Several of those who have been commenting on PCUSA affairs have made the point that the denomination has been drifting in the direction of apostasy for a long time, and that gay ordination is a rather peculiar place to draw the line in the sand. I agree with them, though it is also the case that it is usually easier for people to understand changes in behavioral standards than theological ones.
We have another example today of just how unmoored from anything resembling Christianity some elements in the PCUSA have become in a column in the Buffalo News. Another junior-league Spong, the Rev. David Persons, makes the evidence-free claim that “Protestant” churches are losing members because they take the contents of that Bible thingy way too seriously:
The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo is not alone questioning the “mass exodus” from its services; Protestants also do. As a Presbyterian minister here for more than 30 years, I watched our local Presbytery lose thousands as churches closed.
Many claim, as reporter Jay Tokasz shared, the cause is secularism. I disagree. The major cause is beliefs no longer giving credibility to reason and modern scholarship. After centuries, the Catholic Church recognized scientists Copernicus and Galileo. How long before the traditional churches admit that literalizing stories of the Bible has no historical basis?
Current archaeological and historical studies depict 95 percent of the Bible with no historical basis. With no historical proof of a man named Jesus and repetitions of similar stories going back 20,000 years, the traditional approach to Christian scripture interpretations is changing.
The biblical stories were mostly borrowed and taken from ancient pagan (folk) sources, which shared these stories as allegories depicting eternal truths. These stories were part of the ancient eastern Mediterranean spiritual teachings using the lunar calendar to teach universal spiritual truths. The church literalized these old pagan stories, making forms, liturgy and government inviolate. The message of the Jesus story, as from Isus of Ancient Egypt, was simple; the presence of spirit, the realm of God, is within us. One experiences this presence by changing understanding (repentance) and looking within.
I seek to share these stories from a symbolic, allegorical viewpoint. The winter solstice at Christmas teaches the soul coming to the darkness of Earth. The Easter equinox is the seed emerging from darkness into the light of sun, symbolizing our awakening (meaning of resurrection).
The old pagan stories are rich with meaning and relevance if understood from a non-literal viewpoint. Early church teachers who taught this view were called Gnostics — “those who understand.” In the 4th century the church declared them pagan heretics, with most of their writings destroyed.
I expect to read stuff like this in the comments in the “On Faith” column at the Washington Post, where atheists, Wiccans and other New Agers, and the old-fashioned ignorant duke it out. But this isn’t just for a newspaper article. Evidently, this is what the people at the church in New York where Persons is interim pastor are subjected to as well. He writes in his “Pastor’s Page” on the web site of the First Presbyterian Church of West Seneca:
In my messages and teachings I will continue to emphasize the God I speak of as accessible to everyone in anyplace. I feel the church has placed God too “out there” beyond the reach of ordinary people. People come to sit in rows to hear the elevated “experts” describe the conditions for God’s blessings. My goal is to shorten the gap between “teacher and student” so each one can claim his or her divinity. My messages are given from a non-literalist view of the Christian faith, seeing the Bible as ancient spiritual stories and metaphors to help people access the “Kingdom within.” My messages stress the conviction that God, Divinity, the Christ-Mind indwells each one of us, even those who don’t believe or accept it. Love is Universal. Heaven is here and now; hell is a life and mind living without the concept of choice and responsibility for one’s own thoughts. I believe the One Spirit lies dormant in every person, awaiting the time to be accepted, listened to, and followed.
The Presbyterian Lay Committee has asked the question in a paper at the Layman Online web site, “Can Two Faiths Embrace One Future?” My response to that question is, “what do you mean, two faiths?” Does anyone really know just how many religions there at work in the PCUSA (or any of the other mainline denominations) these days?
(Hat tip: Adel.)
The Reformed Pastor 
May 27, 2011 at 9:40 pm
“Current archaeological and historical studies depict 95 percent of the Bible with no historical basis.”
Can anyone say, “Hittites” or “Tigleath-Pilesar”?
May 27, 2011 at 10:14 pm
“With no historical proof of a man named Jesus and repetitions of similar stories going back 20,000 years, the traditional approach to Christian scripture interpretations is changing.”
