26 January 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Abortionist and Nine Others Arrested after Grand Jury Indictments Including Eight Counts of Murder

[2] 300,000 Additional U.S. Breast Cancer Deaths Caused by Abortion since 1973 Roe. Vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court Decision

[3] Logos Bible Software in Conjunction with Desiring God Conference for Pastors Offering Free Download of “Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne” by Andrew Bonar and Robert Murray McCheyne

[4] Erskine Executive Vice President Neely Gaston Resigns; Erskine Seminary Professor Dr. Stephen D. Lowe, Sr., Appointed Acting Vice President; Erskine President David Norman Blames Ten Percent Drop in Donations on “Fair Weather Friends”

[5] PCA Proposed Constitutional Changes Defeated by Presbytery Votes

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[1] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Abortionist and Nine Others Arrested after Grand Jury Indictments Including Eight Counts of Murder

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, abortionist Kermit Gosnell, his wife, and eight other suspects were arrested 19 January 2011 after a grand jury handed down indictments including eight counts of murder, conspiracy, drug offenses, and other crimes. Gosnell is charged with the murder of Karnamaya Mongar, 41, on 20 November 2009, after Mongar was overdosed on painkillers during an abortion in her eighteenth or nineteenth week of pregnancy, and for the murder of seven babies who were born alive during failed illegal late-term abortions, then killed by Gosnell or his clinic workers.

Gosnell and four of his clinic workers were charged with murdering the delivered babies by cutting into the necks of the babies with scissors and severing the babies’ spinal cords.

When police raided the home of Gosnell and arrested the abortionist, US$240,000 in cash was found in the residence. Gosnell’s clinic received US$325 for abortions carried out during the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy, and received US$1600 to US$3000 for performing late-term abortions on unborn babies in their thirtieth week of development in the womb. The abortuary took in between US$10,000 and US$15,000 per day.

The editor notes the irony of the widespread attention being given to Gosnell’s grizzly death chamber for unborn babies and some of the babies’ mothers, when for many years “legal” late-term abortion facilities have practiced the same barbarity and murder, including a procedure called “partial-birth abortion” where, after labor is induced, the late-term prenatal infant has its torso and limbs breech delivered, then the abortionist stabs a scissors into the back of the baby’s neck and into the brain, sucks out the infant’s brain, then crushes the skull and completes delivery of the now-dead baby.


+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com

+ Operation Rescue, Post Office Box 782888, Wichita, Kansas 67278, 800-705-1175, Fax: 916-244-2636, info@operationrescue.org

+ ABC News, 7 West 66th Street, New York, New York 10023, Contact Page


[2] 300,000 Additional U.S. Breast Cancer Deaths Caused by Abortion since 1973 Roe. Vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court Decision

The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer on 19 January 2011 announced the findings of four epidemiological studies and one medical office journal article published during the past two years proving the link between women having an abortion and later developing breast cancer.

One of the epidemiological studies showed a thirty percent greater risk of contracting breast cancer among women that have had an abortion than in the general population, and extrapolates that the 50 million abortions performed since the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision have caused an additional 1.5 million cases of breast cancer resulting in the deaths of an additional 300,000 women.

Approximately fifty epidemiological studies made since 1957, along with biological and experimental studies have supported a link between abortion and increased incidences of breast cancer, and eleven articles and studies are cited showing that nearly all of the approximately twenty studies that deny a link between abortion and breast cancer “are seriously flawed (fraudulent)….[and] like the tobacco-cancer cover-up,…are used to snow women into believing abortion is safe.”


+ Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, Post Office Box 957133, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60195, 847-421-4000, response@abortionbreastcancer.com

+ Supreme Court of the United States, One First Street Northeast, Washington DC 20543, 202-479-3000


[3] Logos Bible Software in Conjunction with Desiring God Conference for Pastors Offering Free Download of “Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne” by Andrew Bonar and Robert Murray McCheyne

Logos Bible Software in conjunction with the Rev. John Piper’s Desiring God Conference for Pastors is offering through midnight 4 February 2011 a free download of the Logos eBook “Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne” by Andrew Bonar and Robert Murray McCheyne.

