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Editorials

Managing differing convictions: How Presbyterians dealt with conflict in the past

Also featured in the Outlook forum this issue: Deep problems by Barry Ensign-George

 

More than fifty years ago, historian Lefferts Loetscher in his classic The Broadening Church (1954) argued that American Presbyterianism contained two elements: one stressing "precise theological formulation" and "orderly and authoritarian church government," the other placing "more emphasis upon spontaneity, vital impulse, and adaptability." "It has been the good fortune and the hardship of the Presbyterian Church," Loetscher noted wryly, "to have had ... these two elements in dialectical tension within itself from the beginning."

The tension was apparent as American Presbyterians cobbled themselves together first in a presbytery (1706) and then a synod (1716). Initially these bodies had no official creed, but by the 1720s, some were calling for mandatory subscription to the Westminster Confession. "Now a church without a confession, what is it like?" asked one proponent of subscription, and he replied that such a church was "in a very defenseless condition, as a city without walls" liable to infiltration by heresy and error. By contrast, opponents feared that required subscription was "a bold invasion of Christ's royal power" and noted the "glaring contradiction" of requiring ministers to adhere to a document which itself declared: "God alone is the Lord of the conscience."

Editorials

Managing differing convictions: Deep problems

Also featured in the Outlook forum this issue: How Presbyterians dealt with conflict in the past by James H. Moorhead

Due to space constraints the original version of this essay was shortened for the print version of the Outlook. The following is the complete, full-length version. --Editor

 

The long-awaited Report of the Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity (TFPUP) is in hand.  Thanks and assessments have been offered.  We've invested a great deal in this effort: good people who were called in recognition of their capacity for such work, thousands of dollars gathering them and broadcasting their work, precious time for their work.  Clearly they have had a powerful experience, calling us now to follow the principles that guided them, seeking similar experiences for ourselves.

Of course, the TFPUP Report does more.  It proposes actual changes to the structure of our life together.  And it is here that incisive questions need to be asked.  The Report includes some deep problems. Specifically, the Report's recommendations 1) do not recover historic Presbyterian practices, 2) propose a form of local option without explaining how we'll deal with the implications, 3) propose a major change to our life together without putting that change before the presbyteries.  It is important that these problems be recognized and addressed.  In what follows I will consider these three key problems in the Report's proposals, particularly in its Recommendation 5 (Rec. 5 for short).  Other problems have been identified by others among us.  They also bear careful consideration.

Book Reviews

Imagining Redemption

As I was preparing this review of David Kelsey's provocative treatment of redemption, none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, was already bandying about the word in the media. Explaining his refusal to commute the death sentence of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, the governor-cum-theologian said, "[Williams'] redemption may not be complete."

It is clear that the governor was operating under a certain definition of redemption, clearly popular in our hyper-individualistic culture, bathed as we are in self-help. In our cultural milieu, redemption is a human act of will, something that Mr. Williams ought to be able to "do," and, barring that redemptive accomplishment, he somehow forfeits his right to live. Lest any in the faith community believe that this understanding is remotely Christian, Kelsey's book comes along and reminds us that redemption is not a self-help project or a human project at all; redemption is a gift of grace, an act of God, and we are simply invited to live into this redemptive space in response.

Uncategorized

Purpose-Driven and Presbyterian: One new paradigm at work

Editors Note:  In its ongoing effort to support effective local church ministry and mission, the Outlook invites its readers to consider alternative models of church ministry being developed in sister churches around the denomination.  This analysis of the 40 Days of Purpose combines with two other articles, A new Reformation? and Presbyterians and the "40 Days of Purpose", to provide analysis of the purpose-driven church paradigm

 

Michael Carey has heard the skepticism: the Purpose-Driven church approach is "too Baptist," not Presbyterian enough in its theology, caters too much to those brand-new to church and not enough to those who've been around.

But what Carey, pastor of Trinity Presbyterian in Satellite Beach, Florida, (https://www.trinitypres.net/ ) knows firsthand is this. His congregation has been following the Purpose-Driven model for eight years now, and:

-The average Sunday attendance is 700, out of 830 members -- a typical weekly attendance of close to 85 percent.

-About 500 adults attend Bible study, and 400 are committed to participating in a significant ministry at the church.

