Craig Barnes has been a colleague in the renewal efforts within the Presbyterian Church (USA) for a generation. In 2013 when he was named President of my alma mater Princeton Theological Seminary, I was hopeful.
However, in an article posted on The Christian Century, Barnes seems to be advocating for a preservation of the visible unity of the institutional church through the allowance of a divided mind. Instead of the balkanizing effect of biennial assembly voting, advocates a revised agenda wherein local congregations be given time to come around to the “prophetic proclamations” of “the gospel” that “gay marriage” is “justice for LGBT people.”
Barnes says:
The problem is the inability of a modernist superstructure like a denomination to handle postmodern affections.
What are these so-called “postmodern affections” and how do they substantively differ from the affections of fallen Man since the dawn of time? The Word of God has not changed about such affections.
Then Barnes says,
In the 1950s, the church could speak with one voice because people trusted big institutions. Then it made sense to speak about the Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, or Methodist position on the issues. Now we have to humbly remind ourselves that there is a myriad of positions on every issue within the church.
Is it possible that “in the 1950’s the church could speak with one voice” not because of a trust of “big institutions” but because it willingly trusted more rightly discerned the perfect and pleasing will of God in full submission to God’s authority?
The seminary president rightly respects the position of local pastors caught in the body-slam of denominational wrangling. But he misidentifies the problem as a diversity of opinion instead of a divided and divisive theological mind. Maybe a “myriad of positions on every issue within the church” works in the academic environment of PTS but Christ’s mind is divided when it comes to the witness of His own Body, the Church.
In the 1990, Barnes served on the board of Presbyterians for Renewal. And in 1996, as the pastor of Washington D.C.’s National Presbyterian Church, he worked for the adoption of an amendment to the Book of Order requiring officers of the Presbyterian Church USA to abstain from all sexual activity outside of the covenant bond of marriage between one man and one woman. That language was stripped from the constitution in 2010/2011 and in 2014/2015 same sex marriage was approved.
The PCUSA’s newly adopted language in its Book of Order is in open conflict with the statements about marriage in its Confessions and the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. How the denomination will be held together when it does not hold to the revealed will of God in the Word of God is yet to be seen. It will necessarily be a unity based on something other than a shared biblical theology and ethic.
39 Comments. Leave new
“Local congregations (should) be given time to come around to the ‘prophetic proclamations’ of ‘the gospel’ that ‘gay marriage’ is “justice for LGBT people.”
Dr. Barnes would do well to read and meditate upon Galatians 1.6-12, pray in earnest for the Holy Spirit to open His eyes and heart to God’s Word, and repent from proclaiming “a different gospel” than that which Paul preached.
Princeton’s Craig Barnes is just another cookie cutter leftist apostate living in an echo chamber of worldly elites.
Carmen, if I’m reading your intentions correctly, I think the last sentence of third from last paragraph needs to say, “…but Christ’s mind is NOT divided when it comes to the witness of His own Body, the Church” (capitalized word added). Thanks for keeping us updated. Craig Barnes has been a personal friend. I am deeply distressed to see his capitulation to academic/cultural pressure.
I am always surprised, though not unexpected, when people of faith, react with either recoil or horror when a denominational or academic functionary parrot the new orthodoxy of the elitist echo chamber. Was anybody else expecting any other response than the one given. It’s like when those in a period of “discernment” as to their property assume the Presbyerty are honest or fare brokers, ya right.
thanks there – Rush jr.
@ Peter G – google “confirmation bias” – you may have a bad case…
How much funding does Princeton Seminary get from PCUSA? Some pressure may have been applied for him to cave to PCUSA leanings.
When the amendment to the Book of Order requiring officers of the PC(USA) to abstain from all sexual activity outside of the covenant bond of marriage between one man and one woman was stripped from the Constitution in 2010/2011, it seems to me I recall one of the reasons this was done was because homosexual couples could not get married at that time – and also of course the language said one man and one woman. This accommodation was for gays (under 5% of the population).
