I did not attend the official worship service at General Assembly. Some of us gathered to sing songs about the Lord of the Church and someone did proclaim the word of God. I knew nothing about the official service until several people posted a video of the procession.
The person who posted the one I will post here discribed it as the Lion King meets the PCUSA. Perhaps an apt expression, because the Presbyterian Church USA will, must, face the Great Lion of Judah. But he does seem to be missing from the procession.
C.S. Lewis in his Chronicles of Narnia celebrates the wonders of creation, the forests and valleys of Narnia and the huge variety of animals and creatures. But the creatures’ eyes are always searching into the shadows or looking to the tops of mountains or hearing rumors that Aslan the great lion is on the move.
But then sometimes the daughters of Eve and the sons of Adam try hard to avoid the Great Lion of Judah. But I heard a rumor ...
Here is the video:
And for those who have, in their sinfulness and need, been grabbed by that Great Lion:
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Questions abound! GA, Israel/Palestine Mission Network & hate?
I am troubled. When I go to the General Assembly Mission Council page for groups and networks under World Mission Networks I find that the only listing for Israel and Palestine is the Israel/Palestine Mission Network, including all of their awful links.
Questions abound! Why did the IPMN bother to Twitter this bit of information. “Jewish leader in Egypt convicted of fraud http://bit.ly/d9u9pQ 6:33 AM Jul 14th”? It’s not about Israel but about a small barely surviving group of Jews in Egypt. Sometimes I think that the people of the IPMN hate the Jewish people.
Another question. Why has IPMN’s linked to this article on James Wall’s blog. “This is No Longer Your Daddy's Presbyterian Church (USA)” I dislike many things about this article but two in particular:
First, the article comes with a picture. The woman in the picture is a friend of mine. She is a pastor and she is always in prayer as you see her in the picture. In fact, there are several waitresses in Minneapolis who were surprised when she asked “When we say grace what may we pray about for you.” The picture is from the LA Times, and there the reporter pointed out that she was in prayer. But not Wall.
He is using the picture to suggest she is the parent who can no longer claim ownership of the PCUSA. Besides misusing someone’s picture just to make a point, Wall seems to forget that any Christian church or denomination belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless, of course they have kicked Jesus out and are following the enemy of their souls. But then he still has power over them.
Second, Wall glosses over the good editing done on the Middle East Study Committee’s report and hurries on to Item 08-09. That was the overture asking the GA to refer the two papers, "Christians & Jews, A People of God," and “Toward an Understanding of Christian-Muslim Relations”.
I wrote constantly about this overture because it included a paper from the Israel/Palestine Mission Network which stated that the Jewish organizations in the United States had threatened Louisville with a package which was possibly a bomb and had burned down a Church.
If commissioners wanted to refer the Jewish paper they should have voted 08-03 down and not passed 08-09.
The Muslim paper passed and it is far more troubling then the Jewish paper since in one paragraph it equates the Muslim god with our Christian God. I hope Wall is wrong when he writes, “What happened to the Jewish-Christian dialogue study paper is nothing less than an ecclesiastical tectonic shift in the history of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
Here is one more why question with a link and I believe it connects with my thought that IPMN hates the Jewish people. They hate them so much that they seem to hate those who sometimes speak for them.
Noushin Framke, the chair of the communications committee for IPMN, on her blog, which is connected to the IPMN site, writes of an organization I belong to. (This means that her blog is on the PCUSA site.) Her blogging is about the Presbyterians for Middle East Peace’s General Assembly breakfast:
“7 am breakfast at the "Presbyterians 4 Peace" event. This is a group with an Orwellian name - Why Orwellian? because they think working for peace means to stand in the middle and not take sides... meantime, everything they stand for makes for anything but peace ~ many of the people who had shown up expected the breakfast to be an IPMN event and they found out it was run by IPMN's opposition within the church. The purpose of the breakfast was to attack the MESC report and cmt."
I was at that breakfast with my husband. It was a wonderful event which brought a lot of clarity. The lady we sat beside was a commissioner. She was not pro Israel but she was there because she wanted the information. She knew where she was. A reporter sat behind us.
