Presbyterian Church USA Defeats Motion to Care for Babies Born Alive After Abortion

Life News ^ | June 23, 2014 | Steven Ertelt

[NYer]

The Presbyterian Church USA has voted to endorse Kermit Gosnell. Delegates meeting in Detroit at the 221st General Assembly of the 1.8 million–member Presbyterian Church (USA) voted down a measure that would have the church endorse care for babies born alive after abortions.

From World Magazine:

Also Thursday, 78 percent of the PCUSA General Assembly struck down a resolution condemning the killing of babies born alive during abortions, as occurred with notorious abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Initiated by the South Alabama presbytery, it called for inclusion of pro-life Presbyterians and an investigation into doctrinal and financial support of abortion. Dissenters cited pro-abortion stances, while others noted past affirmation of viable babies and reservations in commenting on criminal cases.

One pro-life advocate who serves as a watchdog of mainline Protestant denominations had this to say:

Mainline Protestantism, at least in its official curia, has been liberal for nearly 100 years. But for most of that century it was a thoughtful, dignified liberalism that still roughly adhered to historic Christianity’s moral architecture, even if it no longer upheld the core doctrine. But the yonder years of stately Protestantism, at least in the old Mainline, are largely over.

Getting far less attention was the PCUSA General Assembly’s overwhelming rejection of legislation that urged a “season of reflection” on the denomination’s support for abortion-rights, including its long-time membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), which opposes any restrictions on abortion. Liberal Mainline Protestantism, starting in the 1960s, began its first major break with traditional Christian ethics by embracing abortion rights, discarding traditional notions about sacred human life in favor of radical autonomous individualism. The Mainline’s support for abortion and implied hostility to large families, now compounded by its redefinition of marriage and divorcing of sex from marriage, have all helped to create a culture where the typical Mainline congregation is now largely gray headed and has few if any children.

Of course, some media reports will hail the PCUSA’s ostensibly courageous shift leftward as heralding the irresistible tides of history and representing Christianity’s future. But after about a half century of continuous decline, neither the PCUSA nor any Mainline denomination can be seriously seen as any barometer of mainstream religious trends, not in the U.S., and even less so around the world. Reportedly many overseas Presbyterian churches, many of them now larger than the PCUSA, are prepared to break ties with the PCUSA over its abandonment of Christian sexual teaching. Some of them already have.

[IrishBrigade]

I was raised in that church...

...as was I, but have since converted to RCC, for distinctly personal reasons that have nothing to do with any failings of Protestantism...I am 65 years of age, and my memories of the Presbyterian Church are fond ones, taking me back to my youth and home town...I don’t remember political activism being a big part of the Church, but then I wasn’t always the most attentive congregant...

...my mother continued with PCUSA until her death, but had considered leaving and attending a Westminster Presbyterian church nearby, however, being reticent about their conservatism, stayed put...she would be appalled at this topic...

[Heart-Rest]

"how to post a picture of a very, very VERY happy Satan ?"

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"Another One Bites The Dust"

[faithhopecharity]

Very nice.

[IrishBrigade]

Bunch of heretics.

...a harsh judgement, indeed...I assume you’re referring to the leaders making these rash decisions, and not to the people sitting in the pews, nor to the ministers who guide them...

...I see that you and I have a common theological origin, from the PCUSA, and have developed distinct reactions to that early deposit of teaching...you have tended to criticize what doesn’t pertain to your theology, as you have above, and as you do to the RCC, which is, of course, your perfect right to so do, and in a way, commendable...I, conversely make no such judgement of heresy against the entirety of any Church, as all have good and decent people participating, but I have no such qualms about calling out laxity and laziness of contemporary worship, thus not relating as well as I might with my churchmates...

[Gamecock]

I assume you’re referring to the leaders making these rash decisions, and not to the people sitting in the pews, nor to the ministers who guide them...

Follow me on this. The power of the Presbyterian church flows up from the pews.

The members elect elders, the session.
The session calls pastors. The congregation votes and approves.
The elders and pastor got attend Presbytery.
Members of the Presbytery are elected to attend synod.
Members of the Synod are elected to attend General Assembly, where ultimate decisions are made.
Members of the General Assembly have risen from local bodies. Elected by local members.

No doubt there are Christians in this body, but the church itself is rotten to the core.

[verga]

No doubt there are Christians in this body, but the church itself is rotten to the core.

So if they choose to stay it is their own fault/choice?

[Gamecock]

Some perspective from a former member of the PC(USA).

I grew up in that church. My wife an I were members.

It’s like putting a frog in cold water and slowly turning up the heat. The frog doesn’t realize what is going on, or so they say.

You miss a lot of the nuances. You hear of issues going on with the larger denomination and think not my church.

We moved away from our church and the first Sunday in our new town walked into a PCA church. The Pastor was preaching from Scripture. The church had a serious attitude about it all.

A few years later we move back to our old city and go back to our old church, because it isn’t like the others after all.

I have lunch with the pastor, who informs me the PCA is an intolerant bunch. That Sunday we hear about a man who was dying of AIDS. The Elder doing the visit told us that he assured him he would be in Heaven. Oh, the dying man’s “partner” was at his side. There was no mention of any profession of faith, deathbed conversion, just an assurance of pardon.

The sermon was absolute liberal mush, during which my wife leaned over and told me to never take her there again.

Mind you this was in the mid 90’s. Much of this was not out there yet.

I think most think they can be agents of change. Or that their church isn’t a part of this. They are comfortable and don’t want another church. Any number of things.

[narses]

Sola Scriptura strikes again!

[Berlin_Freeper]

Their emblem looks demonic.

[BlackElk]

Alex Murphy:

And a great number of us whose faith differs from your own will certainly NOT fail to note the distinction between PC-USA and other still Godly and Scripture based forms of Presbyterianism. I would also urge my fellow Catholics not to use the results of this wayward church's convention as a cudgel with which to be obnoxious towards our outraged Presbyterian brothers and sisters in Christ who are appalled at Presbyterian Church-USA which is not to be confused with the Presbyterian Church of America.

Alex, may God bless you and yours and sustain you in this trial!

[narses]

Eppur si muove.

[FourtySeven]

One need not agree with classical Presbyterian doctrine to know that THIS IS NOT IT.

I'm a Catholic and I agree with this statement. Believe me I can sympathize. We Catholics are constantly castigated for those among us who don't adhere to Church teaching and yet still call themselves "Catholic". It's a scandal, really, that harms every member, not just those committing the acts.

PC-USA seems to have been completely sodomized.

That seems like an appropriate description, given the violence that act entails.

[trisham]

Good question. I don’t understand this.