-Last year, the people of Trinity gave $2.4 million to support the church (including funds for a building program).

-And a conference in the spring of 2005 for Purpose-driven Presbyterians drew 400 people, who came from 166 congregations in 36 states.

Not every Purpose-Driven Presbyterian church can post numbers like those -- folks seem to agree that something special is going on at Trinity. But pastors from other congregations also trying this approach say they've seen it bring new life, new energy, and a new commitment to ministry at the churches they serve.

Uncategorized

MRTI talking to companies re: divestment; overtures planned on issue

The question of whether the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) should divest in some companies doing business in Israel has been explosive -- but it does not appear as though specific recommendations proposing divestment in particular companies will be presented to this year's General Assembly.

The PC(USA)'s Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee, at its meeting in New York in early February, made it clear that it is continuing its discussions with a handful of companies that have been identified as possible candidates for consideration for divestiture, and won't be ready to make specific recommendations regarding those firms to the General Assembly in June.

Instead, the committee will ask for more funding to continue its exploration of the issue, and would put off any specific divestment recommendations regarding Israel until the assembly in 2008.

At the same time, however, presbyteries, through overtures, are pushing the divestment question front-and-center for this assembly. Some want the PC(USA) to stick with the 2004 action, which was intended to target companies involved with Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Uncategorized

Overtures for upcoming General Assembly highlight concerns

The overtures keep rolling in -- more than 90 ideas for the 2006 General Assembly to consider, on everything from peace in Africa to disagreements over homosexuality here at home.

           

Theological Task Force

Overture 81 from Philadelphia presbytery, proposes a direct amendment of the recommendations from the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The task force wants to strike a balance between national standards for the church and some local determination of when departures from those standards, as a matter of conscience, should be tolerated. It suggests that presbyteries and sessions determine when departures from the standards "constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and polity" and are substantial enough that a person could not be ordained or installed.

But some have argued that such language amounts to an end run around the PC(USA)'s constitutional standards, which require that for a person to be ordained, that person practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.

And Philadelphia presbytery is proposing language that would have local governing bodies determine whether a particular departure "violates a direct provision of the Book of Order," which would bar the person from being ordained. That overture also states that "it shall not be deemed reasonable or responsible" for a governing body not to maintain any Book of Order standard.

Editorials

A new Reformation?

Editors Note:  In its ongoing effort to support effective local church ministry and mission, the Outlook invites its readers to consider alternative models of church ministry being developed in sister churches around the denomination.  This editorial combines with two other articles, Presbyterians and the "40 Days of Purpose" and Purpose-Driven and Presbyterian: One new paradigm at work, to provide analysis of the purpose-driven church paradigm

 

Many Reformed Christians shook their heads in dismay when Robert Schuller's book, Self-Esteem: The New Reformation (Word Books, 1982), made its way into print.

How could he possibly think that attaining a good self-concept could replace the gospel's drama of sin ... forgiveness ... redemption, they wondered.

How could categories drawn from pop psychology supplant terms used in holy Scripture, they protested.  

The reformation he helped launch has been one not of theology but of methodology. That reformation commenced when he formed a church by visiting hundreds of Garden Grove, Calif., homes, asking folks, "Do you go to church?" and "If not, why not?" Based upon their responses, he shaped his drive-in church's liturgy around people's expressed desires rather than adhere to some of the classical traditions of the Reformed churches. In the process he jettisoned the language of Zion and replaced it with terms whose meanings were self-evident to secular people. He shortened or eliminated parts of worship perceived to be boring. In the process, communication effectiveness took precedence over confessional precision and biblical exposition.

Voices

Presbyterians and the “40 Days of Purpose”

Editors Note:  In its ongoing effort to support effective local church ministry and mission, the Outlook invites its readers to consider alternative models of church ministry being developed in sister churches around the denomination.  This analysis of the 40 Days of Purpose combines with two other articles, A new Reformation? and Purpose-Driven and Presbyterian: One new paradigm at work, to provide analysis of the purpose-driven church paradigm

 

In the spring of 2004, Covenant Church in San Antonio, Texas, joined the international throng of congregations to employ Rick Warren's "40 Days of Purpose" campaign. Our session read and discussed Warren's book, The Purpose-Driven Life, and formed the steering committee for our campaign. After paying the licensing fee, we received all the necessary resources and materials required to conduct a campaign for our congregation according to Warren's protocol.

