The Fraternal Relations Committee is not one that I expected to mention in these reports, but they brought a recommendation this morning that I think is worth writing about. The recommendation directed the Permanent Committee on Fraternal Relations “to continue to communicate with the PC (USA) according to biblical principles and to encourage ‘face-to-face’ talks.”
There has been a stream of ridiculous and baseless accusations coming from PCUSA leadership and presbyteries over the last couple of years, as well as a move by the PCUSA General Assembly last year to “investigate” these “charges.” Viola Larson has blogged about the questionable approach that the committee doing this has taken, and among other things that might be mentioned is the fact that they have not, to my knowledge, made any effort to speak to anyone in the EPC about the issue. (I will gladly put up a correction if I’m wrong about this.) By far the best way to clear the air on this matter is through face-to-face discussion, and I hope that the PCUSA will take us up on our willingness to do so.
UPDATE: My Consistory-mate Mac McCarty, who is a member of a congregation which is in the New Wineskins Transitional Presbytery, offers the following regarding the doings of the PCUSA “investigating” committee
[A]t the GA, I met several folks whose congregations went directly from the PC(USA) to a geographic EPC presbytery. Their congregations did meet with representatives of the “investigating” committee, although the committee members were surprised that ruling elders and members attended. (They had “invited” only the pastors.)
Their experience was telling. After the pastors, elders and members related how their congregations initiated the move, and initiated the contact with the EPC, the committee representatives interjected with declarative “questions” such as “Well, you knew that what you were doing was wrong, correct?” or “You never proved that the PC(USA) was apostate, so leaving was a violation of ordination vows, right?”
When the EPC members asked their inquisitors “Wait, we thought you wanted to know that we were not recruited. It sounds as if you have already made up your mind that we were recruited, although we were not, and are just looking for sound bites to support your position. Is that correct?”
Stunningly, the PC(USA)’s response was “That is correct.”
One can’t help but admire such honesty, even if it is in the service of ecclesiastical thuggery. Well, not really.
June 27, 2009 at 2:22 pm
It is quite fascinating and revealing that the PCUSA is willing to ‘talk’ and have ‘inter-religious’ relations with just about anyone, but won’t speak to the EPC.
June 27, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Pastor, I wonder: did the formation of the Anglican Church in North America come up at all the EPC assembly? The PCA actually had a high-level ecumenical guest bring well-wishes to us. Did we come onto the EPC’s radar screen at all?
June 27, 2009 at 9:44 pm
David,
It was a real joy to talk to you today before we headed for home.
I have also written about this at http://aoundthescuttlebutt.blogspot.com/, after pondering for nearly 600 miles. Sad and ugly on the PC(USA) side.
June 28, 2009 at 7:20 am
I’m afraid not, Tex. I’m certainly aware of it, and I’m sure there are others in the EPC who follow what happens elsewhere in the Church Catholic, but I suspect most people’s minds were elsewhere this week.
June 28, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Well, unless the PC(USA) Star Chamber committee comes up with some phony “evidence”, all they will have to condemn the EPC with will be accusations. And we all know how much those are worth these days.
The real threat from this is for those of us still in the PC(USA). It can (and probably will) lead to a motive for a future GA cutting off any possible moves of congregations and or presbyteries in the future to the EPC. Just watch…
June 28, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Toby,
I agree entirely. This will be the ultimate fall-out, with some possible further dis-connect from the EPC.
June 29, 2009 at 10:45 am
I’m at a point with this where I don’t know whether the proper response is to get all serious and heated up about it, write angry letters, etc. Or simply to greet the news of the committee’s work and the forthcoming report with a good old fashioned belly laugh out of the sheer stupidity of the whole thing.
June 29, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Dave, sorry to come late to the conversation I have been out of town. I was told by a witness that when the two members of the committee came to our Presbytery Council they also acted as though the EPC was already guilty. This is very disturbing.
June 30, 2009 at 7:48 am
Thanks for the confirmation, Viola. This whole business smells worse every time I get near it.