tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post4175975996722184615..comments2024-03-12T08:04:47.314-07:00Comments on Naming His Grace: The defining of faith words and a need for clarity in the PC (U.S.A.)Viola Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-51060689102061959172011-09-15T09:01:43.216-07:002011-09-15T09:01:43.216-07:00Yes, I have seen that happen over and over in our ...Yes, I have seen that happen over and over in our Presbytery. What put this posting in my mind, among other things, was our new vision statement that we are supposed to talk about Saturday. <br /><br /> “The Presbytery of Sacramento imagines a future where people living throughout northern California—from the counties of Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta and Lassen, to Tehama, Plumas, Glenn, Butte and Sierra, to Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, and El Dorado, to Placer, Sacramento, Solano and Yolo—all join hands and hearts together in common worship and service to Jesus Christ, our lord and sovereign. And through his mercy, together we build a world that is plentiful, just and beautiful: a living and vibrant witness to the love and power of God, who delights when Presbyterians join their hands, hearts and minds together.”<br /><br />The first part is not bad, but this: “And through his mercy, together we build a world that is plentiful, just and beautiful: a living and vibrant witness to the love and power of God, who delights when Presbyterians join their hands, hearts and minds together” feeds into the different definitions we hold about justice and also what it means to be in service to Christ. My letter to the committee suggested that God delights when Presbyterians lift up Jesus Christ. <br /><br />But we are now in such a state in our presbytery because we have not insisted our candidates for ministry hold to apostolic faith.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-72157135192246709282011-09-15T08:13:43.550-07:002011-09-15T08:13:43.550-07:00Over many years, I have noticed, for instance, tha...Over many years, I have noticed, for instance, that candidates "hide" behind orthodox words they do not define or explain when making a Statement of Faith. They can safely say, "I believe in Jesus," but not identify what they mean by that. One of the travesties of the present age is to limit Jesus to a narrow definition that suits the 'believer," such as "the historical Jesus," "the theological Jesus," "the orthodox Jesus," etc. I have also seen candidates omit altogether any mention of certain key and foundational truths. The presbyters assume they are so basic as to be axiomatic and therefore unnecessary to mention, when really a candidate does not believe them. Our doctrinal strength has been diluted by the inclusion of a generation of presbyters who have been so open-minded that their brains have fallen out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com