The campaign, which invites the participation of every church member, consists of a variety of interrelated events and experiences. The most important is the reading of The Purpose-Driven Life, which is organized into 40 daily readings. Other elements include: weekly small group discussions of the readings, large group "catalytic" events such as kick-off celebrations, templates for coordination of worship services and sermons, a mission and ministry fair, and a closing celebration.

While we did not utilize all of the components of the campaign, most notably the sermon notes and outlines, we did add some distinctively Presbyterian flavors to our version of "40 Days of Purpose." For our adult Sunday church school classes, we adapted lessons from the curriculum resource The Great Ends of the Church by Joseph Small [©1997 Congregational Ministries Publishing, Presbyterian Church (USA), Louisville Ky.] It corresponds to the five purposes of The Purpose-Driven Life. The language and order are different, however, so we ordered the Great Ends according to the order of the purposes:

Worship -- The Maintenance Of Divine Worship

Fellowship -- The Shelter, Nurture, and Spiritual Fellowship of the Children of God

Discipleship -- The Preservation of the truth

Ministry -- The Promotion of Social Righteousness

Evangelism -- The Proclamation of the Gospel for the Salvation of Humankind

Editorials

Theological Task Force: Unity and purity


Also featured in the Outlook forum this issue: The challenge of true compassion by Tim Filston

 

For my first Homiletics sermon at Westminster Theological Seminary my text was Paul's challenge to the elders of the church, in Acts 20:28-31: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he has bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, grievous wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number persons will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!

At the time I preached that sermon, I was sure that the current meaning of "wolves" was "Protestant Liberals," who had explained away much of the text of Holy Scripture. After decades of historical research, I have not changed that opinion. However, I have learned that religious wolves come in many shapes and sizes. Left to ourselves, acting without the restraining or inspiring grace of God's Spirit, any of us can tear and divide the flock. A great hymn, "The Church's One Foundation," describes it:

Though with a scornful wonder
This world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed ...

When Luther wrote his first commentary on Galatians (1519), he was concerned to confront both heresy and schism. He knew that the leadership of the church was riddled by sexual antinomianism and other deadly sins, and that it was involved in theological heresy that had corrupted its center in Rome.

Editorials

Theological Task Force: The challenge of true compassion


Also featured in the Outlook forum this issue: Unity and Purity by Richard Lovelace

 

Mae West said, "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted." 

Isn't that the way we usually make compromises--we just drift a bit? We make an assumption that just seems right and worry about consequences later. Here's one: My private pursuit of happiness is no one's business. Many Americans believe that as long as we stay out of each other's lane and obey the traffic laws, then what happens inside my car should not concern you. Yet, on the contrary, what happens inside the car affects how we relate to traffic. Still, the prevailing assumption is that private freedom trumps common values. Many within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have been chasing this trend.

This drift towards the priority of the private has been gradual but steady.  And like the frog in the kettle that cannot detect the temperature rising, our common doctrinal values are slowly getting cooked. There is such confusion about doctrine that many people in the church deflect time-tested, biblical truth, thinking that they are being more Presbyterian by doing so. Some think that exchanging our confessional point of reference for the Spirit of the Age is what it means to be the "church reformed and always reforming." 

Uncategorized

What Do Elders Do?

Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of stories entitled: "What is a Presbyterian Elder?"

 

According to the Book of Order, elders have responsibilities that are rather broadly defined: "Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. They shall serve faithfully as members of the session" (G-.0302).

Uncategorized

U.S. group says religious minorities face heightened discrimination in Iran

(ENI) A U.S. religious freedom watchdog commission says it is "deeply concerned" about what it calls a worsening situation for religious minorities in Iran.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created in 1998 by the U.S. Congress to monitor the status of freedom of thought and of religious practice outside the United States. It provides independent policy recommendations to the U.S. government.

Michael Cromartie, the commission chairman, said the current pattern of rhetoric in Iran is similar to that heard during the early years of the Iranian revolution which, he said, ushered in years of severe human-rights violations against members of non-Islamic religious minorities, particularly the Baha'i community.