The Logos overview states: “Written by Andrew Alexander Bonar, brother of Horatius Bonar, this is a moving and passionate account of Robert Murray McCheyne. Bonar, a great friend of McCheyne, wrote this biography a year after the death of McCheyne. He includes a detailed and insightful portrayal of McCheyne’s youth and ministry, providing personal anecdotes, as well as quotes and poems from McCheyne. The work is also comprised of dozens of letters, sketches of sermons, and several essays previously published. This biography and collection of McCheyne’s writings will enhance your understanding and appreciation of this devoted man of God.”

The eBook can be accessed by the Logos Bible Software base product and higher, and on the free Logos app for PC, Mac, or iPhone/iPad, available for download at http://www.logos.com/.


+ Logos Bible Software, 1313 Commercial Street, Bellingham, Washington 98225, 360-527-1700, Fax: 360527-1707, customerservice@logos.com

+ Desiring God, Post Office Box 2901, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, 612-435-2401, Fax: 612-338-4372, mail@desiringgod.org


[4] Erskine Executive Vice President Neely Gaston Resigns; Erskine Seminary Professor Dr. Stephen D. Lowe, Sr., Appointed Acting Vice President; Erskine President David Norman Blames Ten Percent Drop in Donations on “Fair Weather Friends”

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) announced 20 January 2011 that Erskine Theological Seminary Executive Vice President Dr. Neely Gaston had resigned, citing Dr. Gaston’s “renewed call to pastoral ministry”. Dr. Gaston has been criticized for involvement in several controversial issues at Erskine, including the acceptance of Mormon and Muslim military chaplains into Erskine Seminary’s D.Min. program.

Erskine College and Theological Seminary President David A. Norman announced 21 January 2011 that Erskine Seminary Professor of Christian Education Dr. Stephen D. Lowe, Sr. will serve as acting vice president pending consideration of the appointment of Dr. Lowe as Interim Vice President at the February 2011 Erskine Board of Trustees meeting.

A 7 January 2011 article by Don K. Clements in The Aquila Report titled “Erskine College/Seminary President David Norman sends State of the School Email to Board Members” cites a 3 January 2011 email message by Erskine President Norman to fifty voting and advisory members of the Erskine Board of Trustees and Erskine senior staff outlining his six month tenure as president, where Dr. Norman attributed Erskine’s ten percent drop in donations between 2009 and 2010 to ‘Fair-Weather Friends’.

Dr. Norman may need to retain his figurative umbrella, as the editor has learned that several ARP churches, concerned that no substantive changes have been made to the unbiblical and un-confessional issues that brought about the Moderator’s Commission on Erskine and the emergency called meeting of the ARP General Synod in March 2010, are refusing financial contributions to the ARP General Synod for use in the funding of Erskine College and Theological Seminary. The ARP General Synod suggests as a general goal that annual contributions made by churches to the synod be equal to twenty percent of the church’s annual budget.


+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729

+ Erskine College and Theological Seminary, 2 Washington Street, Due West, South Carolina 29639, 864-379-2131, 864-379-2167, norman@erskine.edu

+ The Aquila Report, c/o Metokos Press, 211 Main Street, Suite 108, Narrows, Virginia 24124, 540-726-8223, operations@theaquilareport.com


[5] PCA Proposed Constitutional Changes Defeated by Presbytery Votes

A 22 January 2011 article by Dominic Aquila in The Aquila Report titled “Proposed Amendments to PCA BCO 14 Defeated, Vote of Presbyteries is 29-27 as of January 22” reports that twenty-nine Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) presbyteries, two more than the one-third required, have voted against the proposed amendments to Chapter 14 of the PCA Book of Church Order regarding the funding of the PCA Administrative Committee, and thus have defeated adoption of the amendments. Twenty-seven PCA presbyteries had voted in favor of the amendments as of 22 January 2011.


