I found this link about a new book on FV.

Book Review: Can the Presbyterian Church in America be Saved? LuxLucet

The author is named Sean Gerety. Using the search on PB, I noticed it appears that he may have been a poster on this website. His status says (Inactive).

Has anyone read this book or would you recommend it?

Thanks.

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Mike
PCA
Edmond, OK

"Tomorrow may be our dying day; let this be our repenting day."

-Thomas Watson

From just reading that link, he makes it sound as if 85% of the PCA is FV.

__________________
Austin
EE student at Texas State University
Member of Church of the Cross (PCA) in San Marcos, TX
Ps. 8:3-4 "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"

Typical Gerety: bomb throwing, everything is Van Til's fault, and only disciples of Robbins can save us.

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Fred Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

Thanks but can you expand on this? I assume you are saying it might not be worth reading?

I would not recommend it. I believe that the FV is serious problem, but I do not think that Gerety has correctly identified it source (or the solution). He typically uses hyperbole, which is especially unhelpful in this kind of theological controversy. He did indeed use to post here, but was banned.

There is more on this book at Lane Keister's blog (Green Baggins) from which he was also banned for his language and tone.

I’m Back (And Heads Up, Sean Gerety) Green Baggins

I think the book has some good points. I agree with some of his assessment concerning Van Til also, but I am not so sure that it is as Central to the problem as SG wants to make it. I personally don't think the right problem is being addressed. I might be incorrect but I think one of the main problems has to do with monocovenantalism and the view of grace and merit the FV guys take. I left a comment on the blog. To hastily I should say. I didn't check the grammar nor the wording.

We all don't see things as clear as we probably should.

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Norseman Moderator

R. Martin Snyder
1689er
http://www.puritanboard.com/blogs/puritancovenanter/

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

Click to get:Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

There is a discussion in the comments to a recent post by Scott Clark on his blog where he engages Sean in discussian. Reading that will give you Sean's flavor. (Hint: very sour).

Something Weird in the Siouxlands Heidelblog

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Jon Peters
Member, Reformation Fellowship (OPC) (Roseville, CA)
Folsom, CA

Wow, that guy behaves in an un-loving manner, provokes a rebuke, and then calls the other person un-loving.

Irony? Hypocrisy? Yes. To phrase it in the language of the vulgar, what a lamer.

__________________
Andrew DeShazo
Husband of Kathryn
Father of Phillip-Giles B. DeShazo
Deacon
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"From out of the depth of unbroken Infinfity arose the Question, "Who am I?" And to that Question there is the answer, "I am God!" -Meher Baba, died 1969.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Christ, died 33 AD, ressurected three days later.

Er... I know that Gerety has made a number of alarmist statements in the past that have upset folk, and I know that he has a Robbins/Clarkian agenda, but I get a little bit of a chuckle out of some of the posts here regarding his tone. There have been statements made just as uncharitably on this site, if not more so, from many here than that which I have read from Gerety. I do not exempt myself from that assessment, either.

In fact, as little as I have in common with Gerety's theological views, I will still go out on a limb to state that men with whom I have much more in common theologically (Horton, Clark, Hart, etc.) have made statements on air or in print (digital or otherwise) that equal or surpass what Gerety wrote on Scott Clark's blog.

Again, I am in no way making defense of Gerety's agenda, but I am making defense of our Lord's commands, as I believe we have some "log removing" to do in this regard.

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Adam J. Myer
Slated for the Jan. 10th Chaplains Basic Officer Leadership Course
Estacada Christian Church
Sandy, Oregon

Soli Deo Gloria

He's right.

Edit:

Ok, while you have a point, I've never heard a member in good standing on this board say something like this:

The guy sounds like a bully, and I know because I can be one.

Adam,

In one sense you are correct, but I have never (not here, not at GB, nor anywhere else) ever heard Sean apologize or even acknowledge that he has been over the top or imprudent. And I will say that while others have made singular worse statements (perhaps), Sean's ratio is like 90% / 10% in favor of bomb throwing, much higher than almost anyone else I have known.