Uncategorized

New organization formed to urge repeal of divestment

A new Presbyterian affinity group--the Committee to End Divestment Now--has organized around an effort "to correct" what they believe was a mistake made in 2004 by the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

They are seeking repeal of the resolution calling for "a process of phased selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel." That repeal could occur at the 217th General Assembly this June.

The Committee to End Divestment Now (CEDN) is not a typical Presbyterian affinity group organized along traditional lines, such as conservative/liberal, according to organizers. It also has limited scope and duration. It doesn't plan to continue once General Assembly concludes.

Uncategorized

Foreign policy think tank begins initiative on religion

 

(RNS) With help from a former secretary of state, an influential think tank focusing on foreign relations has launched a new initiative that will study and explain the role religion plays in foreign policy.

The Council on Foreign Relations, with offices in New York City and Washington, designed the plan to expand on its existing foreign policy and religion lectures and roundtable talks. Workshops are being developed to bring religious figures together with influential foreign policy thinkers.

The effort's advisory committee includes former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

The initiative comes at a time when religion is playing a major role in the decisions of diplomats throughout the world. Tensions rose worldwide after Danish political cartoons lampooned the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, and conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims is having a profound impact on U.S. foreign policy in Iraq.

Uncategorized

2006-2008 budget cuts will total $9.15 million

LOUISVILLE -- The General Assembly mission budgets must be reduced by a total of $9.15 million between now and 2008, General Assembly Council (GAC) leaders announced on March 14.

A total of $2.7 million has to come out of the unrestricted 2006 budget, and $3.51 million more from the 2007-2008 mission budget. In addition, the restricted portion of the 2007-2008 budget must be reduced by $2.94 million.

The current mission budget -- unrestricted and restricted -- is $113.9 million. The GAC will vote on the budgets during its April 26-29 meeting.

Staff cuts resulting from the budget reductions will probably be announced on May 1.

This is clearly part of a longer trend in the church and probably most churches," GAC Executive Director John Detterick told the Presbyterian News Service in a March 15 interview. "Presbyterians are funding mission differently -- they are giving to their churches in larger amounts, but are more directly involved both in activity and funding."

The 2006 cuts are based on declining unrestricted giving by Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations and presbyteries. Unrestricted receipts in 2005 were $13.9 million -- $2.1 million less than the $16 million budgeted. The 2006 budget, also of $16 million, has been revised to $13.3 million

Voices

As Evangelicals, It’s Time We Focus on Our Own Sins

c. 2006 Religion News Service

 

When I attended the 'The Hand of God in U.S. Politics' seminar recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the attendees seemed alarmed about the power of 'the religious right.' As the panelists and attendees voiced their concern, I sat quietly wondering, 'How is it that when the world thinks of American evangelicals, it thinks primarily of political issues instead of our love for others or our loyalty to Jesus?'

It occurred to me that the misconception may be our own fault. Could it be that we have gone 'off message'? It seems that the only message many people associate with the church is a message of condemnation. After 9-11, some church leaders began pointing their fingers in blame at national social sins as the reason for what

They seemed to believe was God's judgment. Again, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we heard some Christians suggesting it was God's judgment.

But could it be that God is less concerned about the sin of the world than he is about the sin within the church?

Uncategorized

“Empathetic” listening, prayer needed on divestment, moderator tells GAC

LOUISVILLE -- Rick Ufford-Chase, moderator of the 216th General Assembly, is challenging the General Assembly Council to do some hard thinking and praying over the next two months about divestment -- warning that to approach the next General Assembly without a clear message about divestment would be a mistake.

Already, Ufford-Chase said, the overtures about divestiture are pouring in -- many in direct response to the action of the 2004 assembly, which voted to have the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pursue a policy of selective, phased divestment in some companies doing business in Israel.  That assembly wanted to take a stand regarding Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people, the building of the security barrier and Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

But the response was strong and largely unanticipated -- the assembly's divestment vote proved hugely controversial.

Some of the overtures say  "divestment was a disaster -- we should rescind it immediately," Ufford said. Others say, "It was exactly the right thing to do."  And some aim for the middle, saying "we understand the intent of divestment," and perhaps in some way we can shift it more towards positive investment in the Middle East, he said.