“Henderson of Auburn Sem spoke, then a J-Street rep, then Byron Shafer who was on the MESC cmt and i guess resigned in the end of the process?? not sure - maybe not - but he was the sole dissenting vote. Word is that the MESC bent over backwards to please him and he strung them along and then bailed on them at the end - nasty. Henderson and Shafer's pro-Israel propoganda [sic] was hard to sit through and they both had an air of lecturing from on high... and Henderson kept calling anyone who doesn't agree with her ‘partisan.’”
“Word is” is not very convincing- I would suggest that the reader go to the Presbyterians for Middle East Peace site and listen to all of the speeches and find out what they really did say.
“the J street rep basically said that you presbyterians are great to work with but you need to NOT take strong positions (unless they are our positions) - and if you do, we will have to stop working with you - Is that a threat, i thought to myself, and the next thing i hear, the rep says "and i don't mean this as a threat, but...."
But what did Rachel Lerner, the Vice President of J Street, actually say:
“When I read this proposed study document I felt myself moving into a self-protective position. I was truly so disturbed by what I was reading unable to find a familiar or even a balanced narrative in these pages I found myself using language I don’t normally use clinging to defensive positions which surprised me to be honest ….
Every activist I talked to who read the "letter to our American Jewish Friends," the recommendations of the committee, the "Kairos Document," had the same reaction why would they do this, how could they do this, How can we work with them now?
This is to say that our grassroots who are standing up for justice in the Middle East who should be your partners who likely come down on so many issues and policies precisely where you do, who share your goals will not be able to work with you for peace if this document is adopted because this document will push them into a corner and force them into a defensive stance and I want to clear about this I do not mean this as a threat. If this report is passed we will not be issuing a directive to our locals that they cannot partner with Presbyterian Churches but with the passage of this study the Church will alienate us and as a result our actives will not want to work with you and this will damage terribly the possibility of a future relationship this would be a tragedy it would be a terrible shame not to have you at the table with us because we need you …”
This is a Jewish organization that wants an end to the Gaza blockade and an end to the settlements. If the Israel/Palestine Mission Network can listen to that being said and still put out such hateful speech-we still have very deep problems. Perhaps we need a new Presbyterian organization alongside IPMN dealing with peace in the Middle East. One that, as Byron Shafer says in his speech, will love both sides. And perhaps even love their fellow Presbyterians.
Questions abound! Why did the IPMN bother to Twitter this bit of information. “Jewish leader in Egypt convicted of fraud http://bit.ly/d9u9pQ 6:33 AM Jul 14th”? It’s not about Israel but about a small barely surviving group of Jews in Egypt. Sometimes I think that the people of the IPMN hate the Jewish people.
Another question. Why has IPMN’s linked to this article on James Wall’s blog. “This is No Longer Your Daddy's Presbyterian Church (USA)” I dislike many things about this article but two in particular:
First, the article comes with a picture. The woman in the picture is a friend of mine. She is a pastor and she is always in prayer as you see her in the picture. In fact, there are several waitresses in Minneapolis who were surprised when she asked “When we say grace what may we pray about for you.” The picture is from the LA Times, and there the reporter pointed out that she was in prayer. But not Wall.
He is using the picture to suggest she is the parent who can no longer claim ownership of the PCUSA. Besides misusing someone’s picture just to make a point, Wall seems to forget that any Christian church or denomination belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless, of course they have kicked Jesus out and are following the enemy of their souls. But then he still has power over them.
Second, Wall glosses over the good editing done on the Middle East Study Committee’s report and hurries on to Item 08-09. That was the overture asking the GA to refer the two papers, "Christians & Jews, A People of God," and “Toward an Understanding of Christian-Muslim Relations”.
I wrote constantly about this overture because it included a paper from the Israel/Palestine Mission Network which stated that the Jewish organizations in the United States had threatened Louisville with a package which was possibly a bomb and had burned down a Church.
If commissioners wanted to refer the Jewish paper they should have voted 08-03 down and not passed 08-09.
The Muslim paper passed and it is far more troubling then the Jewish paper since in one paragraph it equates the Muslim god with our Christian God. I hope Wall is wrong when he writes, “What happened to the Jewish-Christian dialogue study paper is nothing less than an ecclesiastical tectonic shift in the history of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
Here is one more why question with a link and I believe it connects with my thought that IPMN hates the Jewish people. They hate them so much that they seem to hate those who sometimes speak for them.