I liked that quote. It reminds me of how when my boys and I go at it, my Mom hates it and so does my Sister. I go to put them in their place and they grow too sympathetic to the waywardness of the boys because they don't like to hear the bickering. It is a female trait in my estimation. So I think it applies. I can't attest to the truthfulness behind the comment about not refuting Clark though.

Side note... I also don't think the comment SG made was necessary and is of no profit. He would have been docked here for it. I would have put him on ice. Time for a cooling down period.

Thanks for giving me something more to think about, men. In particular, Fred's statement about the lack of apologies. You are right, I do not recall having come across an apology from him before, and it has been the case that most on this board, or the other blogs, etc, that I mentioned, have made apology for things that they have written or spoken.

Now the big hurdle we need to overcome in our circles is when men do make an apology for something they have said or written, and they receive in return the response from their opponents (who have yet to forgive them anyway) of "I don't feel it was sincere enough. You need to make another". Ha! Talk about bullying!

I've had some interaction with Mr. Gerety, most of it civil. It probably helps that I'm not VanTillian. I think AustinWW's description of his view of the PCA is correct. He sees a generalized unwillingness to deal with the FV'ers in our midst and thus vastly over-estimates the numbers and influence of FV men in the PCA. In doing so, he sees an almost overwhelming problem and his frustration rises to the level of panic sometimes. I think that's what's behind the bomb throwing.

He wrote an excellent analysis of my presbytery's actions on his blog, God’s Hammer but his tone leaves something to be desired, and I told him so. He didn't like it much, of course.

I think that I ought to be careful in criticizing him, because, while I disagree with his analysis, I agree with his passion. In my opinion the problem in the PCA is not so much the FV guys (though that is bad) it is the guys who don't hold FV themselves, don't really understand it, and are quite willing to let the FV men remain where they are in the name of "peace" and being "loving" (i.e. niceness.) That's a very serious problem. I could easily become an alarmist bomb-thrower over that.

Like someone said above, beams and motes.

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TE Brian Carpenter
Pastor, Foothills PCA Sturgis, SD
www.thehappytr.blogspot.com www.afiresidechat.blogspot.com
"In vain th' unlighted pipe you blow;
Your pains in inward means are so,
'Till heav'nly fire thy heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco."

Luther had a way with words and was passionate...

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John
Member
Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.christpres.net

That problem isn't just limited to the FV problem. It seems to be a systemic problem in the PCA with the current structure of tiny presbyteries. In some it has surfaced as FV. In some, modern premil dispensationalism. In some, women deacons serving as equals to the male deacons.

The question is, 'what can we do about it'.

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas

Hi,

I have read it and I recommend it.

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Ronda Rush
Church of the Redeemer
Independent Reformed
California


" . . .It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

I have only read excerpts from the book and offer no comment on the substance of argumentation in it.

Based on having perused the gentleman's blog a couple times and his interactions on Green Baggins, including infraction for bad behavior, I sense a wrong spirit toward the brethren.

Granted, passion for an issue can sometimes be mistaken for that, but personal denigration and mischaracterization is something else. The ninth commandment is involved, with all the more harm done when a public platform is used. Repentance is required, regardless of the 'rightness' of a cause.

I'm constrained also to say excerpts from the book mischaracterize "Green Baggins" and all we know he has done to engage and expose the serious error of "federal vision."



Enough said

__________________
Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

This is too bad, because appreciating the message of the book is much more important than bashing the messenger.

No one is doing the latter here, but "the messenger" has earned a reputation for doing that to others, including some on the Board.

The message and warnings of the book are being overlooked due to supposed faults of the messenger.

Do you think this is wise?

Which is more important to discuss?

The health and good of the church, or the personality of one who would warn of dangers?