+ The Aquila Report, c/o Metokos Press, 211 Main Street, Suite 108, Narrows, Virginia 24124, 540-726-8223, operations@theaquilareport.com

+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org

19 January 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] The Syncretist Driven Life

[2] Millard Fillmore Becomes U.S. President…

[3] Thirteen Queens, New York, Abortion Clinics Now Making Adoption Referrals to Bethany Christian Services

[4] Dallas, Texas, Public Schools Charging Students with Class “C” Misdemeanors in Lieu of Detention Slips

[5] Somali Mother of Four Slaughtered for her Christian Faith

[6] Pakistani Police Threaten Father and Supporters after Murdering Christian Son

[7] Reformed Presbyterian Pastor Arrested for Protesting State Visit of Chinese Communist President Hu Jintao

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[1] The Syncretist Driven Life

On 15 January 2011, Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren joined with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Daniel Amen, and Dr. Mark Hyman, to kick off a fifty-two week program for a healthier lifestyle called The Daniel Plan. The Daniel Plan, located on the Saddleback Church website, will feature weekly blog posts and articles from the Drs. Oz, Amen, Hyman, and Pastor Warren offering advice, encouragement, guidance, and other resources.

Dr. Oz is Professor of Cardiac Surgery at Columbia University, is a follower of the cult of Swedenborgianism, which denies the atonement, the trinity, and the deity of the Holy Spirit, believes all religions lead to God and that Christianity must go through a rebirth; does not believe in a personal devil; believes that the Bible is not inspired, and believes that when people die, they become an angel or an evil spirit.

Dr. Amen is a teacher of tantric sex, a Hindu mystical approach to sex, and teaches eastern religion meditation and energy-based Reiki, a New Age practice.

Dr. Hyman promotes mystical meditation based on Buddhist principles.

Christian Investigator President Steve McConkey commented:

"It is troubling for a top pastor in the United States to promote false teachers. We are living at an all-time low spiritually in the United States with weak leaders. We need to teach basic Bible principles without legalism."


+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com

+ Christian Investigator, c/o 4 WINDS, Post Office Box 1642, Madison, Wisconsin 53701, 608-469-7956, 4TrackandField@gmail.com

+ Saddleback Church, 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest, California 92630, 949-609-8000, Fax: 949-609-8002, info@saddleback.net


[2] Millard Fillmore Becomes U.S. President…

…in July 1850, after U.S. President Zachary Taylor dies in office.
As the old adage goes: “What does this have to do with the price of eggs?”...or of very old eggs?…or of homeschooling in California for that matter?

The 12 January 2011 Presbyterians Week article “[4] California Appellate Court Rules Home School Teachers Must Have State Government Recognized Teaching Credentials” was summarized from the 6 March 2006 Los Angeles Times, but showed up in search engines two weeks ago as an article with “2011” as the only date on the article’s web page.

As the editor preparing the 12 January 2011 Presbyterians Week was in presto tempo when adagio, or at most allegro, would have been more appropriate, the article’s actual origination date, contained in the URL, was overlooked, and Presbyterians Week readers were treated to an almost five-years-stale news item.

Subsequently, a 9 August 2008 Los Angeles Times article by Seema Mehta titled “Court Reverses Home-School Ruling” announced that the California Appellate Court, on 8 August 2008, reversed their 2006 decision, the overruling decision being praised by then-Governor and currently governorship-terminated and US$200 million poorer Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As for Millard Fillmore, he was denied the presidential nomination of his party in 1852 because of northern party members that Whigged-out over Fillmore’s signing of the Fugitive Slave Act, and in 1856 Fillmore ran for U.S. President as the nominee of the Know Nothing Party, which some in the 21^st century believe remains alive in spirit as the actual political party of virtually every elected and appointed official in Washington DC.


+ Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, 213-237-5000, Fax: 213-237-7679, Contact Page

+ The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20500, 202-456-1414, Fax: 202-456-2461, Contact Page


[3] Thirteen Queens, New York, Abortion Clinics Now Making Adoption Referrals to Bethany Christian Services

In the summer of 2010, representatives from Bethany Christian Services (BCS) visited the thirteen abortion clinics located within a one and one-half mile stretch of Queens, New York City, New York, known as “abortion row” to educate the clinic workers about adoption and to ask the clinics to refer to BCS women whose pregnancies are too advanced for abortion and women seeking alternatives to abortion.

All thirteen clinics agreed to make referrals to BCS, and BCS has already received several referrals from the clinics.

BCS asks for prayer for the women referred to BCS, that BCS would not only be able to provide a superior alternative to what these women would find on "abortion row," but that they would express the love of Christ as well, and that the young women coming to them would encounter Christ and choose life.


+ Mission Network News, 1159 East Beltline Avenue Northeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525, 616-942-1500, Fax: 616-942-7328

+ Bethany Christian Services, 901 Eastern Avenue Northeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501, 800-238-4269, Fax: 616-224-7611, Contact Page


[4] Dallas, Texas, Public Schools Charging Students with Class “C” Misdemeanors in Lieu of Detention Slips

A 12 January 2011 article on the CBS-Dallas/Fort Worth web site titled “Schools Giving Tickets, Not Detention Slips, Report Says” reports that the Texas Appleseed social/economic group has collected data from the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District (DISD) showing that over five years, 1200 elementary school students were issued tickets for class C misdemeanors for transgressions such as class disruption, leaving school early, and schoolyard fights not involving weapons. Each ticket can cost the student’s family up to US$500.

A DISD statement says: “The district’s number one priority is safety and the learning environment should never be compromised. The vast majority of our students are not disruptive. Those who do receive tickets are hopefully learning that their actions have consequences.”


+ CBS-Dallas/Fort Worth, 5233 Bridge Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76103, 817-451-1111, cbs11@ktvt.com


[5] Somali Mother of Four Slaughtered for her Christian Faith

A 17 January 2011 Compass Direct News Service article titled “Somali Mother of Four Slaughtered for her Faith” reports that Muslim al Shabaab militia members tapped the telephone of Somali mother of four Asha Mberwa, where they confirmed that Mrs. Mberwa had become a Christian. al Shabaab militia members subsequently arrested Mrs. Mberwa, then murdered her by cutting her throat in front of villagers called out of their homes to witness the killing.

Mrs. Mberwa is survived by her husband, who was out of town when she was arrested and killed, and four children ages 12, 8, 6 and 4.


+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org


[6] Pakistani Police Threaten Father and Supporters after Murdering Christian Son

An 18 January 2011 Compass Direct News Service article titled “Pakistani Police Allegedly Make Threats after Murdering Christian” reports that on 6 January 2011, policemen in Karachi, Pakistan, arrested without warrant or charges, kidnapped, sodomized, tortured, murdered, and threw into a sewer the body of eighteen-year-old Waqas Gill who was a Christian.

Two Muslim police officers have been arrested for Gill’s murder, and two others are still at large, their freedom being abetted by police inaction. Police have threatened to kill or charge with false crimes the murdered man’s father and his supporters if they do not withdraw the charges against the officers.

Six other Christian youths have been similarly murdered.


+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org


[7] Reformed Presbyterian Pastor Arrested for Protesting State Visit of Chinese Communist President Hu Jintao

Reformed Presbyterian pastor and director of the Christian Defense Coalition the Rev. Patrick Mahoney was arrested 18 January 2011 for staging a protest in front of the White House in Washington DC against the state visit of Communist China President Hu Jintao.

Before his arrest, Pastor Mahoney drew attention to a Christian Chinese woman beaten by the Chinese government and Nobel Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo who could not attend the Nobel Prize award ceremony because the Chinese government had imprisoned him for speaking out for freedom and democratic reforms in China.


