WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

Don Barkley

History of the American Presbyterian Church Adapted from How We Got “Here” by Carmen Fowler LaBerge

: : A S U M M A R Y

Presbyterianism was the major theological force of the Protestant Reformation, stressing that the Bible, not the church, was the only source of redemptive truth, and that Christ alone, by faith alone was the only way of salvation.

•  17th Century Scottish Presbyterian immigrants arrived in America

•  1706 The first presbytery was established in Philadelphia

•  For the first two centuries, Presbyterianism was a dominant force in America

•  Presbyterians founded scores of colleges and seminaries, and hundreds of hospitals

•  Between 1850 and 1950, the Presbyterian church was “the greatest mission-sending denomination the world had ever seen”

•  South Korea, now the largest sending nation of foreign Christian missionaries, came to Christ through the ministry of Presbyterian missionaries

Then, there were some major shifts in European and American culture.

Shifts in Western Culture Regarding Truth 17th-18th Centuries – Absolute to Relative/Cultural Truth •  G.F. Hegel: Truth progresses like a river Regarding the Role of God in the World •  17th-18th Century – Deism and the Enlightenment:

God does not do miracles •  19th Century – Darwin and Evolution: God is not

necessary to explain the origin of life   Regarding the Authority of the Bible •  19th Century – F.C. Bauer and the German School:

God is not necessary to explain the origin of the Bible

These modernist shifts in the culture were mirrored in the churches and seminaries.

•  By the early 1900s the Presbyterian Church was divided between the conservative traditionalists and the modernists

•  The modernists challenged the relevance of the Westminster Confession of 1647

So, in 1910, The General Assembly adopted five “essential and necessary” doctrines for Presbyterian ministers:

•  The inerrancy of the Bible •  The virgin birth of Christ •  Christ’s substitutionary atonement •  Jesus’ bodily resurrection •  The authenticity of miracles

This action in 1910 “marks the last time that this branch of mainline Presbyterianism in the U.S. proved itself willing to enumerate a list of essential tenets. The backlash was intense and has proven unrelenting for 100 years.”

The Controversy Catches the Public Eye

An example:

Henry Sloane Coffin, President of Union Seminary: “The Bible was ‘the record of the progressive religious experience…’ and ‘functioned as a standard of religious experience.’ This being the case, Christians didn’t need to accept all scriptural accounts as historical.” On the cover, 1926

“The virgin birth of Christ for example was not of key import, and those who had difficulty with the doctrine had no reason to abandon the church. Rather, Coffin maintained, ‘to know Him (Christ) is not to know how he came to be, but what he can do for us.’ …. 

‘Every era, he allowed, ‘must revise and say in its own words what God means to it.’ ”

—Presbyterians and American Culture, by Bradley Longfield

1943-1944 Coffin would serve as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church

1922 Harry Emerson Fosdick, a Baptist minister called as stated preacher to First Presbyterian Church of New York City, preached a sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?”  

In the sermon, Fosdick preached that inerrancy of Scripture, virgin birth, and bodily return of Christ are not essential for Christian faith.

1923

GA reaffirmed the 5 essentials of 1910, and “instructed the Presbytery of New York to take action to ensure that the preaching of the First Church, New York, conformed to the Westminster Confession.”  

—Longfield, Presbyterians and American Culture

The response:

•  Robert Nichols, Professor of History at Auburn University proposed a formal response that would reflect a more liberal position. Therefore it would be called the “Auburn Affirmation.”

•  It was penned mainly by Nichols and Henry Sloane Coffin

  •  It was signed by 1,274 pastors and elders in the

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

1924 The Auburn Affirmation: Presbyterians must …

•  “safeguard liberty of thought and teaching of its ministers”

•  prohibit the restricting of church teaching to rigid interpretations of Scripture and doctrine

•  refuse to rank ecclesiastical authority or the authority of the Bible above that of the individual Spirit-led conscience

•  1927 GA declared that individual presbyteries, not the national church body, would have authority over ordination 

•  As a result, a wide diversity of beliefs and ordination

standards developed across the denomination.

•  The GA appointed two Princeton University board

members who shared the new social view of the

mission of the church (that Christianity’s mission is to

primarily change society.) 

•  1929 5 Princeton professors, led by

G. Gresham Machen, left the university and founded

Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia

Shift regarding Missions and Evangelism

1930 Harvard professor William Ernest Hocking led The Commission of Appraisal, examining missions work of 6 Protestant denominations in Asia. Two of the members of the commission were Presbyterian leaders.

The Result of the Commission 1932 Re-Thinking Missions, published by 7 lay authors, suggested that Christian missionaries should work in cooperation with other native religious traditions, rather than to evangelize them.

•  Presbyterian Missionary and author Pearl Buck praised Re-Thinking Missions: “I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in human beings.”

