The Hillsdale First Presbyterian Church cut ties with the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination [recently], ending a three-year discernment battle.
First Presbyterian left because of PCUSA’s growing liberal trend, evidenced by the denomination adopting changes in immigration policy, geopolitical standings, ordination requirements, and church government structure. The congregation felt isolated from the denomination for its more traditional beliefs.
First Presbyterian elected to leave the denomination to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Aug. 30 after the congregation voted 104 – 12, surpassing the Presbytery of Lake Michigan’s required threshold of 75 percent congregational approval for the church to leave the PCUSA.
The Presbytery of Lake Michigan approved First Presbyterian’s request to separate from the PCUSA on Tuesday, and the EPC accepted First Presbyterian as a transitional member on Wednesday.
“PCUSA, their most pressing concern is social justice,” Pastor Patti Beckman said. “Now, I’m not against social justice, and it should happen in the course of ministry, but for them, ministry might happen in the course of social justice. They are completely fixated on that. We are concerned here that the Bible is not held as the standard, the fact there are no moral standards for those who are ordained anymore.”
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“PCUSA, their most pressing concern is social justice.”
Statement is not true.
To many it appears to be so.
The PCUSA can be seen as an arm of the social justice left wing movement that has swept this country. We know God is not for social justice, it is just not a top issue for the Lord. Also, they are all about getting more money and firming up the trust clause, one could say, that is for sure.
Evidence proves the main concern is social justice a part from evangelism. The majority of items coming before the last GA and a review of the amendments voted on proves Political social justice is the major concern.
There was little or no talk about Evangelism. Our mission partners were ignored. Even the action for divestment from companies …..resulted in a broken witness to Israel. Individual pastors and churches that are making obedience to the Great Commission a priority are aware of the trajectory of the larger governing bodies. We should be praying for the evangelical pastors and churches that are still in the PCUSA and their witness.
And the EPC admits another church with a female pastor, again disproving the li, er, untruth that the EPC is completely complementarian.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church ordains both women and those who do not believe the Bible permits the ordination of women, leaving the issue of the ordination of women to the offices of Elder and Deacon to the individual congregations and the issue of the ordination of women to the office of Minister to the individual presbyteries. Only two EPC presbyteries (Mid-America & Central South) are majority complementarian (although I do not know whether the newly formed Gulf South Presbytery, which was formed from Central South, is also majority complementarian). Midwest Presbytery, into which Hillsdale First is being received, is majority egalitarian.
My thought on that is divisive social issues are continuously exploited for effect. Was the Scope’s trial really about evolution, or was it simply another divisive exercise? Forming secret alliances and picking fights over divisive issues is fundamental dirty politics.
Reformed Catholic, Depends on the presbytery. Some EPC presbyteries are as PCA as the….PCA. 😉
It’s a strange system in the EPC.
Actually, the system is known as connectionalism.
The PCUSA has become so hierarchical in recent years that some folk have forgotten that historic Presbyterianism always allowed a fair amount of variation and diversity within certain established broad parameters. In fact, to my mind the PCA functions very much like the PCUSA in that it dictates from the GA level what particular churches and individual presbyteries can and cannot do in all kinds of matters, both large and small, not least of which is the issue of the ordination of women.
The polity of the EPC assigns all of the largest and most important issues to its highest court while allowing a great deal of freedom and flexibility to its lower courts in matters that do not touch upon those things that are considered essentials of the faith.
This is why, when people ask me which current denomination is most reflective of the historic Presbyterian pattern of governance, I unhesitatingly say that it is the EPC.
“The polity of the EPC assigns all of the largest and most important issues to its highest court while allowing a great deal of freedom and flexibility to its lower courts in matters that do not touch upon those things that are considered essentials of the faith.”
Like ordination?
Good question, Tom.
If you look at the EPC Book of Order you will see that the question of ordination in general is determined by the whole church through its highest court and its polity structures, with the exception of the question of whether or not a woman may be called into ordained office. This particular question, which the EPC does not consider to be an essential of the faith, is not mandated from on high but is left to the discretion and judgment of sessions and presbyteries.
So … ordination in general does touch upon the essentials of the faith and thus is within the province of the whole church, while the question of women’s ordination does not touch upon the essentials of the faith and thus is within the province of particular churches and individual presbyteries.
If a person believes that the question of the ordination of women does, in fact, touch upon the essentials of the faith (as both the PCUSA and the PCA do, though in very different ways), then, obviously, the EPC approach would be unsatisfying.
Thanks for the clarification, DonnieBob. If the PCUSA had taken a reasonable position on ordination like that one 30 years ago, it sure would have saved a lot of strife!
then what is?
Loren, greetings. I’m back after much study/reading. You took me to task over my forgiving and accepting homosexual stance. You quoted me some presbyterian and biblical attributes that I wasn’t very or at all familiar with so I went and did the reading. Of the dozen confessions of Presbyterian faith, I found your quote in the Westminster confession. Wow! How very selective I thought. Especially to call a person ignorant about in a public forum. This and my other reading made me realize what a terrible waste it was to have any discussion with people likd yourself. You have sifted through the materials including scripture and found excuses to support your wishes and being. You have custom made your god in your image. You reject the various very clear scripture about women in positions of spiritual authority over men plus accept twisted interpretations of dietary, planting and clothing laws. You seem to also believe in some form of dispensationalism per several of your references. That’s clearly not of our Presbyterian faith. Then you use any possible opportunities in biblical scripture and church order to strike out against a group of fellow humans, many of which whom are professing Christians. You wrongfully group them with pedophiles and handily dismiss them in the name of godliness. Ignoring all that Christ told and taught us in doing so. What was the greatest commandment? When is the last time you really forgave and loved? Of a stranger? Of a neighbor? Of an enemy? When is the last time you failed to judge others? When is the laet time you really loved God?
Celebrating the ongoing undermining and fragmentation of a body assembled to worpship God and do the Lord’s work as best we sinners are able. Just because they are too focused on social issues? Because they do the hard work required to change human thinking and predudicialy entreched antiquainted positions. Isn’t that what Jesus did? Isn’t that what he asked of us? I’m aware that you will twist even what he said around to suit your needs but wow, that seems really sad. I’m praying for you to have your eyes and heart opened to his loving message in the full spirit it was given. Stop trying to eat the bitter dried husk and hard sharp shell that surrounded the perfect tastey nut meat of his gift. Much like a long hard journey, the history of the route is interesting and fact filled but not where we are today. No need to think and live live we’re still stuck wandering in the desert. C’mon out. Everyone is welcome!
Robert Berry, I do not know you, nor do I know why you have chosen to do what you have done here, but this is truly one of the most condescending, spiteful and vindictive personal attacks I have ever seen on this site. The contempt and the undisguised hatred that you display here puts the lie to everything that you claim to believe and care about.
Loren Golden, brother in Christ, remember what Jesus said: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
There is a cosmic struggle going on in our world of ours, and Robert Berry, whoever he is, has clearly and publicly chosen his side. May God have mercy on him.
Mr. Berry,
Given the rash, baseless accusations and the harsh, invective language in your uncivil post, I would simply refer you to Matthew 7.1-5 and Colossians 4.5-6.