Pastor Mahoney stated:

"We are calling upon President Obama to publicly, passionately and boldly speak out against the human and religious rights abuses by the Chinese government against their own people when President Hu Jintao visits the White House this week.

"Sadly, the Obama Administration has remained painfully silent when it comes to the China's utter disregard for human rights and religious freedom. He has refused to speak out against their policy of forced abortion and gendercide against Chinese women.

"I am brining this single empty chair to serve as a prophetic reminder and witness to President Obama that it is more important to honor and remember those who cannot attend this State Dinner rather than those who will be in attendance. While the guests are dining on expensive and extravagant food there will be scores who will be oppressed and behind bars by the Chinese government because of their faith and political beliefs; people like Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo who is in prison, Christians who are in prison, Falun Gong members and Buddhist Monks who are in prison and women who are fleeing forced abortion and gendercide.

"We simply ask President Obama to embrace justice and human rights and live out the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King when he said, 'He who accepts evil without protesting against it, is really cooperating with it.'"


+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com

12 January 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Chuck Colson to Deliver Address at 11 February 2011 Inauguration of RTS-Orlando, Florida, President Dr. Donald W. Sweeting

[2] End-of-Life Planning Provision References Deleted from New Medicare Regulations

[3] Christian Anti-Defamation Commission Publishes Top Ten Ant-Christian Events of 2010

[4] California Appelate Court Rules Home School Teachers Must Have State Government Recognized Teaching Credentials

[5] Mid-East Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Leaving to Establish Reformed Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

[6] Presbyterian Minister in Korea Assaulted by Two Junior Ministers

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[1] Chuck Colson to Deliver Address at 11 February 2011 Inauguration of RTS-Orlando, Florida, President Dr. Donald W. Sweeting

Dr. Donald W. Sweeting will be inaugurated as president of Reformed Theological Seminary - Orlando (RTS-Orlando) in Oviedo, Florida, at 4:00 p.m. on 11 February 2011.

Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship and former aide to the late President Richard M. Nixon, will deliver the address.

The inauguration ceremony will be preceded by a 1:00 p.m. Scholars Forum, with several noted scholars discussing “The Future of the New Calvinism and Evangelicalism in the 21st Century,” including Dr. Bruce Ware of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. John Woodbridge of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dr. Michael Allen of Knox Theological Seminary, and Dr. Scott Swain of RTS-Orlando.


+ Reformed Theological Seminary - Orlando, 1231 Reformation Drive, Oviedo, Florida 32765, 407-366-9493, Fax: 407-366-9425

+ The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2825 Lexington Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40280, 800-626-5525, Contact Page

+ Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2065 Half Day Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015, 800-345-8337, tedsadm@tiu.edu

+ Knox Theological Seminary, 5554 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308, 954-771-0376, Fax: 954-351-3343, Administration@KnoxSeminary.edu


[2] End-of-Life Planning Provision References Deleted from New Medicare Regulations

A 4 January 2011 article by Robert Pear in the New York Times titled “U.S. Alters Rule on Paying for End-of-Life Planning” reports that the administration of U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama will delete references to end-of-life planning from the annual physical exam provisions for Medicare recipients under the new health care legislation.

End-of-life planning proposals for the new health care law were dropped from the legislation due to widespread fears that the provisions would lead to government rationing of health care through resultant ‘death panels’. The end-of-life planning provisions were not contained in the proposed rules published in July 2010 for public comment, but appeared in the final regulation published in the Federal Register in late November 2010.


+ New York Times, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, 212- 556-1234, executive-editor@nytimes.com


[3] Christian Anti-Defamation Commission Publishes Top Ten Ant-Christian Events of 2010

DefendChristians.org, a ministry of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, recently conducted an online poll of what were the Top Ten Anti-Christian Events in 2010, which resulted in the following list:

10. Eighty-eight Pro-Lifers were arrested for protesting President Obama’s participation at a leading Catholic university, Notre Dame, and await trial for standing up for true Christian values.