  •  Believing that the GA’s position toward

Re-Thinking Missions and Pearl Buck was too weak, G. Gresham Machen, Professor at Princeton, formed the Independent Board for Foreign Missions 

•  1934 The GA declared this new board unconstitutional, and suspended Machen from ministry

Some Presbyterians formed other denominations: 1936 Orthodox Presbyterian Church 1938 Bible Presbyterian Church

Because of these shifts …

Meanwhile, here in Southern California …

•  Henrietta Mears, Director of Christian Education from 1927, at Hollywood Presbyterian Church

•  Taught the Bible and emphasized the sovereignty of God, prayer, Bible study, and acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Lord

•  Sunday School attendance grew from 450 to 6,000 students

•  Among her students: Richard Halverson (Chaplain of the U.S. Senate), Louis Evans, Jr. (founder of Bel Air Pres), and Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ)

She was also the founder of Forest Home Conference Center, 1938. It was here that the young evangelist Billy Graham resolved his doubts before his 1949 Los Angeles crusades.

“For a long time, the west coast has been known as the conservative wing of Presbyterianism.” — Mark Roberts

“By 1950 Presbyterianism in the U.S. had changed significantly.”

•  A corporate paradigm was adopted, modeled after the culture

•  From bottom-up to top-down, “upper levels of leadership in the denomination exercising increasing power”

•  The denomination was becoming more administratively centralized, while it had become theologically de-centralized.

1960s Seminaries and seminarians embraced avant-garde theologies, e.g.: •  A naturalistic worldview: God may

or may not exist

•  Rejecting the veracity of the Bible, the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the bodily resurrection, and the atonement

•  “Mirroring the culture, there was an

increasing focus on social justice.

•  This included advocacy for women’s rights

and civil rights, “but often at the expense of

historical orthodoxy.”

“Indeed in the 1960s … ‘the evangelical act of verbally claiming allegiance to Christ was subordinated theoretically to the social action mission.’ ” – Historian Thomas Berg, quoted in Presbyterians and American Culture, by Bradley Longfield. p.180.

“And so we arrive at a pivotal year in our history: 1967.” A new Book of Confessions was adopted, including The Confession of 1967 (C67).

“C67 departs from the confessions that preceded it, and with it carries a new set of ordination vows in the which the person ordained acknowledges that the Bible may contain the word of God, but is ‘nevertheless the words of men … ’ ”

“ ... 1967 was also the last year our denomination grew in church membership totals. Since then, membership has declined from 4.5 million to less than 2 million.”

1970s •  The proliferation of feminist and liberation

theologies

•  There was also a theological shift from evangelism centered on individual salvation, to evangelism centered on corporate or communal liberation.

•  Individual evangelism seemed narrow and therefore ‘imperialistic’ to advocates of the new pluralism

•  Salvation = liberation

•  “Salvation” became a political rather than a theological term

“This shift from ‘being a sinner, saved by grace from above’ to ‘being a an essentially good person, saved by being liberated from external oppression,’ paved the way for the denomination’s foray into politics.”

Some examples:

•  Payment with denomination money for the legal defense fund of communist activist Angela Davis

•  Support of Marxist rebels in Latin America

•  Support for Castro in Cuba

•  Uncritical support of Palestinian causes and opposition to Israel

•  Advocacy for pro-choice position, e.g. late term abortions (overturned later)

Other new denominations formed

1973 Presbyterian Church in America 1981 Evangelical Presbyterian Church

1978 GA adopted a change regarding missions: “Missions” changed to “Mission” of the church “By changing the definition, GA leaders were now free to spend ‘missions’ money (that had formerly been designated for sending missionaries) for political causes.”

1981 GA Permanent Judicial Commission upheld the ordination of Mansfield Kaseman, who denied the deity of Christ 1993 Reimagining Conference, funded and planned by some PC(USA) personnel – Leaders denied the existence of a transcendent God ... ridiculed the crucifixion of Jesus ... held service and communion to the goddess Sofia (wisdom)

2001 GA in Louisville – a commissioner offered a motion that the assembly declare “the singular saving lordship of Jesus Christ.” It was defeated ... Called “disrespectful of other religions”

Marriage and Sexual Ethics Controversy

1993 GA reaffirmed the declaration of 1978 that “unrepentant homosexual practice does not accord with requirements for ordination.” 1996 Affirmed more explicitly this traditional understanding of sexual fidelity between a man and a woman, or in singleness, as a requirement for ordination Known as G-6, this was passed by a majority of the presbyteries.

2008 GA voted to delete G-6. But it did not receive a majority vote by the presbyteries. G-6 remained.

July of 2010 The proponents of LGBTQ ordination prevailed in convincing the GA commissioners to replace G-6 with new language.

“... Presbyteries began ordaining and installing teaching elders whose lives do not conform to the denomination’s own espoused confessional standards let alone the Scriptures.”

2011 Fellowship of Presbyterians formed, gathered in Minneapolis 2012 Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO) was launched

What do PC(USA) ministers believe now?

•  From The Presbyterian Panel PC(USA) Listening to Presbyterians

•  Findings from the Initial Survey of the 2012-2014 Presbyterian Panel

http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/research/pdfs/

presbyterian_panel_survey_fall_2011_religious_and_demographic_profile_of_presbyterians.pdf

�  96% of pastors strongly agree or agree that there is life beyond death

�  91% of specialized ministers strongly agree or agree that there is life beyond death

Is there life beyond death?

Is following Jesus necessary for salvation?

