Posted on 08/26/2005 10:32:05 AM PDT by LouAvul
A special panel of the U.S. Presbyterian Church appealed Thursday for the church's 2.4 million members to seek unity as they continue their divisive debate over homosexuality and the Bible.
The panel urged the church's 2006 national General Assembly to make no changes to a 1997 law that limits clergy and lay officeholders to sex within heterosexual marriage, although liberals have submitted bills to repeal the rules.
Instead, the panel outlined a strategy in a 39-page report it says "is designed to help the church maintain peace, unity, and faithfulness to scriptural and theological principles while that debate continues."
Continuing, explosive issue The issue of homosexuality, particularly in church leadership, has long vexed many of the mainline Protestant denominations.
Among Presbyterians, it has been one of the most contentious issues dividing conservatives and liberals. Some conservatives consider the differences in beliefs within the denomination so distinct they have discussed whether a time may come to split off from the church altogether.
The Rev. Gary Demarest of Pasadena, California, one of the moderators of the panel, said the report "is not a time-buying tactic, but a call to the church to look at this ongoing debate in a different light."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
This phrase, in religion, should always make an alarm go off.
How can there be unity, if there is a split?
Well, this passage is interesting. It looks like what the church has done is pretend it has national standards outlawing homosexual priests. But then it allows the local churches to decide that the national standards are not essential or that the 'deviation' (interesting word choice) is not 'serious.'
Were I a member of this church, I would not think this a sufficiently scriptural approach.
As opposed to theology.
This isn't a split IN the church, it's a necessary removal of those who weren't and aren't truly PART of the church. The Bible is crystal clear, and if you choose to reject it, you're out.
Turn out the lights the party's over. Next year they know that at the General Assemby the split is going to take place, the libs took over. The crime is there are so many good people who grew up in this church and deserved better.
Meanwhile, the church leadership is studying other ways to salvation besides through Christ.
General Assembly Council
member: Discussion book
could fire up more discontent
http://www.layman.org/layman/news/2005-news/general-assembly-council-member.htm
"A member of the General Assembly Council has raised questions about why the council members were assigned a book that says Christ is only one way to God."
When the moral compass goes, then people will grab onto anything to feel stable. The values of Christ do not change with the times.
Trust CNN to get the facts wrong.
"the U.S. Presbyterian Church"
It is not THE U.S. Presbyterian Church. It is one of many Presbyterian Churches in this country. Its name is Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Exactly! Do not confuse this with the more conservative Presbyterian Church PCA or Free Presbyterian churches.
Bear in mind that this is the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church USA), the liberal, apostate arm of the Presbyterian Church. We in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) hold fast to the message of Christ, the grace and sovereignty of God, and the infallibility, inerrancy, and supremacy of the scripture.
Typical, well-written CNN copy. Makes it sound like the "church leadership" are homosexuals. On second thought ...
It sickens me to see this happening to the church I grew up in. Membership is down some 50% and the big issue is disregarding scriptural teachings to normalize homosexual behavior. This is about the gay agenda, nothing more or less. How would you like to have your kids taught in Sunday school by these normalized perverts?
Fruitcakes. All of them.
Leviticus 18:22 (KJV): "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind it is abomination."
Leviticus 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
I frequently try to play "Devil's advocate" when researching certain contentious topics but this one escapes me as I can't find anything to support pro-Gay teaching. Nothing in the Bible says this lifestyle is in any way acceptable.
How can a church support something that is in direct contradiction to Bible teachings? If the denomination waivers on this topic, what's next? The diety of God? Salvation only through Jesus Christ?
Every true Christian who worships and identifies themselves as Presbyterian should demand their leaders follow the Bible or leave the church. We Southern Baptists will welcome all of them!
John 14:6 - could the book they are talking about actually be the bible? How dare these members of the "council" actually be required to read that?!
Didnt He state "I am the Lord, and I do not change"?
(although he did change his mind about Ninevah, much to Jonah's dismay)
Sad to say we have solved all our problems with the Church, we left.
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