9. Southern Poverty Law Center; A liberal ACLU-like organization that has continued to label many Christian organizations that hold traditional values as “hate groups” in lists that include violent racists groups.

8. Larry Grard; Christian journalist fired from his job for sending an e-mail from his personal account on his own time in support of traditional marriage.

7. Stephen Ocean and Tite Sufra; two young men who were murdered in Boynton Beach, Florida while out sharing the gospel in their neighborhood.

6. Chai Feldblum; a liberal law professor and open lesbian, appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Feldblum stated that in any conflict that might arise between religious liberty and homosexual “rights” she would have a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win; or “Gay’s win; Christians lose.”

5. Michigan Muslims attack AGAIN; Christians attacked, denied their civil rights and falsely arrested for disorderly conduct at a public festival for peacefully sharing the gospel. This happened the previous year, too. They were again acquitted of all charges.

4. Elena Kagan; President Obama’s radical appointment to the Supreme Court bench. While serving under the Clinton Administration, Kagan successfully corrupted unfavorable evidence on partial birth abortion to deceive the Supreme Court.

3. Julea Ward and Jennifer Keeton; two women expelled from their respective Master’s programs in counseling at two different universities because they wouldn’t deny their faith and affirm the validity of the homosexual lifestyle.

2. Vaughn Walker; California judge who overturned Proposition 8, a State Constitutional Marriage Amendment, and the will of the people by making homosexual marriage legal.

1. Employment Non-Discrimination Act; a proposed federal bill that would force ministries to hire people who oppose their beliefs or who live in open defiance of their values.


+ Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, Post Office Box 1115, Vista, California 92085, 866-508-2232, Fax: 760-630-2232, contact@christianadc.org


[4] California Appellate Court Rules Home School Teachers Must Have State Government Recognized Teaching Credentials

A January 2011 article by Seema Mehta and Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times titled “Ruling Seen as a Threat to Many Home-Schooling Families” reports that the California Appellate Court recently ruled that home school teachers must have state government recognized teaching credentials.

Enforcement of the appeals court decision is unlikely pending an appeal to the California Supreme Court.


+ Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, 213-237-5000, Fax: 213-237-7679, Contact Page


[5] Mid-East Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Leaving to Establish Reformed Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

An 11 January 2011 article by Kenneth Ofoma on AllAfrica.com titled “Nigeria: East Synod Forms New Presbyterian Church” reports that the Mid-East Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) has announced a breakaway from the PCN to form the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (RPCN).

RPCN steering committee spokesman the Rev. Eze Nwonu Eze said that the current PCN is being administered by powerful interest groups that arrogate to themselves the power to set aside the Church's constitution, laws, policies, and procedures that have guided the PCN for more than 164 years, not by the graded and constituted courts of the Church.

Mr. Eze alleges that the PCN General Assembly Administration considers the Mid-East Synod to be an inconsequential Synod which should be seen, exploited, and not heard, which is against natural justice and principles of Presbyterian democracy.

The crisis between the PCN and the Mid-East Synod began in 2010 when the General Assembly inaugurated a General Assembly Moderator, the position of which being strongly opposed by elders of the PCN Mid East Synod.

Article “[3] Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Indefinitely Suspends Seven Clergy, Two Elders, and Three Others for Alleged Acts of Insubordination and Lawlessness Capable of Destabilizing the Church and Causing a Breach of Public Peace” in the 5 January 2011 Presbyterians Week reported that Mr. Eze was one of twelve ministers, elders, and church members suspended indefinitely from the PCN by the PCN General Assembly Executive Committee.


+ AllAfrica.com, 920 M Street Southeast, Washington DC 20003, 202- 546-0777, Fax: 202-546-0676

+ Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, 26 Ehere Road, Post Office Box 2635, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, 082-234-780


[6] Presbyterian Minister in Korea Assaulted by Two Junior Ministers

A 4 January 2011 article in The Korea Herald titled “Lee’s Church in Pastor Punch-Up” reports that the Rev. Kim Jie-chul of the Somang Presbyterian Church in southern Seoul, Korea, on 2 January 2011 was assaulted by two junior pastors protesting their reduced duties in the church, one being fired in 2010 and the other being assigned no duties for 2011.