However, the unintended consequences of the removal of the “chastity clause” opened the door for the remaining 95% of heterosexuals to also by permitted to be ordained (if approved) even though they were sexually active outside of wedlock. That sounded to me like the PC(USA) was condoning fornication – which is rather specifically listed as a sin in the Bible.
I’m in a PC(USA) church and I doubt 5% of the members know this ever happened. Thus no outrage. Ignorance is bliss and I think that’s why we’re in the situation we find ourselves in today.
Its is like Barnes (and others), when they talk of things like “myriad of positions” and “postmodern blah, blah” are completely cluless to all the scriptures describing themselves to a “T”. People with itching ears will find someone to scratch them….and rationalize reality to hear things their way. Gee whiz, we are being taught by…and preached to…. by adolescents.
This is very distressing news. Princeton Seminary is the flagship leader of the denomination in terms of theology and ministry preparation. If it falls into the progressive trap and follows the modern way it is a travesty with a T.
The only thing that makes sense is for all who disagree to rip up diplomas if they graduated from such a den of modernism and to renounce their ordinations if they came from such a place.
And those alums should call for the heresy trial of Craig Barnes to commence ASAP. The first item on the trial agenda is for Dr. Barnes to list all his proof texts for his apostasy position.
It’s hard to believe how far the Princeton Theological Seminary once led by great theologians such as B.B. Warfield has fallen with the likes of Dr. Barnes at its helm! Very sad indeed!!
“If it falls into the progressive trap and follows the modern way”???
Where have you been for the last 86 years?
You always judge the quality of an institution by the products they produce. Having been located close to PTS have had some of their products in as seminary interns over the years. In general I have found them to be entitled, whinny, with heads fill of the local church as the change agent of their particular brand of narrow-indenity based theologies and ideological axes to grind.
Most really had no desire to serve the local church, and saw PTS as a stepping stone to a career in academia as another liberal arts P. hD. maybe catching on as another adjunct. hoping for a tenure track at the local community college. OK. Some even had no sense of call, and was just hanging out in graduate school until the economy improved.
Either way, after 2 years of this, needless to say I went in another direction for theological students and placements in my church.
Ever heard of sarcasm?
Craig Barnes was a wonderful Pastor at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church.
The idea that the apostasy/incompetence of Princeton Theological Seminary is a recent event is laughable.
Our church had a tithe of life intern in 1981 who went on to Princeton in the early 80s and was essentially run out because he was heterosexual (and celibate).
I was on the Candidates Committee for what was then Boulder Presbytery in 1992 and we examined a candidate to come under care who was a graduate of PTS. She had three courses in “non gender specific hymnody”. I asked her to contrast the Calvinist and Armenian concepts of salvation. She didn’t even know what I was talking about. It went downhill from there. When a mere layman eats up a graduate of what was once the premier theological institution in the U.S. there is a SERIOUS problem.
And one of the pastor/members of the committee had the audacity to lecture me that the purpose of seminary was to teach “how to think and how to ask questions” not knowledge. I did not even know how to respond to such intellectual arrogance and just plain stupidity.
PTS has only been incompetent academically for decades, it is apostate…plain and simple. They could be convinced to sell indulgences…oh I forgot, they are already there, rejecting scripture and following the pied piper of culture.
By the way, I renounced the authority of the PCUSA in 1994 and asked that my name be stricken from the role of elders of Boulder Presbytery and have found a wonderful home in a reformed denomination that is guided by scripture..
Princeton Theological Seminary will end up ion the scrap heap of history just like ant institution that doesn’t follow the revealed TRUTH of God.
Most will reject these comments as “harsh”. This ain’t nothing. I would ask if the haters have read Luther, but I know the answer!
Thank you for your perspective. You confirm everything I suspect and fear.
@ Common Tater google “confirmation bias” – you may also have a bad case, it seems to be running rampant in here…
@ longtime – if you moved on to other pastures why are you back here poking the PCUSA with a sharp stick – are you sure you have really moved on?
Jeremiah 10
21 The shepherds are senseless
and do not inquire of the Lord;
so they do not prosper
and all their flock is scattered.
