General Assembly Final Thoughts

My last post ended with “The PCUSA as we know it is dead.”

Reasons for this statement:

• The constitution (Book of Order and Book of Confessions) is what holds us together as a denomination.
• More Light Presbyterians openly disobey the constitution. Other progressive Presbyterian groups, pastors and churches openly disobey the constitution.
• Pastors openly disobey the constitution and perform same sex marriages.
• The General Assembly openly disregarded that GA Permanent Judicial Commission’s Bush ruling—openly trying to circumvent the constitutional requirement of G-6.0106b.
• The recent Advisory paper by the Stated Clerk’s office states that local option for ordination is now the rule of the day—even before the Presbyteries have voted on the proposed amendments to the constitution.

I find it fascinating that while the PCUSA does not function by its own rules it is quick to condemn the Evangelical Presbyterian Church for accepting congregations who can no long, in good conscience, stay in the PCUSA. How dare our denomination condemn another denomination when our denomination plays fast and easy with its own rules. Additionally, I find it comical that the Assembly voted to build a war chest of millions of dollars to fight congregations who want to join the EPC; and then, at the Assembly said that congregations looking to the leave the PCUSA should be treated with grace. I take this final action as the progressive Assembly saying to evangelical/orthodox Presbyterians “Don’t let the door hit you in the rear as you leave.”