Noushin Framke, the chair of the communications committee for IPMN, on her blog, which is connected to the IPMN site, writes of an organization I belong to. (This means that her blog is on the PCUSA site.) Her blogging is about the Presbyterians for Middle East Peace’s General Assembly breakfast:
“7 am breakfast at the "Presbyterians 4 Peace" event. This is a group with an Orwellian name - Why Orwellian? because they think working for peace means to stand in the middle and not take sides... meantime, everything they stand for makes for anything but peace ~ many of the people who had shown up expected the breakfast to be an IPMN event and they found out it was run by IPMN's opposition within the church. The purpose of the breakfast was to attack the MESC report and cmt."
I was at that breakfast with my husband. It was a wonderful event which brought a lot of clarity. The lady we sat beside was a commissioner. She was not pro Israel but she was there because she wanted the information. She knew where she was. A reporter sat behind us.
“Henderson of Auburn Sem spoke, then a J-Street rep, then Byron Shafer who was on the MESC cmt and i guess resigned in the end of the process?? not sure - maybe not - but he was the sole dissenting vote. Word is that the MESC bent over backwards to please him and he strung them along and then bailed on them at the end - nasty. Henderson and Shafer's pro-Israel propoganda [sic] was hard to sit through and they both had an air of lecturing from on high... and Henderson kept calling anyone who doesn't agree with her ‘partisan.’”
“Word is” is not very convincing- I would suggest that the reader go to the Presbyterians for Middle East Peace site and listen to all of the speeches and find out what they really did say.
“the J street rep basically said that you presbyterians are great to work with but you need to NOT take strong positions (unless they are our positions) - and if you do, we will have to stop working with you - Is that a threat, i thought to myself, and the next thing i hear, the rep says "and i don't mean this as a threat, but...."
But what did Rachel Lerner, the Vice President of J Street, actually say:
“When I read this proposed study document I felt myself moving into a self-protective position. I was truly so disturbed by what I was reading unable to find a familiar or even a balanced narrative in these pages I found myself using language I don’t normally use clinging to defensive positions which surprised me to be honest ….
Every activist I talked to who read the "letter to our American Jewish Friends," the recommendations of the committee, the "Kairos Document," had the same reaction why would they do this, how could they do this, How can we work with them now?
This is to say that our grassroots who are standing up for justice in the Middle East who should be your partners who likely come down on so many issues and policies precisely where you do, who share your goals will not be able to work with you for peace if this document is adopted because this document will push them into a corner and force them into a defensive stance and I want to clear about this I do not mean this as a threat. If this report is passed we will not be issuing a directive to our locals that they cannot partner with Presbyterian Churches but with the passage of this study the Church will alienate us and as a result our actives will not want to work with you and this will damage terribly the possibility of a future relationship this would be a tragedy it would be a terrible shame not to have you at the table with us because we need you …”
This is a Jewish organization that wants an end to the Gaza blockade and an end to the settlements. If the Israel/Palestine Mission Network can listen to that being said and still put out such hateful speech-we still have very deep problems. Perhaps we need a new Presbyterian organization alongside IPMN dealing with peace in the Middle East. One that, as Byron Shafer says in his speech, will love both sides. And perhaps even love their fellow Presbyterians.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Beginning at the End: GA, Confessing Christ against the darkness
Starting my GA experience from the end includes a train car full of Christian Reformed Church young people and their pastor heading to a youth conference in California.
The young people’s difference was immediately noticeable to me when I awoke in the morning. (We boarded at 11:30 PM and slept in our seats.) They weren’t spouting religious slogans or wearing WWJD bracelets, they just weren’t offensive with language or sexual innuendo. And they seemed to enjoy each others company without exclusion.
But as the morning evolved they each took out their Bibles and headed somewhere for worship or bible study. At the end of the trip as we neared Portland where we would change trains, the man setting in front of us, hearing our discussion, introduced himself as the pastor of the young people, and asked if we had just come from the Presbyterian General Assembly.