Uncategorized

Charitable corporation idea tabled to April GAC; too late for GA consideration

LOUISVILLE -- A proposal to create a new charitable corporation -- which advocates say could give Presbyterian Disaster Assistance more visibility, flexibility and accountability in responding to disasters and human suffering -- ran smack into a flock of questions and was put off.

That appears to mean the 2006 General Assembly will not be able to take action on this and that a move to create a nonprofit disaster and relief corporation would have to be put off until the next assembly, in 2008.

The council voted to postpone action on creating the corporation until its meeting April 26-29. But that would be too late, according to Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to meet the 120-day advance deadline for presenting items of major business to this year's assembly.

During their discussion Feb. 11, several members of the General Assembly Council said they support the idea of creating the corporation, but had too many questions about how it would be structured and governed to feel comfortable moving so quickly.

"This isn't about trust. It isn't about not wanting to change," said Michael Kruse of Missouri. "It's about wanting to change and to do it well."

Kruse added: "It's a mistake to rush ahead and create possibly more havoc."

But others said that to wait is to mean the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) would not be as effective and compassionate as it could be in responding to the world's great needs.

Uncategorized

GAC discussion on hiring ACSWP director opens debate on wider issues

LOUISVILLE -- Often, disagreements in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) get hashed out privately, in the corridors or behind closed doors.

At the General Assembly Council meeting Feb. 11, one blew up in public.

The exact issue being voted on had to do with the procedure the church should follow when it hires a coordinator for the work of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.

One underlying issue is how much freedom that committee should have -- a recognition that sometimes, recommending social policy for the denomination on issues such as abortion or the environment or war can be controversial and sometimes unpopular work. As a result, a certain amount of independence for that committee has been written into the denomination's rules.

And there is still lingering tension floating through the denomination over a controversial trip the advisory committee took to the Middle East in the fall of 2004, which included a visit with Hezbollah that drew international headlines and led to the firings of two people from the PC(USA)'s national staff.

None of that was discussed directly at this council meeting.

Voices

We begin to see

Through the Lenten window

the loudspeaker blares "Repent and Believe."

We light our candle and try to see through the darkness.

The loudspeaker won't stop:

Repent and believe. Repent and believe. Repent

   and believe.

On and on and on and on.

 

In the distance through the noise

Jesus is speaking.

Suffer. Rejection. Death. Rise in three days.

Peter's voice now through the loudspeaker,

over the voice of Jesus.

"God forbid it, Lord. This must never happen to you."

Then the One who had earlier called Peter the Rock

on whom he would build his Church,

now calls Peter Satan! Get behind me, Satan!

Peter, a stumbling block, worldly, not godly.

Peter who had followed Jesus immediately,

   fiercely, faithfully,

Peter who knew Jesus, Peter who called Jesus the Messiah,

This Peter was now a stumbling block to the One whom he

   so fervently loved!

Repent and believe! Repent and believe!

Voices

No other gods

 

Our church school teacher tried to dilute the story,

but I had a picture of Jesus with the whip in his hand

The whip was snapping ... I could almost hear it. ...

The moneychangers cowered against the whip's threat;

Tables were overturned.

Some of the men were up and running.

The cows and sheep were scattering.

Doves were scrambling in their cages.

Coins were rolling and flying through the air.

The face of Jesus showed fury!

Cows and sheep and doves sold for sacrifices,

Roman money changed into the Tyrian shekels

required for the annual head tax

that went into the temple treasury.

In other words, it was church business.

But Jesus thought otherwise:

God's house was being desecrated.

He drove the moneychangers out of the temple.

 

But that was then

and that was that.

 

Except of course.

they did tear down the temple ...

Jesus' temple

and he did rebuild it three days later.

Crucifixion. Resurrection.

Then the disciples understood

that the Church was the Body of Jesus.

 

Uncategorized

Muslim-Americans defend free speech despite ‘blasphemous’ cartoons

©Religion News Service

 

Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist and misogynist have offended Muslims in the United States as they have Muslims worldwide. But the debate raging among Muslim-Americans on college campuses, the Internet and in Islamic media has its own unique flavor because of this country's constitutional commitment to free speech.

