Beaver-Butler suggests new
statement of faith
Presbyterian
News Service reports on the "movement" being fueled by
the Lay Committee to encourage congregations to make
"confessional statements," and perhaps "loyalty
oaths" for PC(USA) staff. Comments are included from
the Lay Committee's Parker
Williamson, Vice-Moderator Rebecca
McElroy, Joe
Rightmyer of Presbyterians for Renewal, and Joseph
Small of the Department of Theology and Worship. [4-14-01]
Witherspoon
president Jane Hanna raises the question of what
we should really be "confessing" -- absolutes
of belief, or our failures to do justice and to love our neighbors? [5-11-01]
[3-24-01]
The
Layman Online reports that in response to a statement by the
session of Summit Presbyterian Church, the Presbytery of Beaver-Butler
in Pennsylvania is sending to the General Assembly Council a
confessional statement that calls on other congregations to join in a
three-fold declaration of faith:
1. Affirming that Jesus is the only way to God and
salvation.
2. Affirming that the Bible is the "unique and
authoritative witness" for the life of the church and that
"there are no new revelations that show the Bible to be wrong or
outdated."
3. Affirming that any sexual activity outside marriage
between a man and a woman is sinful and that the "we should not
ordain or install" any minister, elder or deacon "involved in
any unrepentant sinful behavior, sexual or otherwise."
The presbytery approved the action by a vote of 46 to 42.
The
full text of the statement is on the Layman website.
The Lay Committee is urging
sessions to adopt similar statements, and to press the General
Assembly for further moves toward a narrowly defined orthodoxy. [4-2-01]
Barbara Kellam-Scott,
moderator of Semper Reformanda, expresses concern at the notion that a
congregation can adopt its own statement of faith and doctrine.
Kellam-Scott
adds that the Lay Committee's "Confessing Church Movement"
will be presented to all PC(USA) congregations, and offers reasoned
arguments for responding to it.
