Not just a broken confession of sin but a disappearing one!

In May of this year, the Office of Interfaith Relations, Presbyterian Church (USA), placed on their web site a paper, “Vigilance against Anti-Jewish Ideas and Bias.” The paper was highly praised by many including the Jewish Community. Now the original paper has been edited in the extreme. The Presbyterian Office of Interfaith Relations is no longer confessing the sin of anti-Semitism for the Church. The statement has been removed.

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs has produced a paper combining the original paper with both the deleted and added material. However it is not on the web yet. In the mean time here is the original found at Jewish Christian Relations , and here is the new version found on the PCUSA web site, "Vigilance against Anti-Jewish Bias in the Pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian Peace.”

This newly revised document is changed in many ways. An attitude of humility in the face of past wrongs has turned to arrogance. As stated above, this sentence, “However, we are aware and do confess that anti-Jewish attitudes can be found among us,” has been removed. Instead the paper refers to Israel as “oppressors.”1

Additionally, this redone paper softens its original accusation that liberation theology has contributed to anti-semitism. Instead using a distinction between anti-semitism and anti-Judaism the authors attempt to avoid attributing any complicity in anti-semitism to those who advocate entirely for Palestine. Yet those who advocate entirely for the Palestinians, while failing to uphold the rights of Israel, are those who use liberation theology. It is a complete circle.

It is as though a liberation theologian came upon the original paper, “Vigilance against Anti-Jewish Ideas and Bias,” took out a pair of scissors and started hacking away at it.

After cutting out any confession of the sin of anti-semitism she added all of the material that has already appeared in so many other Presbyterian papers such as a call for ”an end to the Israel occupation of Palestinian territories,” and the need to “speak out against the placement of the separation barrier…”

Looking around for someone to blame for the prevailing anti-semitism in the Presbyterian Church she added “On the other hand, anti-Jewish’ attitudes and actions are deeply rooted in the teaching of contempt for the Jews, which has its antecedents in a strong strand of Christian theology in which the Jews are replaced and superseded by Christians."

Perhaps this hacking liberationist does not realize that those who believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father also believe that God does not revoke his promises to the Jews. But it is the liberationist who has forgotten the Jewish people and their story.

Liberation theology and this redone paper equate the Exodus story with the promise of land to all people. It isn’t that liberation theology eliminates the Jewish people from that promise but rather such theology turns it into a material promise for all rather than a particular promise given historically to Israel. The author destroys Israel’s particular history and misses the true meaning of the Exodus for Christians, which is a metaphor for their new life in Christ.

This isn’t to say that other peoples should not have land nor that land isn’t God’s gift to them but the liberation theologian eliminates the particularity of the Jewish people.

But I digress. How utterly unthinkable, that Church Officials should place a paper on their web site urging others to avoid anti-semitism, collecting the praise of both Christians and Jews alike, and then, in reality, switching papers, only giving their latter edition which is anti-Semitic the same name as the first faithful, truthful and humbly written paper. How will the Jewish people ever trust the Presbyterian Church (USA) again?



1 For instance this quote in the new version, "Polemic that identifies today’s oppressors with Jewish authorities in the time of Jesus is especially problematic, and clouds an accurate understanding of the current situation."

Congratulations to some in my family

This is a post to congratulate a Son-in-law and a Daughter-in-law as well as a few other people.

Juana, my son Stephen's wife, just became an American citizen two and a half weeks ago. She has lived most of her life in the United States and her parents are already citizens but she waited.

We attempted to go to the swearing in ceremony and failed. It was suppose to be very early in the morning. When we arrived there was a huge line of people all around the block. We looked and looked for Juana and Stephen but didn't find them. We didn't know we were suppose to go straight in and Stephen was saving a seat for us. (Sorry about that.)

But one of the wonderful things about that morning was walking by all of those people from so many countries who were gaining their citizenship that day. There were about 1800 people who became citizens.

Juana is a wonderful Daughter-in-law who sits quietly doing crossword puzzles while we all make so much noise. And she paints beautiful Aztec designs on her walls. Congratulations Juana.

This is my Son-In-Law Derek McHenry who graduated about two years ago from Capital Christian Center Bible College and then became, along ,with my daughter Jenny, a member of a PCUSA, at Peace Presbyterian Church. This isn't to congratulate him on either of those moves although I encouraged the latter, but on becoming, last Sunday, an Elder. We used to work together at Apologetics Resource Center and I know he is going to be a very faithful Elder.