His concern was Belhar which the CRC is also in the process of attempting to adopt into their confessions. They also have a beginning battle over sexual standards. We talked a long time about Belhar and the growing decadence of our culture. As we finished the conversation and left the train I understood more clearly how large this battle is. This is certainly not a battle against flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle where some are being used by the enemy of our souls …
I noted in an early post that item [08-08]was introducing yet another confession into the PCUSA, the Accra Confession that is basically an economic document that slants towards socialism while caricaturing capitalism. While the General Assembly did amend the document to “encourage a study” in the churches and presbyteries and deleted the words “integrate and interpret,” this slight introduction is not unlike the first introduction of Belhar.
And they left intact this, “Request the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical Relations to contact the coordinator for the Committee on Theological Education and seminary organizations to provide briefings on the new realities of WCRC/CANAAC, and to ask PC(USA) seminaries (including seminaries in covenant agreement with the General Assembly) to include the Accra Confession as a study document.”
Not only Belhar, which will be used in a non-confessional way to introduce sexual perversion into the Church, but also Accra is being promoted by huge ecumenical institutions which were meant to bring unity to the Church but will now bring harm. I say this because of all the various papers, conferences and organizations pushing this toward individual denominations and churches.
One of the lead up papers to Accra is “A Continuing Journey towards Confessing Movement for Economic Justice and Life on Earth (processus confessionis) 2001” This very long paper, which does contain some important thoughts, confuses orthodox & evangelical churches within the mainline denominations with the prosperity teaching of some Pentecostals. It equates evangelism with political propaganda.
And it also asks the church to create a space for the public and remember those who, "were dis-membered, marginalized and excluded by violence and exclusion in its various forms, and to strive for healing and justice, [which] requires us to stage protest against ongoing victimisation based on prevalent structures of class, gender, race, age,, dominating culture as in the case of Indigenous People and sexual orientation."
An important feature is how the paper has within it the connection between Belhar and Accra. It states:
"It is now time for the WARC to implement this decision [produce a confession that deals with economics] by getting its member churches involved in studying the Confession of Belhar ... in order to become an ecumenical confessing movement, facing the economic injustice and ecological destruction in word and deed and aiming at a common confession at the next General Council 2004 in Accra."
A series of article in the Reformed World, published by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches which is now, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, looks at many confessions and how they speak to economic and social Issues. One is written by Dr. Jane Dempsey Douglas, who also presented the recommendation of Belhar at GA. In the article she speaks of Calvin’s views on unity, community and social issues and ties this to Accra. She writes of Accra, “The solidarity of the human family and God’s special concern for the poor and for creation are emphasized as requiring resistance to an unjust economic order imposed by empire.”
Another author, Margit Ernst-Habib, a German theologian, writes of the Reformed Confessions. She looks at theology in general, but mainly examines many confessions including Barmen and Belhar, a Reformed Cuban Confession and Accra. The Cuban one is centered on humanity and social issues with this statement:
“The Scriptures teach us that salvation necessarily includes the emerging of a new fraternal solidarity that is made concrete in a ‘community of goods’ where ‘private property’ is abolished in order for all of us to be able to enjoy the goods produced.”
The point of many of these later confessions is their focus on praxis rather than confession. That is a focus on the action of believers rather than what they confess about Jesus Christ. But that misses the point of what a confession is, that is, the Church’s complete acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord. And it also leaves room for a misunderstanding of what it means to act in the name of Jesus Christ. That is why the Theological Confession of Barmen does not fit among these confessions although it occurred in some of the same contexts.
But to return to the train, the young people, the pastor and the mother and son I wrote about in my last posting are living examples of what a confession should be. Out of their confession of who Jesus Christ is, they act in the way God has called them in Jesus Christ. Confession comes first. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures, obedience through grace given, this is the future of the Church. It does not deny the needs of the poor or the oppressed but it finds its footing in confessing the Lord of the Church even unto death.
The young people’s difference was immediately noticeable to me when I awoke in the morning. (We boarded at 11:30 PM and slept in our seats.) They weren’t spouting religious slogans or wearing WWJD bracelets, they just weren’t offensive with language or sexual innuendo. And they seemed to enjoy each others company without exclusion.
