Thread: PC(USA) Split forthcoming?

Someone in one of my philosophy classes attends a "conservative" PC(USA) church in southern Indiana and they claimed that there is an upcoming conservative/liberal split within the church, and that their particular congregation was going to be part of the "conservative" branch of that split.

Anyone have any info on this?

Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia
Someone in one of my philosophy classes attends a "conservative" PC(USA) church in southern Indiana and they claimed that there is an upcoming conservative/liberal split within the church, and that their particular congregation was going to be part of the "conservative" branch of that split.

Anyone have any info on this?

I can't contribute anything official, but I have a friend who's brother attends a PCUSA church in the greater Chicago area . . and he told me that his church is participating in whatever "movement" this is out of the PCUSA. From what I know of his church: it's broadly evangelical (allowing for women elders/deacons), and not really "Reformed" in the way we understand the term. But, nonetheless, we can be thankful this news!

Originally posted by StaunchPresbyterian

Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia
Someone in one of my philosophy classes attends a "conservative" PC(USA) church in southern Indiana and they claimed that there is an upcoming conservative/liberal split within the church, and that their particular congregation was going to be part of the "conservative" branch of that split.

Anyone have any info on this?

I can't contribute anything official, but I have a friend who's brother attends a PCUSA church in the greater Chicago area . . and he told me that his church is participating in whatever "movement" this is out of the PCUSA. From what I know of his church: it's broadly evangelical (allowing for women elders/deacons), and not really "Reformed" in the way we understand the term. But, nonetheless, we can be thankful this news!

This person said they had no female pastors at their particular congregation. That in and of itself is miraculous within the PC (USA)...

I would not be surprised if they do split off. It's been brewing for a long time now and has come to a head over the past 5 years with the pressure from the liberals to ordain homosexuals and the advent of the Confessing Church Movement. It would be interesting to see how they divide up the assets of the PCUSA, which are considerable.

a little googling yields some movement names to look at:

conservative-
Confessing Church Movement in the Presbyterian Church USA
Presbyterian Coalition
Presbyterian Lay Committee
Presbyterian Forum
The Institute on Religion and Democracy

Presbyterian Action for Faith and Freedom is a committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. Presbyterian Action defends and promotes Biblical values within the Presbyterian Church (USA).

from: http://www.ird-renew.org/site/pp.asp...MVIsG&b=308887

Presbyterians for Renewal
http://pfrenewal.org/index.asp?q_areaid=0

a new broad-based renewal organization. It is, in part, the heir of two former rewewal movements within the Presbyterian Church: Presbyterians United for Biblical Concern (PUBC) and Covenant Fellowship of Presbyterians (CFP)

liberal-
Covenant Network
That All May Freely Serve
More Light Presbyterians

nothing so far that gives me the idea that a split is imminent however.

See also newpcus.org (a very quiet website). There is a GA of the PC(USA) this year, and the split will likely be over the ordination of homosexuals &/or the practice of homosexual marriage. In addition to the above mentioned movements, the other one is "New Wineskins." At last count, there would be about 400-500K members that could be included in such a split. And yes, they would be still be considered liberal by our standards... but hopefully "moving" in the right direction?

Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia

Originally posted by StaunchPresbyterian

Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia
Someone in one of my philosophy classes attends a "conservative" PC(USA) church in southern Indiana and they claimed that there is an upcoming conservative/liberal split within the church, and that their particular congregation was going to be part of the "conservative" branch of that split.

Anyone have any info on this?

I can't contribute anything official, but I have a friend who's brother attends a PCUSA church in the greater Chicago area . . and he told me that his church is participating in whatever "movement" this is out of the PCUSA. From what I know of his church: it's broadly evangelical (allowing for women elders/deacons), and not really "Reformed" in the way we understand the term. But, nonetheless, we can be thankful this news!

This person said they had no female pastors at their particular congregation. That in and of itself is miraculous within the PC (USA)...

I do think, however, that ALL PCUSA congregations are mandated to have female elders, whether RE's or TE's. I think this was one reason for the formation of the EPC in the early 1980's.

The "conservatives" are basically what is left of the "mushy middle" of the sort that compromised with the liberals in the 30's, engineering the takeover of Princeton and eventually forcing Machen and company out.

[Edited on 4-12-2006 by Pilgrim]

Originally posted by rmwilliamsjr
a little googling yields some movement names to look at:

conservative-
Confessing Church Movement in the Presbyterian Church USA
Presbyterian Coalition
Presbyterian Lay Committee
Presbyterian Forum
The Institute on Religion and Democracy

Presbyterian Action for Faith and Freedom is a committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. Presbyterian Action defends and promotes Biblical values within the Presbyterian Church (USA).

from: http://www.ird-renew.org/site/pp.asp...MVIsG&b=308887

Presbyterians for Renewal
http://pfrenewal.org/index.asp?q_areaid=0

a new broad-based renewal organization. It is, in part, the heir of two former rewewal movements within the Presbyterian Church: Presbyterians United for Biblical Concern (PUBC) and Covenant Fellowship of Presbyterians (CFP)

liberal-
Covenant Network
That All May Freely Serve
More Light Presbyterians

nothing so far that gives me the idea that a split is imminent however.

you can add this link http://newpcus.org/

Basically this group, generally speaking, seems to want to roll the clock back prior to the North-South merger in 1983 (or was it 82). They support female ordination, but homosexual ordination, etc is going too far.....

Some have pointed out that far fewer typically come out than is first expected, for a number of reasons, number one probably being fear of losing property.

Here's a quote from a recent Muether and Hart article in New Horizons (part of a series on American Presbyterianism) that, IMO, lends some perspective to the current "conservative" discontent in the PCUSA:

That the sanctity of marriage has proven to be more precious to conservatives than the deity of Christ (which was no cause to leave the church) may be the biggest indication of the theological bankruptcy of the church.

http://www.opc.org/nh.html?article_id=290

[Edited on 4-12-2006 by Pilgrim]