27 April 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Erskine College and Theological Seminary Faculty Release Statement Against Barthian Views of Scripture

[2] San Francisco, California’s ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ Celebrate Easter with ‘Hunky Jesus’ Contest

[3] Yorkshire, England, Christian Driver Exonerated and Allowed to Continue Displaying Palm Cross in Work Van

[4] Good Friday Statement by Christian Defense Coalition and National Clergy Council Leaders Condemn Florida Pastor Terry Jones’ Plans to Protest at Dearborn, Michigan Mosque

[5] Al Shabaab Muslim Militants in Somalia Murder New Christian Convert

[6] Algerian Christians Arrested for Sharing Faith with Neighbors; Face Possible Five Year Prison Sentence

[7] Utah’s Largest PCUSA Congregation Distributing Copies of the Koran

[8] New Jersey PCUSA Church Offers Dietetic Communion Elements

[9] Logos Bible Software Taking Pre-Orders for English Translation of Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek ) by Geerhardus Vos

[10] CRCNA and RCA Launch Joint Church-Planting Movement

[11] Religious Institute Protests Efforts to Federally Defund Planned Parenthood

[12] New Hungarian Constitution Affirms Personhood of the Unborn

[13] Baby Joseph, Sentenced to Death by Canadian Doctors’ Death Panel via Denial of Life Support, Returns Home after Successful Tracheotomy at St. Louis, Missouri Hospital

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[1] Erskine College and Theological Seminary Faculty Release Statement Against Barthian Views of Scripture

A “Good Friday Statement by Concerned Faculty Members of Erskine Theological Seminary and Erskine College” was released 22 April 2011, and was posted to the Reformation21 Blog by Erskine Theological Seminary professor the Rev. William B. Evans, PhD, and along with Dr. Evans was signed by five additional college and seminary faculty members.

The statement says that the “ARP Church has historically held to a high view of Scripture as inerrant in the original autographs” and that the ARP Church “has consistently rejected Barthian and Neo-Orthodox refusals to speak of the inerrancy of Scripture and to affirm unequivocally that Scripture is, rather than becomes, the Word of God. Furthermore, the clear lesson of history is that Barthian fuzziness on the inspiration and authority of Scripture has had a disastrous impact on the mission and witness of the Church in Europe, Great Britain, North America, and elsewhere.”

The statement goes on to condemn “decades of theological conflict between the Church and the Seminary over the inspiration and authority of the Bible”, and that “Barthianism continues to be tolerated at Erskine Seminary”. The statement further condemns the fact that “some in the Erskine administration and board find it acceptable for those who hold Barthian views of Holy Scripture to teach their viewpoint at Erskine.”

The statement affirms Erskine President Dr. David Norman’s “support and acceptance of the ARP Church's statement on the inerrancy of Scripture in the original autographs,” and “call[s] upon the Board and Administration of Erskine College and Erskine Theological Seminary to support and defend the position of the ARP Church on Scripture, and to work toward an Erskine Theological Seminary and an Erskine College that stand strongly and unequivocally for the authority of God's inerrant and infallible Word.”

The statement includes a “Historical Addendum Regarding ARP Statements On The Authority Of Scripture”, beginning with an article titled "What the Associate Reformed Church Stands For," from The Centennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans, and Cogswell, 1905).


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

+ Reformation21 Blog, r21@alliancenet.org

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


[2] San Francisco, California’s ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ Celebrate Easter with ‘Hunky Jesus’ Contest

San Francisco, California’s ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’, who describe themselves as “a leading-edge Order of queer nuns”, marked Easter Sunday 24 April 2011 with the organization’s annual “Hunky Jesus Contest”, where, as described by Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), “shirtless men in “crucifixion” costumes parade on stage in an atmosphere of haughty, homoerotic humor.”

AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera commented: “[T]he most compassionate thing a Christian can do for people practicing homosexuality is to reach out to them with the Gospel – with an uncompromising ‘tough love’ that says proud homosexuality is never part of God’s plan for anyone’s life. The same Jesus Christ whom the San Francisco liberals mock not only will judge them one day – but He has helped innumerable men and women…leave homosexuality behind.”


+ Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, Post Office Box 5522, Naperville, Illinois, 60567, 630-546-4439, Contact Form

+ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, 584 Castro Street, PMB#392, San Francisco, California 94114, 415-820-9697, generalinfo@thesisters.org


[3] Yorkshire, England, Christian Driver Exonerated and Allowed to Continue Displaying Palm Cross in Work Van

Christian Concern announced 23 April 2011 that Wakefield District Housing (WDH) employee Colin Atkinson, who had refused to remove an eight inch palm cross from the dashboard of his work van after being ordered to do so after a tenant lodged a complaint that the cross might offend those of other faiths, will be allowed to keep the palm cross displayed in his work van and will not be disciplined by his employer for failure to comply.

