore joining the movement and shaping its character. The CPC Web site is also host to the pastor’s documents and other information.
In 2005, CPC was the site of the New Wineskins Initiative convocation. At that event a group of like-minded Presbyterians adopted a constitution calling for a missional Presbyterian structure that would get them beyond the cycles of debate in the PCUSA and launch them into the positive possible future God had given them. That trajectory has resulted in more than 100 congregations realigning with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in subsequent years.
Similar to the frustration articulated by the New Wineskins Initiative, the Fellowship’s open letter seeks to point beyond the PCUSA’s obvious divisions over homosexual ordination to the deeper issues of “differing understandings of Scripture, authority, Christology, the extent of salvation amidst creeping universalism, and a broader set of moral issues.”
Continuing to echo earlier calls, the letter states, “We need something new characterized by:
- “A clear, concise theological core to which we subscribe, within classic Biblical, Reformed/Evangelical traditions, and a pledge to live according to those beliefs, regardless of cultural pressures to conform;
- “A commitment to nurture leadership in local congregations, which we believe is a primary expression of the Kingdom of God. We will identify, develop, and train a new generation of leaders – clergy and laity;
- “A passion to share in the larger mission of the people of God around the world, especially among the least, the lost, and the left behind;
- “A dream of multiplying healthy, missional communities throughout North America;
- “A pattern of fellowship reflecting the realities of our scattered life and joint mission, with regular gatherings locally, regionally, and nationally to excite our ability to dream together.”
Where the group differs from earlier attempts to reform the denomination, is that it proposes the immediate creation of a fellowship to encourage local congregations to live out the Good News. “This fellowship will exist within current presbyteries for the time being, but energies and resources will flow in new directions. It is an intermediate tool to bring together like-minded congregations and pastors, to enable us to build a future different than our fractured present,” the paper stated.
The letter then calls for three other simultaneous efforts:
- the formation of new synods and presbyteries that “offer freedom to express historical, Biblical values amid ordination changes in the PCUSA,” reminiscent of last year’s 17th Synod proposal to the General Assembly.
- the formation of a new Reformed body, and/or
- the wholesale reconfiguration of the PCUSA.
The intent is to pursue all four tracks simultaneously and as options run their course, converge on those that continue to hold a positive possible shared future.
The steering committee includes Vic Pentz, Peachtree Presbyterian, Atlanta, Ga.; John Crosby, Christ Presbyterian, Edina, Minn.; David Peterson, Memorial Drive Presbyterian, Houston, Texas; Jim Singleton, First Presbyterian, Colorado Springs, Colo.; David Swanson, First Presbyterian, Orlando, Fla; Rich Kannwischer, St. Andrews, Newport Beach, Calif.; and Mark Toone, Chapel Hill Presbyterian, Gig Harbor, Wash.
The letter and the names of its supporters can be found at its temporary Web site.