Pastor Kim was assaulted by the two in the church office, sustained broken bones around one eye, and was hospitalized.

The two junior pastors admitted to attacking Pastor Kim, but said that Kim assaulted them too. Police planned to question Pastor Kim about the assault when his medical condition improved.

The Somang Presbyterian Church has suffered internal divisions between supporters and opponents of the pastor since 2003 when Pastor Kim began to lead the church.


+ The Korea Herald, C.P.O. Box 6479, Postal Code: 100-120, Seoul, Korea, 02- 727-0205, 0206, Fax: 02-727-0670, editor@heraldm.com

+ Presbyterian Church of Korea, 02-3499-7600, prok@chol.com

5 January 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Christian Observer Highlights for January 2011

[2] Official PCA Publication Couches Support for and Opposition to Proposed BCO Amendments Regarding Administrative Committee Funding in Terms of “Liberal” Presbyterianism vs. “Conservative” Presbyterianism

[3] Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Indefinitely Suspends Seven Clergy, Two Elders, and Three Others for Alleged Acts of Insubordination and Lawlessness Capable of Destabilizing the Church and Causing a Breach of Public Peace

[4] New Children’s Biography of John Owen Reviewed

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[1] Christian Observer Highlights for January 2011

New articles for January 2011 in the Christian Observer include:

-- How is the Gold Leaf Peeled Off – by retired Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) pastor the Rev. Dr. Carl Bogue – republication of a 1994 article from The Presbyterian Advocate regarding:

- Problems of biblical and confessional integrity at the founding of the PCA, including politicized church courts and toleration of doctrinal aberrations;

- The “Century Place Gate” scandal where eleven non-profit and twelve for-profit corporations listed the PCA Office Building at 1852 Century Place as the corporate registered office;

- The audit commissioned by the PCA 20^th General Assembly to investigate “Century Place Gate” and other matters – the request for the audit results being denied to the Committee of Commissioners on Administration at the PCA 21^st General Assembly (and remain secret to the present day); and,

- The unofficial draft document Dr. Bogue dubbed the “Atlanta Affirmation”, a.k.a. A Statement of Identity for the Presbyterian Church in America (subtitled PCA Consensus 1994), where loosening of subscription standards for PCA Teaching Elders were proposed , and where criticism of and opposition to the actions of PCA denominational leaders was condemned.

Included with the article are links to “Century Place Gate” corporate data, and to the unofficial draft document PCA Consensus 1994;

And,

-- God’s Call to Avoid the Digital Void in Education – by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – the negative effects of “Digital Distraction” on educational achievement;

Plus, regular features including weekly Sabbath School Lessons and Westminster Shorter Catechism lessons by Christian Observer Assistant Editor Dr. Robert LaMay, and Daily Devotionals by T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.


+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 20110, christianobserver@christianobserver.org
.

[2] Official PCA Publication Couches Support for and Opposition to Proposed BCO Amendments Regarding Administrative Committee Funding in Terms of “Liberal” Presbyterianism vs. “Conservative” Presbyterianism

A 4 January 2011 byFaith Magazine article titled “The Current Debate: Will the AC Funding Plan Make the PCA More Liberal?” fires the opening salvo in the January 2011 resumption of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Administrative Committee’s campaign for the hearts and minds of PCA presbyteries that soon will be considering and voting upon proposed amendments to the PCA Book of Church Order (BCO) regarding the funding of the PCA Administrative Committee.

The byFaith Magazine article couches support for and opposition to the BCO amendments respectively in terms of “Liberal” Presbyterianism versus “Conservative” Presbyterianism, characterizing opposition to the amendments as arising from fear that the unintended consequences of the amendments, if enacted, “will tilt the PCA in a liberal direction”.

