Presbyterians and Latter-day Saints

[Sleeping in EQ]

The link is to the Presbyterian Church USA's statement on interfaith relations with the LDS Church:


http://www.pcusa.org/interfaith/study/lds.htm

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

The link is to the Presbyterian Church USA's statement on interfaith relations with the LDS Church:


http://www.pcusa.org/interfaith/study/lds.htm

In light of the Erasmus comma which created the trinitarian doctrine, the statement is almost comical, if they weren't so serious.

[MikeWaters]

Presbyterians are a joke.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Presbyterians are a joke.

I don't know anything about Presbyterians. What is it about them that you don't like?

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

I don't know anything about Presbyterians. What is it about them that you don't like?

they are a generic liberal protestant group with no particular beliefs or practices to distinguish them who are quickly disappearing. the struggle over gay sex among its ministry is hastening their extinction.

[MikeWaters]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyt...urch_%28USA%29

Homosexual Ordination and Membership

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) currently is struggling with the issue of Biblical interpretation, particularly as it relates to homosexuality. The Book of Order prohibits the ordination of those who are not faithful in marriage or chaste in singleness (G-6.0106b). Several attempts have been made to remove this from the Book of Order but no attempt has received both the necessary votes at the General Assembly and approval of enough presbyteries. Sexually-active gay people remain welcome as members, although officially they cannot serve as pastors, elders or deacons.

Many Presbyterian scholars, pastors, and theologians have been heavily involved in the debate over homosexuality. In 2005, a female minister in Pennsylvania came under scrutiny after performing a marriage between a lesbian couple, including infusion of Buddhist rites in the ceremony. Her case is to be heard by the church's court. Officially, the church condones clergy-performed blessing ceremonies for same sex unions, given that they do not constitute marriages.

In the General Assembly gathering of June 2006, Presbyterian voting Commissioners heightened the debate by passing an "authoritative interpretation" of their church constitution (referred to as the Book of Order). Some argued that this gave local ordaining bodies (referred to as presbyteries) the "local option" of ordaining, or not ordaining anyone based on a particular presbytery's reading of the constitutional statute (which has been in force since the 1700s). On June 20, 2006, the General Assembly voted 298 to 221 (or 57% to 43%) to approve such interpretation.

The 2006 Report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church[1] attempted to find common ground. Some felt that the adoption of this report provided for a clear local option mentioned, while the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Clifton Kirkpatrick went on record as saying, "Our standards have not changed. The rules of the Book of Order stay in force and all ordinations are still subject to review by higher governing bodies." The authors of the report stated that it is a compromise and return to the original Presbyterian culture of local controls. The recommendation for more control by local sessions is viewed by its opposition as a method for bypassing the constitutional restrictions currently in place concerning ordination and marriage. A clear understanding of what the General Assembly voted upon in 2006 will have to wait until the ecclesiastical courts are forced to make decisions on specific cases.

At the General Assembly of 2004 an overture to consider adoption of the Belhar Confession was adopted. That confession was written by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in response to apartheid. In the American context it is seen to apply to the issue of sexual orientation. Adoption of the confession will be considered at the 2008 General Assembly.

Since 1980, the More Light Churches Network has united those congregations and individuals within American Presbyterianism who support full inclusion of LGBT people in the life of the church.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

they are a generic liberal protestant group with no particular beliefs or practices to distinguish them who are quickly disappearing. the struggle over gay sex among its ministry is hastening their extinction.

Damn Presbyterian Homos! It's weird I've never met a Presbyterian. I'll have to read up on them tonight.

[MikeWaters]

I've attend a presbyterian service. It was a very wealthy congregation. Impressive building, pastors who gave nice sermons. The friend who I went with wasn't particularly attached. She wouldn't consider herself a "presybterian" though she went there. I suspect this is true of many presbyterians.

All the mainline protestant religions are in serious decline.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I've attend a presbyterian service. It was a very wealthy congregation. Impressive building, pastors who gave nice sermons. The friend who I went with wasn't particularly attached. She wouldn't consider herself a "presybterian" though she went there. I suspect this is true of many presbyterians.

All the mainline protestant religions are in serious decline.

Maybe I should attend a Presbyterian church. When they finally disband, I can tell my wife that I'd like to go to church, but it doesn't exist anymore. How much time do I have before it happens? I don't want to get on the train too soon.