But as the morning evolved they each took out their Bibles and headed somewhere for worship or bible study. At the end of the trip as we neared Portland where we would change trains, the man setting in front of us, hearing our discussion, introduced himself as the pastor of the young people, and asked if we had just come from the Presbyterian General Assembly.
His concern was Belhar which the CRC is also in the process of attempting to adopt into their confessions. They also have a beginning battle over sexual standards. We talked a long time about Belhar and the growing decadence of our culture. As we finished the conversation and left the train I understood more clearly how large this battle is. This is certainly not a battle against flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle where some are being used by the enemy of our souls …
I noted in an early post that item [08-08]was introducing yet another confession into the PCUSA, the Accra Confession that is basically an economic document that slants towards socialism while caricaturing capitalism. While the General Assembly did amend the document to “encourage a study” in the churches and presbyteries and deleted the words “integrate and interpret,” this slight introduction is not unlike the first introduction of Belhar.
And they left intact this, “Request the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical Relations to contact the coordinator for the Committee on Theological Education and seminary organizations to provide briefings on the new realities of WCRC/CANAAC, and to ask PC(USA) seminaries (including seminaries in covenant agreement with the General Assembly) to include the Accra Confession as a study document.”
Not only Belhar, which will be used in a non-confessional way to introduce sexual perversion into the Church, but also Accra is being promoted by huge ecumenical institutions which were meant to bring unity to the Church but will now bring harm. I say this because of all the various papers, conferences and organizations pushing this toward individual denominations and churches.
One of the lead up papers to Accra is “A Continuing Journey towards Confessing Movement for Economic Justice and Life on Earth (processus confessionis) 2001” This very long paper, which does contain some important thoughts, confuses orthodox & evangelical churches within the mainline denominations with the prosperity teaching of some Pentecostals. It equates evangelism with political propaganda.
And it also asks the church to create a space for the public and remember those who, "were dis-membered, marginalized and excluded by violence and exclusion in its various forms, and to strive for healing and justice, [which] requires us to stage protest against ongoing victimisation based on prevalent structures of class, gender, race, age,, dominating culture as in the case of Indigenous People and sexual orientation."
An important feature is how the paper has within it the connection between Belhar and Accra. It states:
"It is now time for the WARC to implement this decision [produce a confession that deals with economics] by getting its member churches involved in studying the Confession of Belhar ... in order to become an ecumenical confessing movement, facing the economic injustice and ecological destruction in word and deed and aiming at a common confession at the next General Council 2004 in Accra."
A series of article in the Reformed World, published by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches which is now, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, looks at many confessions and how they speak to economic and social Issues. One is written by Dr. Jane Dempsey Douglas, who also presented the recommendation of Belhar at GA. In the article she speaks of Calvin’s views on unity, community and social issues and ties this to Accra. She writes of Accra, “The solidarity of the human family and God’s special concern for the poor and for creation are emphasized as requiring resistance to an unjust economic order imposed by empire.”
Another author, Margit Ernst-Habib, a German theologian, writes of the Reformed Confessions. She looks at theology in general, but mainly examines many confessions including Barmen and Belhar, a Reformed Cuban Confession and Accra. The Cuban one is centered on humanity and social issues with this statement:
“The Scriptures teach us that salvation necessarily includes the emerging of a new fraternal solidarity that is made concrete in a ‘community of goods’ where ‘private property’ is abolished in order for all of us to be able to enjoy the goods produced.”
The point of many of these later confessions is their focus on praxis rather than confession. That is a focus on the action of believers rather than what they confess about Jesus Christ. But that misses the point of what a confession is, that is, the Church’s complete acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord. And it also leaves room for a misunderstanding of what it means to act in the name of Jesus Christ. That is why the Theological Confession of Barmen does not fit among these confessions although it occurred in some of the same contexts.
But to return to the train, the young people, the pastor and the mother and son I wrote about in my last posting are living examples of what a confession should be. Out of their confession of who Jesus Christ is, they act in the way God has called them in Jesus Christ. Confession comes first. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures, obedience through grace given, this is the future of the Church. It does not deny the needs of the poor or the oppressed but it finds its footing in confessing the Lord of the Church even unto death.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Beginning at the end; General Assembly
Sometimes I begin a book by reading the ending. I want to understand the author’s intent for the story so I look to the end where she has placed her character’s final destination. I am going to write about my experience and views of the Presbyterian 219th General Assembly by beginning with the end of my journey, my three day trip home on a train.
