By Gregory Tomlin, The Christian Examiner. The Presbyterian Church (USA), which has been hemorrhaging members since it began pressing for gay clergy and same-sex marriage almost a decade ago, is now aligning itself with a radical “social justice” group which demands the government pay reparations to all blacks in the form of free education and income. On…
By Gregg Brekke, Presbyterian News Service. Concluding its 2015 annual gathering, the Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recommitted itself to finding hope and peace for Israel/Palestine even as tensions and violence escalate. Meeting at Chicago’s Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center Oct. 29–31, 2015, the group spent time in worship, workshops, synod…
By Viola Larson, Naming His Grace blog Who is Alison Weir, and should either the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Mission Agency or the Israel/Palestine Mission Network be pointing to her material? On their twitter page, IPMN linked to an article by Weir. The article, “Christian Evangelicals Increasingly Support Palestinian Human Rights,” is on the International Middle…
By Viola Larson The Presbyterian Layman in their article, “Report asserts antisemitism references on IPMN’s Facebook page,” written by Nathan Key, noted that “The NGO Monitor issued a 69-page report entitled ‘The Role of Antisemitism in the Presbyterian Church (USA’s) Decision to Support Divestment.’” In Key’s report and the original article the Israel/Palestine Mission Network…
The Layman One of the nation’s largest organizations for Jewish human rights is pushing for Presbyterians gathering at the PCUSA’s 221st General Assembly to defeat extreme anti-Israel positions taken by the denomination’s leadership, including a report that refers to Israel as racist and illegal. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, with more than 400,000 member families in…
By Luis Fleischman and Rabbi Edward Bernstein A very problematic document was published in February by the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The document, entitled Zionism Unsettled, includes a number of items that not only show a biased hostility toward the State of Israel but also against Judaism and the Jewish people….
By Lauren Markoe (RNS) In a sign of the precarious state of Presbyterian-Jewish relations, the rabbi who heads the largest branch of Judaism in North America will appeal directly to the Presbyterian Church (USA) to step back from a series of critical resolutions aimed at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Invited to address the General Assembly of the Presbyterian…
By Noam E. Marans NEW YORK (JTA) — In the charming movie “Groundhog Day,” Bill Murray’s character repeatedly relives the same day until learning from the repetition transforms him from lout to worthy wooer of his colleague, played by Andie MacDowell. The “Groundhog Day” of Presbyterian-Jewish relations is coming soon to a theater near you,…
By Christopher M. Leighton, The Christian Century In response to the injustices faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, many Christians in the United States – including many within the Presbyterian Church (USA) – have become proponents of what is known as BDS: boycott/divest/sanctions. While the aim of the movement was initially to put economic and political pressure…
By Rick Jacobs NEW YORK (RNS) Some 2,000 years ago, a prospective Jew in ancient Israel asked Rabbi Hillel to teach him the whole Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel responded: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary.“ Later, Jesus uttered…