The Presbyterian Lay Committee recently published a blog concerning a legal dispute between the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area (PTCA) and the Prairie Community Church of the Twin Cities (PCCTC). The latter organization is the former Eden Prairie Presbyterian Church, which disaffiliated with the PC(USA) in 2014 to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. This has been happening across the country for several years now. Many churches—large, small, and in-between—have left the PC(USA) to join other Presbyterian denominations. Depending on who you ask, the reason for these disaffiliations will vary. For more liberal minded folks, they see these churches as intolerant because they disaffiliate at a time when the PC(USA) is seen as moving forward with its welcome of LGBTQ elders and memebers. For more conservative minded folks, they see these churches as holding strong to biblical principles regarding the sanctity of marriage, sexual expression, and orthodox interpretation.
Orthodox interpretation is the subject for this particular post. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is infamous for it's relaxed interpretation of the Bible. The modern-day denomination has all but "interpreted" away the necessity to seek after personal holiness. As Calvinists, we all understand that true and perfect holiness cannot be attained in this lifetime. Nevertheless, Calvin saw the necessity and importance of sanctification, because through holiness we come into communion with God "because it greatly concerns his glory not to have any fellowship with wickedness and impurity."
Sin and God cannot exist together. That is a biblical fact. That's why confessing sins is so important for Christians. Yet so much of liberal protestantism has moved away from personal confession. In the PC(USA) we have a time in the worship service where the congregation is invited to pray together the Prayer of Confession. This is an important element to worship, for as Reformed Christians, we understand that a person or a church cannot come before God in worship without first confessing our sins before a holy God. We pray these prayers of confession on Sunday morning, but I am willing to bet that many of us don't confess our sins privately on a daily basis. That one prayer of confession on Sunday is not enough. That's a corporate prayer. We sin individually, too. Sadly, many main line denominations have moved away from individual confession. Unless of course you commit acts they see as sinful. Like failing to recycle, denying climate change, speaking against Islam, etc.
I mention all of this because in the blog post by the Layman, the PTCA's administrative commission stated "we believe the decision may also place in jeopardy our foundational understanding that the Book of Order, in its entirety, applies to all members of the PCUSA." Since when has the PTCA cared about the Book of Order! The BOO has been ignored on so many levels for so many years. Probably even since before the merger in 1983. Although I cannot attest to this since I was born after that date. But I went to a Presbyterian Seminary and a Presbyterian affiliated college, and I can tell you beyond a reasonable doubt that the BOO has been ignored.
Not only has it been ignored, it's been altered to fit the agenda of SJWs and the LGBTQ. Now some people will praise the denomination for that. I do not. Thankfully, the BOO is not the Bible. So while the BOO may be edited and conformed to sinful modernity, the Bible cannot. Unless of course you go the Jeffersonian route. But I assure you, the day the PC(USA) begins cutting out sections of the Bible, will be the last day the denomination stands.
Orthodox interpretation is the subject for this particular post. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is infamous for it's relaxed interpretation of the Bible. The modern-day denomination has all but "interpreted" away the necessity to seek after personal holiness. As Calvinists, we all understand that true and perfect holiness cannot be attained in this lifetime. Nevertheless, Calvin saw the necessity and importance of sanctification, because through holiness we come into communion with God "because it greatly concerns his glory not to have any fellowship with wickedness and impurity."
Sin and God cannot exist together. That is a biblical fact. That's why confessing sins is so important for Christians. Yet so much of liberal protestantism has moved away from personal confession. In the PC(USA) we have a time in the worship service where the congregation is invited to pray together the Prayer of Confession. This is an important element to worship, for as Reformed Christians, we understand that a person or a church cannot come before God in worship without first confessing our sins before a holy God. We pray these prayers of confession on Sunday morning, but I am willing to bet that many of us don't confess our sins privately on a daily basis. That one prayer of confession on Sunday is not enough. That's a corporate prayer. We sin individually, too. Sadly, many main line denominations have moved away from individual confession. Unless of course you commit acts they see as sinful. Like failing to recycle, denying climate change, speaking against Islam, etc.
I mention all of this because in the blog post by the Layman, the PTCA's administrative commission stated "we believe the decision may also place in jeopardy our foundational understanding that the Book of Order, in its entirety, applies to all members of the PCUSA." Since when has the PTCA cared about the Book of Order! The BOO has been ignored on so many levels for so many years. Probably even since before the merger in 1983. Although I cannot attest to this since I was born after that date. But I went to a Presbyterian Seminary and a Presbyterian affiliated college, and I can tell you beyond a reasonable doubt that the BOO has been ignored.
Not only has it been ignored, it's been altered to fit the agenda of SJWs and the LGBTQ. Now some people will praise the denomination for that. I do not. Thankfully, the BOO is not the Bible. So while the BOO may be edited and conformed to sinful modernity, the Bible cannot. Unless of course you go the Jeffersonian route. But I assure you, the day the PC(USA) begins cutting out sections of the Bible, will be the last day the denomination stands.