As almost every PCUSA member now knows the theme of this GA was "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38.) On our three day trip home, via the train, God allowed my husband and me to understand that verse in a very concrete way. But first, I must say that our train was surely covered from end to beginning with the many sweeping wings of angels because the train was filled with Christians. And they all blessed us on our way.
But one in particular became the living image of the believer filled with the living waters of Jesus Christ.
We sat for lunch in the dining car and waited to see who would be placed at our table. A woman and another person who we were almost certain was her son sat across from us. The young man, and he must have been in his twenties because he had a well trimmed beard, was autistic. He was constantly attempting to be reassured of the reality around him. He repeated the same phrases, comments and questions over and over, as he looked for clues that everything was going as it should be. Was this lunch? Could he have cheese cake again at dinner? Would they be greeted by grandma? Was he being good?
His mother constantly rubbed his back, and reaffirmed all that he said or asked. We were pleased when he asked his mother if he could order the same food we had ordered. And then the food came. Before we could even think about prayer he bowed his head and prayed. And as we entered into conversation with both mother and son about our mutual faith, the young man, Keith, rather than seeking for assurance about the material world began to talk of Jesus, he quoted verses as he went.
His mother told us of a time on another trip when a stranger sat between him and his parents and they heard him explaining to the stranger how Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. Here was one who needed constant assurance that the world around him was a reality but out of his being a river flowed of which he was very certain. Heaven was his homeland, Jesus was his reality.
In the midst of all of our uncertainty and sorrow over the immoral actions of the General Assembly, still there is that reality of the living water that is within us. Calvin in his commentary on John writes of this river and speaks of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives, gifts such as faith to a young autistic man. But first Calvin points to Jesus the giver of the Spirit. Looking at the words “Whoever believes in me,” Calvin writes:
“Christ now points out how we come. We come not on foot but by faith. Or rather, to come is simply to believe—that is, if you define the word ‘believe’ properly. As we have already said we believe in Christ when we welcome him as he is shown to us in the Gospel—full of power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life and all the gifts of the Spirit.”[1]
That reality, the Holy Spirit that is within believers, was there at the GA. It was in the fervent prayers I saw one pastor commissioner praying as he stood behind another elder, a gay man, preparing to speak on the ordination of gays and lesbians. The Holy Spirit was in the words of one of the former candidates for vice moderator as he spoke of his determination to follow Jesus in the purity that he is. He was not counting the cost only following Jesus.
Let the world that is in the Church throw down the gauntlet of perverse sexuality, the faithful must not take it up in some worldly backhanded way. But rather full of the reality that Jesus gives they must keep speaking the words of life to those lost in this world’s darkness. The faithful must keep speaking back the righteousness of Jesus Christ to perverse antinomianism in the church. United to Jesus Christ we are full of his reality, his living waters, the Holy Spirit who will renew the church universal even in the midst of gross darkness.
We have a reality far greater than any insecurity. Jesus "as he is shown to us in the Gospel—full of power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life and all the gifts of the Spirit."
[1] Calvin, John: The Crossway Classic Commentaries, Alister McGrath & J.I. Packer, Editors, 196.
As almost every PCUSA member now knows the theme of this GA was "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38.) On our three day trip home, via the train, God allowed my husband and me to understand that verse in a very concrete way. But first, I must say that our train was surely covered from end to beginning with the many sweeping wings of angels because the train was filled with Christians. And they all blessed us on our way.
But one in particular became the living image of the believer filled with the living waters of Jesus Christ.
We sat for lunch in the dining car and waited to see who would be placed at our table. A woman and another person who we were almost certain was her son sat across from us. The young man, and he must have been in his twenties because he had a well trimmed beard, was autistic. He was constantly attempting to be reassured of the reality around him. He repeated the same phrases, comments and questions over and over, as he looked for clues that everything was going as it should be. Was this lunch? Could he have cheese cake again at dinner? Would they be greeted by grandma? Was he being good?