Suetonius, in 130 AD, stated that Jesus was a Roman agitator and the stoning of James, “the brother of Jesus” was recorded in “The Antiquities of the Jews” by Josephus, a Jewish historian. In 110 AD, Pliny, a Roman consul and orator, wrote a letter saying that Christians were singing hymns to Chrestus. 10 years later, Tacitus, a Roman historian, told the story how Rome was burned to the ground and the blame was put on the Christians, or “followers of Chrestus”. Chrestus, according to Tacitus, was a revolutionist that was executed by Pilate.
Excluding the New Testament, the educated non-believer understands that a man named Jesus existed, was a revolutionary and agitator, had a brother stoned to death, and that He was executed by Pilate.
What is sad is people who write this stuff are considered an “authority” on the matter.
May 28, 2011 at 12:34 am
“Does anyone really know just how many religions there at work in the PCUSA (or any of the other mainline denominations) these days?”
Rhetorical questions are helpful.
May 28, 2011 at 1:25 am
What Phil said!
May 28, 2011 at 11:25 am
What? This guy needs to go to jail for preaching without a license – oh wait – he does have one doesn’t he?
Okay – negligence then…
Honesly, the Jefferson quote comes to mind -the one about trembling…
May 28, 2011 at 1:04 pm
You have to forgive Pastor Persons. If you go on his personal website http://davepersonspirit.com/ it shows that he graduated from Bob Jones U. He is a recovering fundy and he can not believe any traditional Christian beliefs.
May 28, 2011 at 8:19 pm
David,
There was a time when the metaphysical sects were a movement and part of some mainline denominations. This was in the 19th and early twentieth century, and think of the beginnings of Christian Scientist and Unity School of Christianity. Thankfully they eventually either left or were pushed out, but evidently some still remain. That is what this particular person sounds like. Every century, it seems like the various denominations get infected and leave just a bit more infection in the body. Only each infection seems to be worse than the next. And not to leave the conservative churches out, the same things happen there only from the extreme right rather than the extreme left.
May 28, 2011 at 8:21 pm
And I want you to know I only write here now so that I can see the blue icon man who has attached himself to my name: -)
May 29, 2011 at 9:03 am
Bob Jones University has probably the largest collection of baroque art in North America.
There is much in Baptist fundamentalism to disagree with – in terms of ideas and practices both. Disagree, yes, but it seems ludicrous to attribute Presbyterian Gnosticism to “those fundies”.
I don’t know whether to regard it as funny or sad that people are so subject to word “fundamentalist” – a permament punchline for a joke that is never actually made.
The thing is, conservative Christians – “evangelicals”, traditional Christians – people who actually believe the truths of historic Christianity – are what is usually meant by both religious and secular progressives and liberals when they use the word “fundamentalist”.
And these – conservatives – act as if they are so frightened of the label – for whatever reason. We just can’t stand to be like “those people” – that we bend over backwards to accommodate this overriding (inaccurate – warped) prejudices.
Lest we forget – Machen was *the* fundamentalist (whether he hated the term or not). And Machen was lions’ share right in his view of the Presbyterian church.
May 30, 2011 at 6:44 am
The first things that comes to my mind when I think “fundamentalist” are legalism, Ernest Angely (remember him? “Put your hands on the tv screen and you will be HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAED”), Jim and Tammy Fae Baker, Jimmy Swaggart and the like. Modern English usage of the word is overwhelmingly negative. I believe that religious and secular “progressives” deliberately use the term to describe traditional Christians in order to attempt to marginalize us. Words have power, and we would do well to remember that.
May 30, 2011 at 6:45 am
There should be an “l” in healed, up there.
June 3, 2011 at 4:11 pm
What I can’t ever understand is:
1. Why do people like Persons go into ministry if they don’t believe any of it?
2. What kind of vetting system could ever let someone like Persons get through the approval process to become a minister in good standing in the first place?
June 3, 2011 at 5:22 pm
The problem, Jim, is that the vetting process for many of the mainline denominations selects for these types of people.
June 3, 2011 at 5:41 pm
#13 Kate– Yes, unfortunately, the shepherds are no longer in control, the wolves are.