There is one more “big” item to be considered by this GA. It is the Form of Government (FOG) recommendation, which is calling for a radically-reduced Book of Order. This proposal hides at least one clause that could have maximum impact on local churches.
FOG includes the proposal that presbyteries be empowered to remove a pastor from a church without the church’s concurrence if they believe the pastor is “incompatible” with the church. This is license to play havoc with any congregation undergoing struggle.
One could look at the history of any pastorate and find times when there is enough conflict, involving enough people, that a presbytery could blithely choose to step in and take over. (After all, some pastor might even suggest moving the choir down front!)
It is clear that the PCUSA is interested more in control than in something, say, like evangelism.
The denomination now believes in local option just so long as it doesn’t involve property, and leaves the door open for presbyteries to shuffle the decks almost at whim.
I’m still trying to keep the faith,
Tom
About Me
- TomGray
- Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
- I have been a Presbyterian pastor for over 30 years and I've been at Kirk of the Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, since 1982. I am an avid amateur astronomer and astrophotographer. I also love to read almost anything I can get my hands on. My wife, Chrissie, is a university English professor and author. Our daughter, Audrey, is an emergency room physician in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. She's married to Paul, and they have my favorite granddaughter, Emily, who is a high school sophomore.
3 comments:
It appears that GA knows that by passing PUP they have opened a can of worms that will lead churches to leave the denomination (whether as "maverick" churches or in an orderly body.) FOG (what an appropriate acronym!) is their weapon to prevent churches from doing that since it will only take a few complaints to validate removing pastors and putting in more compliant leadership. Not only have we moved to a congregational form of local government, we have the added "benefit" of a authoritarian hierarchy as well.
Tom,
Ironically-- control does seem to be THE issue, even though local option on anything essential was just voted in. No longer a via media between congregationalism and episcopacy-- we get the worst of both (kind of like a blended service... ;-)). Well... God is still on his throne. Lets rejoice in that and be faithful.
blessings,
dm
30 years of praying and hoping for sin to be acknowledged in the PCUSA, and attempting to be rational has come to an end. Now that the GA has made the decisions they have, you will see an end to the denomination as we know it. Membership will decrease like it never has before.
We must ask ourselves why independent fundamental churches are growing at a very healthy rate and the PCUSA is dying.
I believe that it is time to move on and begin anew so we can live out our Christian life without filling like a hypocrite every time we step into our home church.
If we do not act now then we never will and I for one can no longer accept that.
Sincerely and prayerfully,
A disapointed Presbyterian
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