His mother constantly rubbed his back, and reaffirmed all that he said or asked. We were pleased when he asked his mother if he could order the same food we had ordered. And then the food came. Before we could even think about prayer he bowed his head and prayed. And as we entered into conversation with both mother and son about our mutual faith, the young man, Keith, rather than seeking for assurance about the material world began to talk of Jesus, he quoted verses as he went.
His mother told us of a time on another trip when a stranger sat between him and his parents and they heard him explaining to the stranger how Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. Here was one who needed constant assurance that the world around him was a reality but out of his being a river flowed of which he was very certain. Heaven was his homeland, Jesus was his reality.
In the midst of all of our uncertainty and sorrow over the immoral actions of the General Assembly, still there is that reality of the living water that is within us. Calvin in his commentary on John writes of this river and speaks of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives, gifts such as faith to a young autistic man. But first Calvin points to Jesus the giver of the Spirit. Looking at the words “Whoever believes in me,” Calvin writes:
“Christ now points out how we come. We come not on foot but by faith. Or rather, to come is simply to believe—that is, if you define the word ‘believe’ properly. As we have already said we believe in Christ when we welcome him as he is shown to us in the Gospel—full of power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life and all the gifts of the Spirit.”[1]
That reality, the Holy Spirit that is within believers, was there at the GA. It was in the fervent prayers I saw one pastor commissioner praying as he stood behind another elder, a gay man, preparing to speak on the ordination of gays and lesbians. The Holy Spirit was in the words of one of the former candidates for vice moderator as he spoke of his determination to follow Jesus in the purity that he is. He was not counting the cost only following Jesus.
Let the world that is in the Church throw down the gauntlet of perverse sexuality, the faithful must not take it up in some worldly backhanded way. But rather full of the reality that Jesus gives they must keep speaking the words of life to those lost in this world’s darkness. The faithful must keep speaking back the righteousness of Jesus Christ to perverse antinomianism in the church. United to Jesus Christ we are full of his reality, his living waters, the Holy Spirit who will renew the church universal even in the midst of gross darkness.
We have a reality far greater than any insecurity. Jesus "as he is shown to us in the Gospel—full of power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life and all the gifts of the Spirit."
[1] Calvin, John: The Crossway Classic Commentaries, Alister McGrath & J.I. Packer, Editors, 196.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Perhaps it is God's mercy?
How hard it is to walk into a plenary meeting knowing that Belhar will be sent to the Presbyteries for a vote. It passed. How hard it is to walk into plenary knowing the Presbyteries will now need to vote on nFOG. It also passed. How hard it is to walk into plenary knowing of the other overtures and recommendations that may be passed. (The committees passed the elimination of biblical marriage language overtures & and the removal of the ordination standards, hopefully the whole GA will not, but ...)
But the Lord confronts and comforts his church. He confronts his church in every age for her waywardness; he surprises her from time to time with the gift of revival and renewal.
Judgment begins with God’s Church so says the word of God. Karl Barth refers to God’s ability to take away the candlestick of the Church in some areas. He reminded the Church of Germany that Jesus Christ was as capable of removing the candle stick of the German Church as he had removed the candle stick from the Church of North Africa, that Church of Augustine. Now God has brought revival to Africa. It is his gift to those beleaguered and persecuted people.
All of this is His will; if the biblical understanding of marriage and leadership is cast aside in the next two days, it is only because he allows it to be so. Perhaps to purify and strengthen those who hold tightly to the word of God and intend to follow Him where ever he leads. And perhaps God allows this so that hearts might continue to be hardened that he might display his power against evil and darkness, against those powers that bind the wayward.