Derek has worked for many years in several Sacramento libraries and is the supervisor at the one where he now works. He is also the father of six of my grandchildren and soon to be a grandfather. He is also a poet. Here is one of his poems:

Paradox

That the Infinite would clothe Himself

in the finite;

Deity taking on a gown of flesh

that can hunger, sweat, bleed

and die.

0 what perfect divine madness,

that the Potter should become

the clay,

the Shepherd

a sheep,

the Master

a slave,

all to save a mad world from itself.

In His divine insanity,

He turned His wrath from us

and the Judge received

His own sword’s blow.

The All-wise became foolish,

exchanging heavenly joy for earthly agony.

All for the love of you and…me.

-

This next picture is my Granddaughter Melissa with her tummy growing larger with a child. That will be my first great grandchild. (I swiped the picture off of her blog )Libellus Stellatus, where she has just posted some more of her art work including some submissions to the State Fair .

Sharing the African American's Joy for just a weekend: Please!

Thabiti Anyabwile at Pure Church has posted an article, "Seven Reasons Conservative Whites and White Evangelicals Should Stop and Enjoy Obama's Nomination ." I hope many of my friends including members of the Consistory will read this article. In fact, since all of the members of the consistory are very reformed and the blog I am featuring belongs to an African American (very) Reformed Pastor I keep hoping for some exchanges of comments.

The Article begins:

"A dear, dear friend gave me a ride to O'Hare airport this past week. He's a white brother, a precious saint, who takes great interest in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. I'm thinking he's read more and thought more about that history than I have. He from time to time asks me what I think about this or that aspect of African American history, culture, current events, etc.On the ride to the airport he asked me, "When reflecting on the significance of Barack Obama's run for president, how do you feel when your white brothers immediately start talking about abortion? Does that anger you? Do you feel like they just missed the point of your reflections altogether?"I thought for a moment. I don't think it angers me or frustrates me much. I think I'm mostly saddened by it. I'm saddened that for those moments brothers and sisters in Christ cannot or will not enter into my experience for a little while... just a little while... without asserting their own agenda. I generally think that a great opportunity is missed, an opportunity to see the world in wide screen rather than full screen, to get more into view instead of having the screen filled with a more limited picture. It's a loss for me and them."

And goes on:

"1. Rejoice with those who rejoice. A significant part of the Christian world is rejoicing in a landmark achievement. Obviously, not all the reasons for rejoicing are reasons everyone can share. "

And:

"2. Mourn with those who mourn. For most African Americans Christians, this is bitter sweet on at least two levels. First, there are the same laments that you have regarding Sen. Obama's position on moral issues like gay rights and abortion. Those positions are not widely shared among African-American Christians and cause something of a real dilemma for Bible-believing African Americans."

So please read starting here Pure Church.

An Overture and a Report: A Hand in A Glove

The Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations have an Overture and a Report listed which at first I thought were rather contradictory. But the more I study them I see that they fit like a hand into a glove. The overture is 07-03 On Investigating the Actions and Conduct of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church from the Presbytery of Peace River, the other, the Report, 07-info, is the World Alliance of Reformed Churches Report to the PC(USA), 2006–2007, Report of the General Secretary.

After reading both report and overture, and doing some research on the information given by the General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, I am convinced that the leaders of the WARC would happily rid themselves of anyone who believed that Jesus Christ was the only Lord and that the Church's main calling was to proclaim his life, death and resurrection.

The Overture is an attempt to get the “Executive Office,” of WARC to investigate the EPC with the unsubstantiated accusation that they "are actively pursuing a strategy to persuade" PCUSA churches to disaffiliate from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and be dismissed to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

The EPC is in correspondence with the Presbyterian Church (USA) since they are both members of WARC. It would, undoubtedly, be easier for Presbyteries and Synods to keep the property of churches leaving for the EPC if that Reformed denomination was not in correspondence with PCUSA.

At the same time in the Report from the General Secretary of WARC, he “highlights some of the work” that has been done through the “Geneva offices and networks.” He mentions several small conferences in different areas of the world. One was near Manila in the Philippines and was focused on “global empire,” corresponding to the Accra confession.

They produced a document entitled An Ecumenical Faith Stance against Global Empire for a Liberated Earth Community.

This is a very long document but it should be read by all Presbyterians. It is extremely political with very slanted biases and even blatant historical mistakes, such as the claim that the United States not only bombed Japan with the atomic bomb but also Korea. The poverty, hunger and refugee problem in North Korea is blamed on the USA. The authors write:

“North Korea’s economy, already weakened by the ravages of neoliberal globalization, has been pushed to the brink by the US trade embargo and economic sanctions. As a result millions suffer from hunger and malnutrition, leading to a scandalously high incidence of child mortality and a massive flood of economic refugees.”