Atkinson has worked for WDH for fifteen years and has displayed the palm cross in his van for the past eight years.


+ Christian Concern, 70 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8AX, England, 020 7935 1488, Contact Page


[4] Good Friday Statement by Christian Defense Coalition and National Clergy Council Leaders Condemn Florida Pastor Terry Jones’ Plans to Protest at Dearborn, Michigan Mosque

In response to Florida pastor Terry Jones’ plans to protest in front of a Dearborn, Michigan mosque on Good Friday 22 April 2011, Reformed Presbyterian minister the Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the Rev. Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, issued a Good Friday statement condemning plans by Florida pastor Terry Jones to stage a Good Friday protest in front of a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan.

The statement concluded:

“The Christian message is one of love, forgiveness, and redemption, not contempt, exclusion, and denunciation. "God so loved the world that He gave His only son . . .” (John 3:16) After He was tortured and hung on a cross to die, Jesus looked at even His tormentors and prayed to God, "Lord, forgive them . . ." (Luke 23:34)

“Good Friday is about the generosity of God toward man, not man's contempt for his fellow man. Rev. Jones is wrong in what he is doing in Dearborn. His words and actions appear to betray the message of Christ and defy the love of God. On this Good Friday, Rev. Jones needs to follow in the footsteps of Christ and share a message of love, humility, and sacrifice -- including giving up his own fear of people he may not fully understand or know. Only by doing so will he be able to share with others the great gift of that first Good Friday he has received himself.”


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

+ National Clergy Council, 109 Second Street Northeast, Washington DC 20002, 202-546-8329, Fax: 202-546-6864, Info@FaithandAction.org


[5] Al Shabaab Muslim Militants in Somalia Murder New Christian Convert

Compass Direct News reported 20 April 2011 that twenty-one year old recent convert to Christianity Hassan Adawe Adan of Shalambod, Somalia, was murdered 20 April 2011 by two al Shabaab militants.

An unnamed source commented: “This incident is making other converts live in extreme fear, as the [Muslim al Shabaab] militants always keep an open eye to anyone professing the Christian faith.”

Mission Network News reported 25 April 2011 that Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada said that Adan’s murder was a planned killing, commenting: “When [the Muslim al Shabaab militants] do these murders they want the publicity. It's very much used as a fear tactic to any Muslim that might even consider becoming a Christian. It also puts fear into the hearts of believers there in Somalia.”


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

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

+ Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, Post Office Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario
L5M 2C1, Canada, 905-670-9721, Fax: 905-670-0246, Contact Form


[6] Algerian Christians Arrested for Sharing Faith with Neighbors; Face Possible Five Year Prison Sentence

International Christian Concern reported 25 April 2011 that two men from Oran, Algeria, were arrested 14 April 2011 on charges of proselytizing and blasphemy after sharing their Christian faith with their neighbors. Both men face an upcoming court hearing, and may face a sentence of five years in jail.

A pastor from Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, was quoted as saying:

“The Protestant Church of Algeria engaged a lawyer to defend [the two men]. We are hopeful that they will be acquitted. Although our constitution says to respect other faiths other than Islam, the government is Islamic, and article two says ‘Islam is the religion of state’. There is no respect for human rights or religious freedom and the protestant church is suffering.”


+ International Christian Concern, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest #941, Washington DC 20006, 800-422-5441, Fax: 301-989-1709, superadmin@persecution.org


[7] Utah’s Largest PCUSA Congregation Distributing Copies of the Koran

A 21 April 2011 article by Kristen Moulton in the Salt Lake City Tribune titled “SLC Church Distributes Free Copies of Quran” reports that Wasatch Presbyterian Church (WPC) (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)) in Salt Lake City, Utah, in response to Florida pastor Terry Jones burning a copy of the Koran, has begun distributing free copies of the Koran through a Salt Lake City bookstore. The church has placed a statement in each Koran reading: “This book was donated by the leaders of Wasatch Presbyterian Church, who are not afraid of truth wherever it can be found.”

WPC ruling elder Russell Fericks is quoted as saying: “Sometimes, it’s hard to know how to push back against the lunatic fringe….You don’t have to let the nincompoops of the world control all the message.”

The WPC website includes the warning:

“If you take the Bible literally you may be disappointed here. We hope not, but we think you should know that we don’t take all of scripture literally (any more than Jesus did), but we DO take it seriously.”


+ Salt Lake City Tribune, 90 South 400 West, Suite 700, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101, 801-257-8742, Fax: 801-257-8525, reader.advocate@sltrib.com

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005


[8] New Jersey PCUSA Church Offers Dietetic Communion Elements

A 21 April 2011 announcement on NorthJersey.com reports that First Presbyterian Church of Rutherford (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)), in Rutherford, New Jersey, now offers gluten-free bread and sugar-free grape juice as alternative communion elements for those with dietary restrictions.