Those who are leaders over God’s people will be held accountable
by God for how they lead……….
This comment is prompted by some previous comments in this thread by another person.
Some web sites moderate comments in order to block internet trolls. This site has not done so yet. (Occasionally comments are deleted, but inconsistently, and usually after the comments have been there for some time). Thus, there are a handful of trolls who intrude here repeatedly. Sometimes the grown-ups among us ignore them; but too often, they take the bait, thereby giving the trolls the attention they crave and encouraging them to continue their immature behavior.
So I’m taking a sabbatical away from The Layman, and will come back in a few months to see if the troll issue has been resolved. By the way, I realize this comment of mine may be deleted, which is okay — the whole point is that The Layman has a perfect right to decide who may post comments on this site, and to decide which comments are acceptable and which are not.
Matthew 7:15 and Jude 3-4 come to mind.
Yes, as Barnes says…..”there Are a myriad of position on every issue in the church”…..
But what he does not say is that some of them are false teachings
and oppose Scriptural mandates.
I agree Mateen.
This is just a lie. Princeton has never and I mean never had a course, let alone three courses in non-gender hymnody. Shame on you.
Sorry, pres-person…..don’t see how I could possibly have a “bad case”….I have been in the Presbyterian Church for over 50 years….I have SEEN what they have and are doing….what they have said before government supposedly on MY behalf…what they have fought for that is 100% contrary to what I believe politically and personal rights-wise. The church has definitely become a mere progressive social club, arrogantly condescending from top down to those who don’t acept their rationalizations of scripture. How can I have a “bad case”….I KNOW reality.
I agree and am taking the same break for the same reason.
The PTS course catalogue is available online. One would think that if “longtime observer” were going to lie, they’d do so in a way that couldn’t be easily verified.
And thank YOU, Mr./Ms. hear no evil, see no evil, sppeak no evil……must be a comfortable way to live.
I forgot to mention the great Charles Hodge!
Nice comment.
hmmm .. pot, kettle ??
He may have been a great pastoral presence, but he did not do his congregation any favors by not pointing out where sin was being held up as normal.
… does that online list go back to the late 80’s early 90’s ??
I’ve gone back 5 years and not seen anything remotely like what “longtime observer” described. You can use google to see for yourself.
But let’s say for a second that there used to be 3 separate courses as “longtime observer” describe, all of which are now gone. That pretty much destroys the thesis that the seminary is only getting more liberal.
Nice try, Catholic.
I attended Princeton in the ’70s, and received an excellent education – but then, I deliberately chose classes that would keep me grounded in Scripture and the Reformed tradition. The classes were there for the picking – but the other stuff, that was there for the picking, too. Even forty years ago, it was possible to complete a three-year MDiv degree and meet all academic requirements, and not have a single course on Calvin or Reformed theology. You could just load up on feminist, third-world, liberation, Black, or other specialized theologies.
Seminary President Dr. James I McCord often warned against “theological fad-ism”, that is, majoring on the minors instead of the majors. Many students did, and still do, fall into that trap, and learn so much about so little that they know more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing. When we go ahead and ordain them – heaven forbid we might hurt their little feelings – then we deserve the kind of pastors and theologians we get.
Um .. how does that destroy the theory that the seminary is getting more liberal?
That’s an argument from omission, which proves nothing.
FWIW … I would rather have a site that does not remove posts simply because the opinions expressed differ from mine, than one that only gives what I want to read.
.
This is the tactic of many liberal sites, where the use of the word bigot, troll, etc are thrown about, and posts then removed.
.
Pres. Lincoln said “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” Let them speak, thus others can then point out the flaws in their facts and/or logic.
LOL. Nice try, Catholic. I think you’ve forgotten how this works. If you want to make an assertion (such classes existed) then you need to provide evidence. If you have actual evidence that it happened Catholic, go ahead and present it. The fact that I haven’t found any that supports the original assertion is not somehow magically evidence FOR it, as you seem to suggest.
If anything, I hope they offer a class in Logic at PTS, it certainly looks like some could use one.