But I am concerned with this document's diatribe toward all of historical Western Christianity. The authors of the document write:

“Western Christianity has been closely related to empire since the Roman days and has thus spread throughout the world. [So undoubtedly the Christianity of Africa and South America is Western Christianity!?] It is now being used to provide ideological legitimization for today’s empire. Globalized Christendom and the “crusades” it embarks upon today are symbiotically intertwined with global capital and the power of the global empire. In its triumphalistic [sic] pursuits, it discounts if not condemns all other religious faiths and cultures. The indigenous religions of many communities are destroyed and Islam is vilified.

The convergence of Christian religion with Western modernity has destroyed the religious and cultural life of peoples and their communities throughout the world. The powers and principalities of the global market and empire are being baptised by these theological distortions of “Christianity”, which promote religious conflicts and bigotry globally.”

Once again as in the Communiqué from the Workshop on Spirituality of Resistance, Liberation and Transformation, also aided by WARC, Christianity is disparaged. The saints through the ages, who have ministered the word of God to those who were dying without Christ, are made to seem evil. (Of course some missionaries committed grave errors, we are all sinners, but the story of missions is not so simplistic.)

If the General Assembly sends with a yes Overture 07-03 to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and if WARC removes the Evangelical Presbyterian Church from their organization it will have nothing to do with any wrong done by the EPC. It will instead be because any church that proclaims the unique Lordship of Jesus Christ can find no resting place in worldly organizations. But they can find that place in Jesus Christ.

Jesus, as he visited and taught in the home of his friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, explained that in setting at his feet and listening to his words Mary had “chosen the good part.” (10: 42) Those who listen to Jesus Christ as he makes himself known and is known in the Old and New Testaments have chosen the good part. They are safe in the care of Jesus Christ, rejected perhaps by the world, they are enclosed in the love of God.

Biblical Christianity as Scapegoat

Contemporary Marxism tends to be a merger of the romantic ideals of National Socialism and the economic concepts of Marxism. That is, the concept of state and community ownership of property versus private ownership has merged with ancient spiritualities wedded to land. This is mainly done by focusing on indigenous peoples and their view of the land as sacred. Private ownership as well as biblical Christianity are considered the enemies in this scenario.

This merging ideology and its inroads into the mainline denominations are clearly seen in a communiqué Hans Cornelder linked to on Presbyweb. Communiqué from the Workshop on Spirituality of Resistance, Liberation and Transformation offers the reader a complete outline of an abhorrent ideology that uses ethnicity, culture and religion as weapons against the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

An announcement on the World Alliance of Reformed Churches web site states that the workshop was sponsored by “the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), the Council for World Mission (CWM) and the World Council of Churches (WCC).” Both David Fischler on his blog Reformed Pastor and Jim Berkley in a letter to Presbyweb have written about the event.

While this was a very political event, in this posting I am concerned with the religious attitude and decisions of the people who attended the workshop. Since three “Christian” organizations sponsored the event it would seem the attendees commitment to Jesus Christ should have been supreme but instead they have betrayed the Lord. And, in their duplicity they have betrayed his followers.

The co-signers of this document write, “Empire spawns its own destructive spiritualities, such as the “religious right,” and thus it seeks always to co-opt the powers of religion for imperial aims. New spiritualities are coming forth to oppose imperial spiritualities, and these should be supported.” Of course they do not clarify who the ‘religious right’ is, but they do go on to write:

"Justice movements require a new solidarity among religious groups and all peoples of conscience (secular and religious), and thus we affirm and honour the full multiplicity of spiritualities that enliven such movements." (Emphasis the author's)

And:

"Religious groups and all peoples of conscience should recognize a leading role for indigenous peoples, honouring especially their earth-centered spirituality, focusing on interdependencies of body, mind, land, community, and spirit, as resources for a liberating justice for all creation. We affirm the struggle of all First Nations peoples for their land and for their rights to self-determination." (Emphasis the author's)

Along with this they insist that Christians, “relinquish the hegemony of their Christian language and rituals in movement work, even when this means leaving the comfort zones of Christian belief and practice.” (Emphasis authors’) The authors go on to assert that:

"Christian leaders and institutions, when participating in justice movements, must foster liberating spiritualities by re-interpreting their Christian stories, beliefs and practices to challenge forthrightly the forces of empire.