PC(USA) pastors and specialized ministers were asked …

�  59% of pastors cannot agree that following Jesus is necessary for salvation

�  23% of pastors and 38% of specialized ministers are not sure, or agree, that other religions are equally good ways of finding ultimate truth

Are other religions equally good as Christianity for finding ultimate truth?

Some had left to form the OPC in the 1930s, others left to form the PCA in the 1970s; still others left to form the EPC in the 1980s …

Many stayed ... why?

•  Many good things were still happening in the denomination

•  There were significant investments made financially

•  To keep church property

•  Many are happy in their presbyteries

“But we all acknowledge that benign co-existence is not joyful participation.”

IPC DISCERNMENT TO DATE Greg Smith

Congregation authorizes Mission Study for the purpose of assessing strengths and weaknesses of IPC, and making recommendations for the church’s future direction. Session begins discussion of changing PC(USA) standards and practices. Resolution passed by Session to continue adherence to the Reformed orthodox standards in place at IPC since its founding.

Pastors and elders attend Fellowship of Presbyterians Conference in Minnesota.

Pastors and elders attend Fellowship of Presbyterians Conference in Orlando, Florida, which results in the formation of ECO.

2008–2009

2010

2011

August 2011

January 2012

Session begins and completes strategic vision process, which refines IPC’s mission and values. Pastors and elders attend regional meeting of Fellowship of Presbyterians, held at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.

Three elders attend Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO Conference in Colorado Springs.

Presentation to elders, deacons and church leaders on details of Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO Conference.

March–Nov 2012

April 2012

August 2012

September 2012

Los Ranchos Presbytery invites member congregations into an open season of denominational discernment. Session begins year-long study and discussion of discernment issues. Los Ranchos Presbytery adopts a Property and Policy Procedures. Session votes to formally consider discernment process.

Session forms Task Force to formulate plan for entering the discernment process.

November 2012

January 2013

November 2013

January 2014

June 2013

Task Force creates plan for entering the discernment process and submits recommendations to Session. Session approves town hall and small group presentations to congregation, and straw vote of membership to determine support for entering the formal discernment process with Los Ranchos Presbytery.

Jan–May 2014

ECO

Jan Wolensky

video

Who is ECO? The Covenant Order of Presbyterians •  Name

•  Birth

•  Mission of ECO

•  To build churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ

Core Values

� Missional Centrality

• Center-focused Spirituality

• Leadership Velocity

• Kingdom Vitality

• Jesus-shaped Identity

• Biblical Integrity

• Thoughtful Theology

• Accountable Community

• Egalitarian Ministry

Advantages of ECO

•  Covenant relationships

•  Polity

•  Vast Training

ü  Missional Leader Training

ü  Mentorship and Coaching

ü  Regional and National Gatherings ü  RightNow – online resource

•  Support

•  Property – own your property

Priorities

•  Centrality of the gospel

•  Grow with emerging generation of leaders

•  Church innovation

•  Relational accountability

Core Commitments

•  Covenant with God’s people

•  Order

ü  Uniting, Committing, Nurturing

•  Evangelical

•  Presbyterian

ü  Within our Reformed heritage

Within our Reformed heritage

Uniting, Committing, Nurturing

www.eco-pres.org/who-we-are/our-story

ECO Today

•  Diverse

•  Fast-growing

•  125 churches

•  209 pastors

•  50–4000 members

•  29 states and international

HOW THE DISCERNMENTPROCESS WORKS Merlin Eelkema

The Trust Clause

G-8.0201 Property Is Held in Trust

All property held by or for a particular church, a presbytery, a synod, the General Assembly, or the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), whether legal title is lodged in a corporation, a trustee or trustees, or an unincorporated association, and whether the property is used in programs of a particular church or of a more inclusive governing body or retained for the production of income, is held in trust nevertheless for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

Los Ranchos Presbytery’s Discernment and Dismissal Procedure

(Property Policy and Procedure adopted June 20, 2013)

�  Step One: Period of Discernment

�  Step Two: Request to enter into Dismissal Process and Formation of a Joint Solutions Team

�  Step Three: Dialogue toward a Joint Solution

�  Step Four: Presentation of Joint Solution to the Presbytery

�  Step Five: Acceptance of the Joint Solution by Presbytery and Congregation

Current Status of the Discernment and Dismissal Procedure Within the Los Ranchos Presbytery �  At least ten of the LRP’s 53 congregations have entered into the Joint

Solution process

�  The ten congregations represent more than a quarter of the LRP’s membership and financial support

�  The two largest congregations — St. Andrews Newport Beach and Trinity Santa Ana — have entered the process.

�  The first reading of five Joint Solutions occurred at an LRP in late April; the first reading of the Joint Solutions for remaining congregations will occur on May 29

�  Second reading of three Joint Solutions will occur on May 31

�  The proposed property settlements of the first five Joint Solutions range between 2.5% and 6.5% of a congregation’s net worth

CONCLUSIONS Greg Smith

Q & A

Greg Smith

FINAL THOUGHTS

Greg Smith

Website www.irvinepres.org/discernment

� Small group sign-ups

� Status updates

� Feedback form

� Audio/video files