Several opponents of the BCO amendments consider the byFaith Magazine article an inaccurate portrayal of the opposing position. One of the responses to the article sent to byFaith Magazine states:

“….The argument of those opposed to the plan is not that it will make that the PCA “liberal” but that the PCA is supposed to be a biblical denomination and the plan isn't biblical. The biblical model followed by the Apostolic church was "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor. 9:7) and they didn't change this to a system of involuntary giving even when the church leadership were in the midst of a terrible famine! I'd humbly ask that if you are going to give the other side of the funding argument, that you would do so in a manner that the proponents of alternative plans would recognize.”


+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org


[3] Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Indefinitely Suspends Seven Clergy, Two Elders, and Three Others for Alleged Acts of Insubordination and Lawlessness Capable of Destabilizing the Church and Causing a Breach of Public Peace

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) has suspended indefinitely the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Elder Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, for acts of insubordination and lawlessness capable of destabilizing the PCN and causing a breach of public peace.

Also suspended were the Commissioner for Works in the Ebonyi State Government, Engineer Paul Okorie, Elder C. I. Ewa, Elder Jombo Ukoma, Mr. Odicha Ude, the Rev. Ibiam Egwu Ukeni, the Rev. Eze Nwonu Eze, the Rev. Dr. Amarachi Nnachi Ukoma, the Rev. Michael Ani, the Rev. Aka Aka Ibiam, the Rev. David Amaramo, and the Rev. Nze Nsie Eke. Mr. Eke additionally was removed from office as Secretary of the PCN’s Board of Trustees.

The PCN made the decision at an emergency meeting of the PCN General Assembly Executive Committee, which was held at St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.

In a statement issued after the meeting, PCN Director of Information and Public Affairs, the Rev. Kalu Eme, said Prof. Ogbu and the others were disciplined for violating their ordination and membership vows. Mr. Eme said the PCN discovered that the duo had been using State apparatus as Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Works in the Ebonyi State Government to sponsor some rebellious members of the PCN in actions designed to destabilize the PCN and cause socio-political disharmony.

According to Mr. Eme, the anti-PCN activities of those disciplined included the illegal induction of a PCN minister against the approval and procedure of the PCN and acts of threat and intimidation on the lives, property, and employment of some ministers working in the PCN Mid-East Synod, which comprise Afikpo/Unwana, Uburu, Onicha, Edda and Okposi Presbyteries. The PCN also received reports that the suspended men were planning for an unconstitutional public rally in the Presbyterian Church, Afikpo Parish.

The PCN additionally petitioned the Governor of Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Chief Martin Elechi, to use his good offices to restrain his Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Works and their cohorts from further acts of intimidation and threat to the lives and work of non-indigenous PCN ministers in the PCN Mid-East Synod.

In a letter, the PCN described the activities of the suspended men as being capable of causing disaffection and division in the house of God, and additionally that the activities are likely to cause a breach of public peace which could cause communal crisis in the areas involved and endanger the forthcoming 2011 General Elections. Copies of the letter additionally were circulated to the National Secretary and Ebonyi State Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party.


+ The Rev. Kalu U. Eme, Director of Information & Public Affairs, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, 26 Ehere Road, Post Office Box 2635, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, 082-234-780


[4] New Children’s Biography of John Owen Reviewed

A new children’s biography of John Owen by Simonetta Carr titled “Christian Biographies for Young Readers: John Owen” was reviewed by United Reformed Churches in North America pastor the Rev. William Boekestein in a 23 December 2010 article by on the Life Reformation website titled “New Children’s Book on John Owen”.


+ Life Reformation, 47 South Church Street, Carbondale, Pennsylvania 18407, info@lifereformation.org

+ Reformation Heritage Books, 2965 Leonard Street Northeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525, 616-977-0599, orders@heritagebooks.org

+ United Reformed Churches in North America, c/o the Rev. Bradd Nymeyer, 227 1st Avenue Southeast, Sioux Center, Iowa 51250, 712-722-1965, statedclerk@urcna.org