+ North Jersey Media Group, 1 Garret Mountain Plaza, Woodland Park, New Jersey 07424, Feedback@NorthJersey.com

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005


[9] Logos Bible Software Taking Pre-Orders for English Translation of Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek ) by Geerhardus Vos

Logos Bible Software is accepting pre-orders for the first English translation of Geerhardus Vos' Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek ) at:

http://www.logos.com/product/9362/reformed-dogmatics


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


[10] CRCNA and RCA Launch Joint Church-Planting Movement

The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) announced 18 April 2011 that the two denominations are pooling resources in an innovative church-planting movement that will spread the gospel by reaching out to people in the places where they live.

They said the strength of the joint approach will be its ability to develop visionary leaders and church planters who are theologically prepared and equipped to start and multiply churches that present the gospel in a way that is biblical, authentic, and contextual.

Seed funding for this project is being provided by the two denominations as well as a significant grant from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. A spokesperson for the Foundation said Rich and Helen have a deep interest in expanding the Reformed witness through evangelism and “are very enthusiastic about the two denominations working together.”

For further background information, please see 27 May 2009 Presbyterians Week article “[6] Amway Co-Founder Rich DeVos Aims to Reunite Reformed Church in America and Christian Reformed Church.”


+ Christian Reformed Church in North America, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560, 616-241-1691, Fax: 616-224-0803 crcna@crcna.org

+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org

+ Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, 126 Ottawa Avenue Northwest, Suite 500, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, 616-454-4114


[11] Religious Institute Protests Efforts to Federally Defund Planned Parenthood

In response to efforts being made to eliminate U.S. government financial support of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the U.S., the Religious Institute on 25 April 2011 issued an “Open Letter to Religious Leaders on Maternal Mortality and Reproductive Justice”, calling for “a just and inclusive world, where the rights of every woman to life, health, and safe childbirth will be protected…. [and] mourn[ing] the more than 340,000 women and girls who die every year as a result of preventable complications from pregnancy and childbirth.”

In addition to being endorsed by representatives of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Muslims for Progressive Values, the letter was additionally endorsed by representatives from the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ. The letter also was signed by the president of Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.


+ Religious Institute, 21 Charles Street, Suite 140, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 203-222-0055, Contact Form

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005

+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org

+ United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, 216-736-2100, ogm@ucc.org

+ Union Theological Seminary-Presbyterian School of Christian Education, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Virginia 23227, 804-355-0671, Fax: 804-355-3919

+ Americans United for Separation of Church and State, 518 C Street Northeast, Washington DC 20002, 202-466-3234, Fax: 202-466-2587, americansunited@au.org

+ Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 434 West 33rd Street, New York, New York 10001, 212-541-7800, Fax: 212-245-1845

+ Muslims for Progressive Values, Post Office Box 434, Los Angeles, California 90078, 323-842-2869, Contact Form


[12] New Hungarian Constitution Affirms Personhood of the Unborn

On 25 April 2011, Hungary adopted a new constitution that includes provisions that affirm the personhood of the unborn.

Article II states: “Human dignity is inviolable. Everyone has the right to life and human dignity; the life of a [fetus] will be protected from conception.”

Article III prohibits torture, degrading treatment or punishment, slavery, medical or scientific experiments on humans without free and informed consent, eugenics, making the human body and its parts a source of profit, and the reproductive cloning of human beings.


+ Personhood USA, Post Office Box 486, Arvada, Colorado 80001, 202-595-3500


[13] Baby Joseph, Sentenced to Death by Canadian Doctors’ Death Panel via Denial of Life Support, Returns Home after Successful Tracheotomy at St. Louis, Missouri Hospital

A 21 April 2011 article by Emily P. Walker on MedPage Today titled “Baby Joseph Back Home in Canada” reports that the Canadian infant “Baby Joseph” who was denied a tracheotomy by the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in London, Ontario, Canada, returned home to Canada 21 April 2011 breathing on his own a month after receiving a tracheotomy at the SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center (CGCMC) in St. Louis, Missouri.

Robert Wilmott, MD, chief of pediatrics at CGCMC commented: “Joseph has been breathing on his own, without the aid of a mechanical ventilator, for more than a week. By providing him with this common palliative procedure, we've given Joseph the chance to go home and be with his family after spending so much of his young life in the hospital.”

Baby Joseph has a terminal neurological disease for which he had been hospitalized since October 2010. LHSC physicians declared that Joseph was in a vegetative state and should no longer be maintained on a ventilator and a feeding tube. The parents’ request for a tracheotomy to allow Joseph to be brought home on a ventilator was refused.

Several pro-life groups unsuccessfully pressured LHSC to perform the tracheotomy, then arranged for Baby Joseph to be airlifted to St. Louis, Missouri, to receive the needed medical procedure.


+ MedPage Today, LLC, Overlook at Great Notch, 150 Clove Road, 10th Floor, Little Falls, New Jersey 07424, 973-890-0985, Fax: 973-890-1327, Contact Form