Posted on 06/22/2014 3:35:23 PM PDT by ReformationFan
Be it resolved that the Presbyterian Church in America expresses its gratitude to the Lord for sustaining by His grace ministers of the gospel, chaplains, and Christians serving in the public sphere who are experiencing ostracism, penalties, and persecution for taking a Biblically faithful sand for the sanctity of human life and declining to participate in the cultural redefinition of marriage.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaquilareport.com ...
Unfortunately, this was a watered down version of the original proposal, and was passed by the body at large over the objections of the controlling ‘moderate’ faction.
What is the difference and membership between the two groups?
This article is helpful on that-
http://theaquilareport.com/13-differences-between-the-pca-and-the-pcusa/
PCUSA has 1,760,200 members(according to wikipedia)
PCA has a total membership (communicants, ministers and non-communicants)– 367,033, an increase of 3,014 per the last GA report
PCUSA is much larger (about 1.7 million), but has been losing membership for 50 years. Currently losing about 5% a year. They ordain women and practicing homosexuals. They are a post-Christian mainstream denomination. They have a ‘Book of Confessions’ from which leaders can pick and choose. They have abandoned the Presbyterian form of government in favor of a hierarchical governance.
The PCA is smaller, with about 300,000 members and has been fairly stable in numbers over the last few years after a few decades of rapid growth. It holds to a traditional view of marriage and will ordain only males. Leaders are required to affirm the Scriptures and subscribe to the American version of the Westminster Standards. It is generally considered to be ‘moderate’.
Although the PCUSA is much larger in numbers, I’ve seen speculation that the average Sunday attendance of the two is about the same.
The PCA fields many more foreign missionaries than does the PCUSA.
And finally, if a congregation wants to leave the PCSUA, the denomination will generally either take their property or extract a heavy cash settlement. PCA congregations have to follow a formal series of rules, but can freely exit with their property should the congregation desire to do so.
PCUSA is much larger (about 1.7 million), but has been losing membership for 50 years. Currently losing about 5% a year.
...what about the Westminster Presbyterians...I heard they’re growing as well...
A micro denomination that's statistically irrelevant. Their website shows two congregations at this point. They adhere to the original Westminster Standards. Non-instrumental exclusive psalmolgy but aren't in fellowship (unless something has recently changed) with others that hold that distinctive. http://www.wpcus.org/congregations.asp
Since at one point they may have shrunk to one congregation, if they are back up to two, I guess you can say that they are fast growing, doubling in size.
Now that's the first time I've ever heard the PCA described as "moderate" by anyone. I think we are conservative by any measure.
Also, the PCA Book of Church Order declares that all property of a PCA member church is owned solely by that local church, and is not the property of the denomination itself or the church's local presbytery. This rule was established at the PCA's founding after so many churches had to forfeit their property to PCUSA when they left to form (or subsequently join) the PCA. By its own rules, the PCA cannot hold hostage the property of any member church that wishes to leave. This makes for a very healthy check on the conduct of our denomination.
Good for them.
Indeed!
There is the recently formed and rapidly growing "Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians" which is made up of PC-USA "dropout" congregations which decided they've had enough of trashing the New Testament..
http://eco-pres.org/
Pretty much a group of homophobic liberals. They kept all the trappings of liberalism of the PCSUA up until the ordination of homosexuals.
It’s been a while since I’ve read the rules, and I was generalizing from the specific. Always a Marine is right on this - the only PCA requirement is that the withdrawal from the denomination be done in compliance with local civil law.
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Indeed. I figure ECO has just kicked the can down the road a few years. Once a denomination starts ordaining females, ordaining homosexuals is usually the next step.
They go beyond that - if that was the issue, they'd have gone EPC. ECO is also tolerant of abortion.
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