American Muslims are adamant in their support of exercising their First Amendment right to protest the drawings through boycotts and other peaceful means, but many are embarrassed by the torching of European embassies in the Middle East and other forms of violence that have accompanied some demonstrations.

Because the cartoons constitute what he considers hate speech, the issue is not "black and white," said Junaid Ahmad, a student at the College of William and Mary's Marshall-Wythe Law School in Williamsburg, Va., who is active in national Muslim organizations. "This is not just a matter of being for freedom of speech and against freedom of speech," Ahmad said. "The first thing we should realize is that Muslims don't accept the basic framework. The principal issue here is not freedom of speech, but the Islamophobic context in which such a caricaturing of the prophet is taking place. I think that's the issue here."

Nevertheless, Ahmad said he was against laws restricting such speech. "You can't give the state too much power. It's better to fight hate not through laws but education and community organizing and activism."

Editorials

If it’s broke …

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it's broke, restructure it. 

Presbyterians in the pews may be excused for rolling their eyes over reports that the General Assembly Council is restructuring itself. Many will tell you that the GAC is broke--functionally, if not financially. Many wonder if it can be rebuilt at all. Some think it's not worth the effort.

Such a state of affairs is tragic, to say the least. Organized to implement the directives of the General Assemblies to facilitate the fulfillment of Christ's commission, the GAC is endowed with a high purpose, a broad authority, and huge resources. 

The model currently in use was structured to broaden the representation on the elected GAC and to recruit multi-gifted members to serve. On paper the structure is very post-modern, being led not by a lofty hierarchy but by representative elders and ministers who share equivalent authority with their colleagues throughout the denomination. True to those intentions, the members of the GAC have invested an enormous number of hours into the task entrusted them.

Nevertheless, the processes keep stuttering, the work keeps stumbling, and the systems keep imploding. And folks in the pews sense a widening disconnect between national church and local church.

Voices

Suffering and rejoicing together

If one member suffers, all suffer together ... (I Cor. 12:26.)

        

There are certainly many parts of the church hurting at this time. I am particularly aware of the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) and its facility in Montreat. I served as the moderator of the task forced charged with the responsibility of exploring the future direction for the PHS operations.

My first trip to Montreat was in 1970, one of the first Youth Conferences. Several members of our youth group approached the session to ask permission to raise money in order to attend the youth conference in Montreat. This was highly unusual in a PCUS church that strictly adhered to a unified budget. Our youth director took me to the PHS facility because our session had sent its records there that summer to be copied. She showed me the minutes where my name had been recorded. I was impressed that our church's records could be found in Montreat. But I was more impressed with Lookout Mountain, and the coffee house (this was the 70's) in Upper Anderson Auditorium, and the worship services. Even so, I caught a glimpse of our connectional church.

Uncategorized

Reflections from the theological center

Editor's Note: The following essay is one in a series dealing with topics of interest and importance as Presbyterians prepare for the 217th General Assembly this June in Birmingham, Ala. Author Johnson explains: "The report from the General Assembly Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church provides us both the occasion and the urgency for theological dialogue within the PC(USA.) This and succeeding essays are offered as a constructive effort in that direction."

        

The New Testament invites us to be "rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15, KJV). Sometimes it seems like the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has taken this to mean "just divide" in a win-lose strategy, winner take all. I believe the time has come to explore alternative ways to move ahead without compromising the Gospel or pursuing a win-lose approach.

The first issue to raise: Jesus Christ as the means of our salvation. Both Scripture and the Presbyterian confessions expound at length how Jesus Christ saves us from our sins and sinfulness. He is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2.) The atoning work of Jesus Christ was accomplished by his life and ministry among people, his teachings, his death on the cross, and his resurrection. I will deal with particular theories of atonement in a later essay.

The question often put to Christ's atoning work is whether Jesus is the only means of our salvation or whether he is one means of salvation among many by which God saves sinners. This question has sharply divided Presbyterians for at least several decades. In 2001 the 213th General Assembly (meeting in Louisville, Ky.) commissioned its Office of Theology and Worship to address the issue. They produced the excellent short treatise, "Hope In The Lord Jesus Christ." Hope ably surveys the creeds and confessions of the PC(USA) and reaffirms the centrality of Jesus Christ for the Gospel, hence for Presbyterians.

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