For all religious traditions, the demands made upon us by justice movements lead us toward spiritual openness to diverse readings of oral and written sacred texts and traditions, and even to a willingness to question and contest some emphases in these sources." (Emphasis the author's)

Not all of the author’s of this document have authored material that will clarify further the meaning of these unfaithful statements, however one of the signers Ivone Gebara, a Catholic ecofeminist theologian has written a book, Longing for Running Water: Ecofeminism and Liberation.

In that book she lays out a new form of spirituality which she considers Christian. The truth is, it is an old form of religion but it is not Christianity.

Of the Trinity Gebara finally concludes that everything that exists is the Trinity. She does not clarify whether this is a form of pantheism or panentheism. But she does reconstruct the Christian view of the Trinity writing of “Trinity in the cosmos; Trinity on earth; the Trinity in relationships among peoples and cultures; the Trinity in human relationships; and the Trinity in every person.” (155) Gebara then explains:

"This list undoubtedly suggests that everything is Trinity, that all things are part of that vital and intimate relationship between multiplicity and unity that marks both our character and our makeup. This perspective opens us to realities beyond Christian experience." (155)

As is always necessary when constructing a religion, Gebara tries to account for evil. In both pantheism and panentheism that attempt is not an easy task without reaching for scapegoats. The reason, knowing that humanity is divine or part of divinity means that somehow the transcendent within is involved in evil. In this case, Gebara locates evil not only in a political and economic system but also in those who insist that their Lord is the one way. She writes:

"Evil is the proclamation and imposition of my gods as eternal and exclusive, capable of saving all of humanity. Evil is the claim that some people know the will of God and are commissioned to teach it as irrefutable dogma, while others are obliged to humbly recognize and accept their own ignorance." (168)

This is of course not only unbiblical it is illogical thinking. If a revelation is truly given by God; if God has in Jesus Christ entered human history redeeming his people, that is not evil and it is God’s doing.

However, if religious dogma of any kind is based on false belief, it can become evil. Even Christianity can become evil. When Christianity is without the cross, without the grace and righteousness of the incarnate One, Jesus Christ, the door is open to evil. A reconstructed Christianity, an oxymoron at best, is the example since its proponents have chosen to see biblical Christians as the source of evil.

Now is the time for this verse:

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of this world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you , ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my names sake, because they do not know the One who sent me. (John 15:18-21)

From the Newsletter of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network

Memorial or Mausoleum is an article from the newsletter of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network.

This is an excellent article about the huge pursuit of embryonic stem cell research in California. The author, Evan Rosa, writes about the very buildings used for such research to help his readers understand the ugliness of the situation in California.

The Center for Bioethics and Culture offers resources on such life and death topics as euthanasia, physician assisted suicide and embryonic stem cell research. I met the founder Jennifer Lahl several years ago when I went with my daughter from Georgia to listen to a debate between the utilitarian ethics professor, Peter Singer, (who advocates killing babies after one month of birth if they are unsuitable to their parents) and Dr. Nigel M. de S. Cameron author with Chuck Colson of Human Dignity in the Biotech Century: A Christian Vision for Public Policy.

Jennifer Lahl was working toward her degree in Bioethics while my son-in-law was working toward his degree in New Testament at Trinity International Seminary. My daughter enjoyed auditing bioethics classes and that is how they met. I want to highly recommend the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network.

The article starts out:

"Are the buildings in our lives meaningful? Or are they merely physical--neutral spaces devoid of value in themselves?

I don't think it's too controversial that a building could mean something: maybe where you got married, maybe where your children were born, maybe where you worked your first job.

My concern here is the great potential for cultural and ideological influence that buildings bear. Structures aid in forming our visual landscape; they shelter us, inspire us, imprison us. By 2010, we'll have another 12 structural influencers, all dedicated to human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research."

He later continues with:

"Please entertain a brief diversion to help me explain the problem. I sense a greater issue at work here: the cultural importance and ideological influence of human embodiment and the physicality of structures . In an age that teems with Internet social media communities, online universities, remote employment and Web-based grocery stores, the modern humanoid doesn't really ever have to leave its house. It will communicate with others, get a degree, work for some cash, and feed itself just fine. But I doubt that the majority of us will ever reach such a reclusive, barely-human state. I'm hopeful and confident that we'll maintain direct human contact, and continue to move through physical spaces, despite the temptations of convenience and immediacy. At the same time I'm beset with concern about the nature and quality of these relationships and physical spaces where we exist.

