 |
|
FEEDBACK  |
|
 |
|
Readers' responses to Edgar's retraction The following letters respond to a series of articles posted on The Layman Online. National Council of Churches in crisis Protestant Reform leaders express outrage; vow to seek support for marriage NAE president responds to NCC leader's about-face Evangelicals respond to NCC leader's about-face NCC leader takes name off pro-marriage statement NCC general secretary backs 'holy unions' of gays Protestant reform leaders hail new 'Christian Declaration on Marriage A Christian Declaration on Marriage PCUSA stated clerk should sign declaration on marriage November 21, 2000 It is possible for the PCUSA to engage in broader, bolder ecumenism and cooperation with other Christian churches within the United States than that currently lived out and expressed through our sole historic involvement in the National Council of Christian Churches in the USA (NCC). In particular, we need to expand our partnerships to include evangelicals, charismatics, and Roman Catholics as well as the "mainline" or "oldline churches" in the NCC, our significant historic partners who nevertheless now represent a distinct minority of Christians in the U.S. Earlier this year, NCC general secretary Robert Edgar himself expressed a desire for the NCC to be replaced by a broader, more inclusive grouping of U.S. Christian churches. Unfortunately Edgar's removal of his signature from a broadly ecumenical document which affirmed marriage and which had been signed not only by him but also by Roman Catholics and representatives from the NAE (National Association of Evangelicals) moves us farther, not only from the historic Christian understanding of ethics and morality, but also from his stated goal of working together with these other parts of the Body of Christ in the USA. Since the PCUSA doesn't affirm sexual relationships outside of marriage between a man and a woman, and since we desire a wider unity in the historic body of Christ than that currently represented by the NCC, we should respectfully disassociate ourselves from Mr. Edgar's removal of his signature from this document and ask our stated clerk to sign this broadly ecumenical document which is in agreement with the theology of the PCUSA Book of Confessions, Book of Order, and actions of our General Assembly. We should also encourage the chief ecumenical officers of sister NCC churches whose theology agrees with our own and with this document to sign it. The PCUSA should also pursue membership in the National Association of Evangelicals while retaining, at least for the foreseeable future, our important membership in the NCC which is still the largest grouping of Christian churches in our country. The NAE statement of doctrine is consistent with our confessions, and I believe the PCUSA is called by God at this moment in history to seek a broader, bolder ecumenism for our denomination than that represented by our involvement only in the NCC. Winfield Casey Jones Pearland, Texas Retraction was wrong Re: NCC leader takes name off pro-marriage statement November 21, 2000 When I read the statement on marriage and saw National Council of Churches' General Secretary Robert Edgar's name on it, I thought, "Well, finally the NCC has done something right," and I was proud of him and the council for that. Now to hear that he has retracted it fills me with revulsion. Shame, shame on those who say they want to bring the churches together and then engage in this kind of behavior. Tim Jesen PCUSA minister in Ashland, KY Stop funding NCC Re: Evangelicals respond to NCC leader's about-face November 21, 2000 To the responses of Parker Williamson and Terry Schlossberg regarding Robert Edgar's about-face concerning the endorsement of "A Christian Declaration on Marriage," I say, "Amen and amen!" It is time (or rather, past time) that we (the PCUSA) quit pouring money into an organization whose positions are so blatantly contrary to our confessional standards – and more so, to Biblical standards. N. Kirk Werner Pastor, Lake Forest Presbyterian Knoxville, TN Sin and the Bible Re: NCC general secretary backs 'holy unions' of gays November 21, 2000 Mr. Welton Gaddy, executive director of the National Council of Churches' Interfaith Alliance, affirms the need of The Layman to stress the fundamentals of our faith. It continues to amaze me how people attempt to support arguments upon flawed theology. Where in the world (probably an excellent choice of words) did Mr. Gaddy learn to believe that a person could "...bring to the Bible more than we take from the Bible?" The Holy Spirit imparts the wisdom of God's Word to those whom earnestly seek it. Attempting to contemplate the Bible without an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ through His Spirit is foolishness. Apart from that relationship, the only thing one could "bring to the Bible" is his or her own sinful nature. Unrepentant sinners, like those that glorify unnatural sex acts, grieve the Holy Spirit. Given that and my previous argument, what does Mr. Gaddy propose one 'bring to the Bible?" How does a sinful nature contribute to a "more honest interpretation of Scripture?" Dave Hirlinger Who owns Edgar? Re: NCC leader takes name off pro-marriage statement November 21, 2000 Now we know who owns Robert Edgar! Tom Taggart Athens, OH Get NCC out of PCUSA budget Re: NCC general secretary backs 'holy unions' of gays November 21, 2000 As Presbyterians we need to drop the National Council of Churches from our budget! We don't need the NCC and I certainly won't support the PCUSA with my contributions in the future unless we drop the NCC. Robert Edgar's support of gay marriages and gay union blessings was the last straw. It looks like support for local congregations only may be the answer to make the PCUSA responsive to the membership. They will "cry like a baby" when the money stops flowing! Bob Gillman |
|
| Home
· News
· PLC
Publications ·
The
Presbyterian Layman Online Reviews · Archives· History of the Lay Committee · Feedback · Links |