22 June 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Makes Statement on Sexuality

[2] Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Adopts Resolution Condemning Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) Removal of Fidelity and Chastity Requirement for Ministers, Elders, and Deacons

[3] Presbyterian Church of Ghana Moderator Condemns Homosexual Activity

[4] Christian Reformed Church in North America Neuters Three Forms of Unity

[5] PCA Historical Center Makes Available PDF Versions of Christianity Today from May 1930 to April 1938

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[1] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Makes Statement on Sexuality

The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) have authorised the release of a statement affirming and asserting that the Holy Scriptures clearly teach us that Our Creator has given mankind the gift of sexuality for His glory, for the comfort of man and woman, for the procreation of godly seed, to fulfil the creation mandate and raise up godly seed to prepare a people for Himself to all eternity. This union is only to be expressed within the bounds that Scripture prescribes and any transgression of these bounds will earn His just judgement.

In particular:

All sexual relations outside the institution of the marriage of one man and one woman are sinful and cannot be condoned within the membership of Christ's Church.

Any practice of sexual relations between man and man or woman and woman is severely condemned by God in Scripture and is described as an abomination in His sight.

Any church which countenances the ordination of a man practising homosexuality is denying the faith and will earn the displeasure of Almighty God - Scriptures Genesis 19 v 5, Leviticus 18 v22, Romans 1v26, 27, Revelation 22 v15.

+ Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Rev. John MacLeod, Free Church Manse, Portmahomack, Ross-shire, Scotland, principalclerk@fccontinuing.org


[2] Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Adopts Resolution Condemning Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) Removal of Fidelity and Chastity Requirement for Ministers, Elders, and Deacons

On June 9, 2011, the 207th General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church adopted the following resolution, which has been sent to the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA).

“WHEREAS the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America PC(USA) has taken action at its 220th General Assembly to ratify Amendment 10-A,

And WHEREAS Amendment 10-A removes the constitutional requirement that all ministers, elders and deacons live in “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.” (www.pcusa.org/news),

And WHEREAS this action allows the ordination of persons such as practicing homosexuals who do not live according to Biblical standards of sexual morality,

And WHEREAS by doing so the PC(USA) has blatantly usurped God’s authority given in His Holy Scriptures,

And WHEREAS the PCUSA is propagating to its congregants the lie that homosexuality is acceptable in God’s sight, defying the truth of the Scriptures, which condemns homosexuality as sin,

THEREFORE in humble acknowledgement [sic] of her own shortcomings, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, at its 207th Synod meeting, condemns the action taken by the PC(USA) and implores the PC(USA) to confession, repentance and recantation over this recent action for the sake of the unity, peace, purity and prosperity of the Church of Jesus Christ Universal and Militant.”


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

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


[3] Presbyterian Church of Ghana Moderator Condemns Homosexual Activity

A 20 June 2011 Ghana News Agency article titled “Homosexuality is Unacceptable – Moderator” reports that Presbyterian Church of Ghana Moderator the Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey on 20 June 2011 condemned the activities of homosexuals in Ghana, saying that homosexuality spiritually affects the perpetuators of the acts and should not be encouraged in the society because the acts are unnatural and unacceptable in the sight of Jesus Christ.


+ Ghana News Agency, Post Office Box 2118, Accra, Ghana, 233-0302-662381, Fax: 233-0302-669841, ghnews@ghana.com

+ Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Post Office Box GP 1800, Accra, Ghana, 233-21-662511, Fax: 233-21-665594, pcghg@yahoo.com


[4] Christian Reformed Church in North America Neuters Three Forms of Unity

Synod 2011 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America on 14 June 2011 passed revised translations of the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism that reduce male pronouns for God and eliminate masculine references to humankind.

A multidenominational committee composed of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Reformed Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) referred to the original language of the confessions when there were disagreements among the various denominations.


+ 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

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


[5] PCA Historical Center Makes Available PDF Versions of Christianity Today from May 1930 to April 1938

The Presbyterian Church in America Historical Center has made available for download word-searchable PDF versions of Christianity Today from May 1930 to April 1938 at:

http://www.pcahistory.org/HCLibrary/periodicals/CT/index.html

Christianity Today was the first publication issued by the newly formed Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, founded by Samuel G. Craig. Later the company easily turned to the publication of books, with works by Loraine Boettner anchoring the growing list of publications.

From its inception, the magazine was issued monthly until the Spring of 1938, thereafter appearing three times a year. The final change in the magazine began with the Spring 1941 issue (Vol. 11, No. 3), when it was announced that the magazine would be discontinued as a periodical.


+ PCA Historical Center, 12330 Conway Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63141, 314-469-9077, archivist@pcahistory.org

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