Back to the buildings at hand: It's a physical situation. Physical sciences are involved. Physical structures are involved. This involves physical persons (the greatest of these?) conducting experiments on other physical persons (the least of these?). And aren't we much more than physical ? Yet we identify so tangibly with these physical things, I begin to wonder how deeply our regular surroundings can embed certain beliefs and values and assertions in our minds. "

The whole article.

Be sure, at the end, to click on the link in the bio of the author, ex- tree-sitters , for a laugh. So maybe its just my California sense of humor.

An Overture that reeks of apostasy

Once again Presbyterians (USA) are being asked to ‘affirm’ that Christians, Jews and Muslims worship a common God. Newton Presbytery has sent an overture to General Assembly –07-01 On Calling for Tolerance and Peaceful Relations Between the Christian and Muslim Communities. The title is perfectly acceptable but some of the recommendations are totally unacceptable. For instance recommendation 2 states:

"State that the PC(USA) affirms that Jews, Christians, and Muslims worship a common God, although each understands that God differently; and that, as children of this loving God, we share the commandments of love for God and neighbor, the requirement to care for the poor; and acknowledge Abraham as an expression of our common commitment to one God." (Emphasis mine)

The 3rd recommendation also has some problems. It is:

"Build on this understanding by calling for further dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, viewing each other as equals, and learning from one another to

· promote peace, resolve conflict;
· ensure human rights, prevent discrimination;
· develop dialogue, emphasize commonality;
· recognize differences, celebrate diversity;
· advocate justice, oppose bias." (Emphasis mine)

First of all it is true that many members of these three faiths adhere to monotheism, that is, they believe in one God. And many members also believe in a personal God and a God who reveals himself in a sacred text.

Beyond that, affirming that the Jewish people and Christians worship the same God is under most circumstances not difficult. I will explain.

The Christian sees in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament a God who reveals himself in Jesus Christ. As Calvin puts it the Hebrew Bible shadows forth Christ while in the NT Christ is “already come and manifested. (Institutes, Book four XIV (20) I am not saying here that the Jews believe in Jesus, but I am saying that their sacred text points to him.

This of course changes with some forms of Judaism such as P’nai Or or ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal which is syncretistic, “absorbing and utilizing the spirituality of other religions and spiritual paths as well as incorporating modern psychology and philosophy. Therefore, in addition to Hasidism and Kabbalism, it encompasses elements from Sufism, Buddhism and Native American Religion …” 1

On the other hand the sacred text of Islam does not reveal Jesus Christ as very God of very God although they do speak of Jesus. The Christian does not find grounds for the deity of Christ in any part of the Qur’an and no part of the Qur’an shadows a Messiah who comes to save his people from their sins.

So to return to recommendation 2: State that the PC(USA) affirms that Jews, Christians, and Muslims worship a common God, although each understands that God differently—This overture’s recommendation suggests that our human understanding about God is the reason for our differences. That is theology from below; theology only understood on human terms. But God’s revelation has come to us in Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh, the Incarnation. We can only know God through Jesus Christ. That is not an understanding but rather revelation given from God’s side. We cannot get behind Jesus Christ to any other God. So we do not know the God of Islam. He is not our God.

And the problems with recommendation 3: emphasize commonality—Perhaps in our witness to Muslims we might want to emphasis at first what we have in common, but if we are doing this as a means of avoiding speaking of Jesus Christ and who he really is as well as his great gift of salvation: well, one remembers Peter who for a few tragic hours was unfaithful.

Celebrate diversity—this could only mean celebrating the different views of God we have. That is apostasy.

Oppose bias—if this means we are to oppose the Biblical belief that Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Savior, once again all that can be said is apostasy.

The Barmen Declaration is quite sufficient here:

"Jesus Christ, as he is testified to us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God, whom we are to hear, whom we are to trust and obey in life and death.

We reject the false doctrine, as through the Church could and would have to acknowledge as a source of its proclamation, apart from and besides this one Word of God, still other events and powers, figures and truths, as God’s revelation." (8.11-8.12)

Timothy George in his very helpful book Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad? has a wonderful poem by Edward Shillito entitled Jesus of the Scars. The last verse is:

"The other gods were strong; but thou wast weak;
They rode, but thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
and not a god has wounds, but thou alone."

These are also words sufficient to help us offer a resounding no to such an overture.


1 Shirley Lucass, “Aleph: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities, Editor Christopher Partridge, Forward J. Gordon Melton (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2004) 117.