The Different Aims of the Presbyterian Church USA and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church

The decision to release Fair Oaks and Roseville Presbyterian Church with their property made by my Presbytery, Sacramento, of which I am a member, is being challenged by Rev. David Thompson, his associate pastors and the Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church-- Notice of Appeal & Request for Stay

I will not try to write about this from a lawyer’s point of view which I am not, although personally reading through this materialistic bit of claptrap I don’t think any of it has any validity. But I do have an opinion from what I believe is a Christian and Biblical perspective.

I want to look first at the very end of the document and the statement, “two pastors were allowed to remain in the PCUSA and to work for the Evangelical Presbyterian church to which the property is to be given. One of these pastors is to remain as a commissioner to the PCUSA General Assembly. The Aims of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and those of the PCUSA are different. There is here a clear, direct conflict of interest for this commissioner.” (Bold Mine)

If that statement is declared truthful, Thompson may have done everyone a favor. We can all quit arguing about whether the PCUSA is totally apostate or not because if the PCUSA’s aims are different than the EPC’s, whose aims are undoubtedly to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection, then whatever it is that the Presbyterian Church USA is doing is not Christian!!

The document fails to address the foundation of the church which includes the people of the Church. Thompson and those aligned with him are speaking as though their relationship is only with a denomination and not with Jesus Christ the head and foundation of “The Church.” A relationship with the head of the Church Universal puts the Christian in a relationship with all its members making them brothers and sisters. That doesn’t mean there won’t be conflicts that need to be worked out, but it does mean treating other Christians, even non-reformed ones, as real people. Not as buildings.

And the Presbytery and the two churches did work with each other as members of the one Church Universal and as brothers and sisters under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

But this document fails to explain all of the hard work that went into the agreement reached by the two churches and our Presbytery. It fails to note all the meetings our moderator and others attended in order to work out a good final agreement. It fails to note that there are still two very large churches in both of those areas, who although they are not now PCUSA are Presbyterian and Reformed. And they are both doing great evangelism as well as important social work in their two communities.

The first part of the Document disparages “a theology of a ‘Grace filled separation.” Perhaps the old Native American reference to a man without a heart is applicable here. A people of God without a heart? So these heartless people need to hear, again, a word of grace to the Church. They need a new connection to the merciful cross of Jesus Christ. They need our prayers.

“Although our iniquities testify against us, O Lord, act for your name’s sake! Truly our apostasies have been many, we have sinned against you. O Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of distress, Why are you like a stranger in the land or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night? Why are you like a man dismayed, like a mighty man who cannot save? Yet, you are in our midst, O Lord, and we are called by your name; Do not forsake us!” (Jeremiah 13:7-9)