>>>>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 1(ranked 9 last year), 2,844,952 members, down 3.28 percent. <<<<
>>Let’s see, the PCUSA was down 3.28% i.e. it lost 90,000 members, but the PCA only gained 5,500 members, so that means that 84,500 Presbyterians left Presbyterianism for good.<<
Cronos brings up an interesting point. By separating themselves out from the heretics of the PCUSA, the PCA and OPC has been able to point to a more theologically pure denomination (at least relative to the theology of the Calvinist fathers) as representing “their” Calvinism/Presbyterianism.
On the other hand, the FR Calvinist swarm deliberately conflates the heretical Left in the Catholic church (and even Catholic-identifying non-Christians) with the teachings of the Catholic magisterium.
I might argue that the departure of the small portion of Presbyterians (PCA, OPC, etc.) from the larger body doomed the larger body to theological collapse. If the PCA were truly replacing the PCUSA as the dominant Presbyterian body, that might be worth it. But given that only a tiny fraction of the disaffected Presbyterians ever found their way to the PCUSA or the OPC (, etc.), the tactic doesn’t seem successful. And in 100 years, if the PCA does become dominant, who’s to say it won’t find the same wax bees spoiling the new hive?
Or maybe I’m wrong, and it might be better off for the PCA to have held out from the PCUSA. But you gotta at least give a little respect to us conservative Catholics who (because of other doctrinal issues, not necessarily any grander strategy) are fighting to improve their church, rather than splintering it.