If those who wish to find a blessing for sinful behavior use the church to justify their action God will allow them to move even further away from his transforming gift of mercy into a world of despairing emptiness. This is a two pronged action. To remind the sinner of her sinfulness and turn her sisters and brothers toward her in an act of love and mercy. That is why Jude tells the Church:
“But you beloved ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you that In the last times there will be mockers following after their own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you beloved , building yourselves up on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; and save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.” (Jude 17-23)
We all have a call; it is waiting for us as we return home. It is a call to be sorrowful before the Lord because of our Church’s waywardness, yet full of joy because Christ is with us. It is a call to keep reaching out to those whose hearts are hardened. And it is a call to protect, love and care for one another. It is a call to care for the little ones who will be hurt.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thoughts on GA: Belhar, the Word of God, and faithfulness
Update:
"This is so inspiring!! The Belhar Confession offers wonderful help to us in the PCUSA to move into the world of diversity which we say we want but do not quite know how to reach. And restoring the English of the Heidelberg Catechism is the Presbyterian thing to do. Joining our sister Reformed churches in one common translation is an added blessing. Thank you so much to the committee for its prayerful work. by Janet Edwards on 07/06/2010 a.m.31 09:36am" (This was on the PNS site that ChurchandWorld linked to yesterday for some reason it can not be seen when one goes straight there.)
By now I am sure everyone is aware that Belhar was approved in Committee. Here are some details. But first some thoughts on the testimonies that occurred during open hearings.
Various speakers are allowed a few minutes, sometimes only one or less, to speak on the different overtures or committee recommendations such as Belhar. Two speakers spoke against Sacramento’s overture which asks the General Assembly to not adopt Belhar. The first one to ask the committee to not approve Sacramento’s overture was Janet Edwards the pastor who has been troubling the church by attempting to marry same sex couples.
She asked for disapproval so that instead Belhar would pass and gays and lesbians would have a confession that allows them to be ordained.[1] The second person was Elizabeth Henson Hasty a member of ACWC. She wanted Sacramento’s overture to be disapproved but her main thought was not only to allow Belhar to pass but she wanted an inclusive edition on the PCUSA web. In the committee’s actions they both received their request.
The moderator of the committee was very fair. As overture advocate I was allowed to speak for five minutes after the Belhar committee spoke. I was also allowed to answer questions after they answered questions. This was a golden opportunity because several people asked some very unique questions. I was able to speak of how a confession is meant to confess Jesus Christ. Just because Sacramento’s overture did not pass in committee, and it was debated since it became a substitute motion, does not mean that all was lost. I was able to read the section from the Theological Declaration of Barmen that gives a clear understanding of how Jesus Christ is confessed:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. … I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” (John 10:1, 9.) Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and death. We reject the false doctrine, as though 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. (The Book of Confessions, the Theological Declaration of Barmen, 8.10–8.12)
God’s word will not return void-and it is here in this passage from Barmen. And of course Belhar will be voted on again in plenary.
So far there have been many disappointments in most of the committees. But God calls us to faithfulness; our victory is in the cross of Jesus not in winning against human adversaries but in overcoming the powers of darkness. That battle includes our own sinful nature. So while God might be judging a denomination that is disobedient to his Word and denying his transforming grace, Jesus, Lord of his Church, is undoubtedly longing for all of our hearts.
Because my heart is filled with sadness from hearing bad reports, phrases like, "We all have different opinions about whether God cares for fetal tissue," or the equation of God's word with oppression I want to hear words of praise for the eternal Son of the Father, Jesus:
For Robert A.
[1] On the PNS about the passage of Belhar, she made a comment which was much the same rejoicing over Belhar’s passage. But for some reason that has been removed.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Overture Advocate: a question?
Since I am at the moment an overture advocate, I am naturally interested in the subject of advocacy and the rules that apply to advocates who come from their churches to advocate for the wishes of their churches. Remember they are the only ones who represent the churches of their presbytery. Friday we had training. It was led by the PCUSA’ Mark Tammen.
There was advice and information. A lot of it was helpful except he did not mention the standing rules for advocates at all. Another advocate had to do that. But Tammen's presentation did leave me with a question which I thought would be interesting to throw my reader’s way. We were encouraged to be respectful to our committee’s Moderator which we certainly should be.
But Tammen was very forceful in suggesting that there had been too much challenging in past GAs of moderators on the basis of the standing rules of the Manual of the General Assembly. Tammen stated that no overture, where the moderator had been challenged, had passed. So I suppose he was suggesting that if we challenged our moderator our overture would not pass.
So my question, is it logical to believe that there is a connection between standing on the standing rules of the General Assembly and losing the overture, or is it possible that there might be all kinds of other reasons for losing? What do you think?
And to help you understand what I am writing about, here is a video of a commissioner who did a very good job of standing on the standing rules in a past GA.
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