Okay, that's not what the headlines read. They should. What the stories did say was "the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination voted Thursday to change its definition of marriage." (Emphasis mine, but it is in just about every story on the event that I read.)
It's not like I'm surprised. Just dismayed. I mean, the PCUSA has pastors that believe that there never was an actual Jesus, that there was no Resurrection, that are avowed atheists. Why would I be surprised if they reject all the biblical and historical teaching on marriage? But it can be said of them, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you" (Rom 2:24).
I am stunned ... still. I'm stunned by the massive arrogance. "Yes, we know (because we are purposely and consciously changing it) that the definition of marriage is the union of a man and a woman. We know that it has always been this. We know that the Church has always held this. We know that the Bible is uniformly opposed to homosexual behavior as sin. We know that historical orthodoxy opposes our move. We know that the Bible claims that Jesus was sending the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. We acknowledge all that. We just think that all of history, the entire historical Church, the Bible (which we still refer to as "the Word of God"), and the Holy Spirit have been wrong for all time and we have figured out the truth."
Someone? Anyone? Is there a person out there that can explain to me how this can be considered reasonable, rational, or Christian? Can one consciously reject the Word of God and not reject the Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us? Is that possible? Clearly I don't think it is.
5 comments:
The PCUSA long ago left any semblance of being Christian. They have promoted homosexuality for over a decade, but they never before made it official.
Yes, indeed. It's not a surprise. They admitted homosexual clergy in 2011, so why wouldn't they allow their clergy to do homosexual "marriage". The issue, of course, is the notion that doctrine, dogma, and truth is a matter of a vote, not Scripture or any other authoritative source. Or, in other words, "I will be like the Most High."
" Is there a person out there that can explain to me how this can be considered reasonable, rational, or Christian?"
No.
What gets me is why the long wait? This is what was wanted for some time, apparently. At since they first admitted homosexual clergy. I suppose they need to pretend they struggled with this decision, or that they evolved or any of the other less than convincing excuses they use to justify, rationalize and legitimize their willing and willful corruption.
Well, the wait is because they know there will be consequences. When they decided to admit females into the clergy, churches left. When they decided to allow homosexuals to be pastors, churches left. When they voted (overwhelmingly) to allow this, they were cautioned to wait to institute it. Genuine Christians in the PCUSA may not be very common, but this will move them out.
I'd suggest that genuine Christians are very common in the PCUSA. At least in the pews. The problem is a denominational leadership that has stacked the deck in favor of progressives and made it difficult for churches to leave. There is an exodus in progress but it's being made difficult and taking time. Most of the churches that want out are in the process of getting out. I'm sure this will push a few more over the edge, but it's underway. The leadership needs to keep the conservative churches in as long as possible, and bleed them for as much as they can on the way out.
PCUSA as a viable denomination is dead, it just hasn't fallen over yet.
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