Now it's the Presbyterians' turn to wrangle over gays and the church

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | June 25 | RICHARD N. OSTLING -- AP Religion Writer

[Willie Green]

Deep rifts over homosexuality have worsened among Episcopalians and United Methodists over the past year, and now the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is getting ready to continue its divisive debate over gay clergy.

The 2.4 million-member church's weeklong national legislative assembly begins Saturday in Richmond, Va., where liberals will take up new attacks against the church's strict law barring actively gay clergy and lay officers.

Conservatives will defend that law and, frustrated because some ignore it, seek a clampdown and new church leadership.

Gay activists and their allies have three proposals regarding the ban:

[kingofrock]

those wacky Presbyterians what will they think up next

[Vic3O3]

Gee, aren't you glad we're not PCUSA? At least our church leadership is clear on the issue.

[CSXT]

The Conservatives need to give it up, leave and join a PCA church. All this denomination will do is form a committee and delay a decision until the maximum amount of damage is done to the Name of Christ.

[martin_fierro]

Ping.

[Paulus Invictus]

Unlike their founders, many Presbiterians no longer seem to believe the Bible. The road to religious oblivion begins when that happens.

[PAR35]

I'll be praying for all our good Calvinist Christian brothers and sisters standing firm in the faith!

There aren't many Calvinists left in the PCUSA.

[bobjam]

Seeing as how implementation of the lesbigay agenda brought walkouts, law suits, financial trouble, near universal condemnation new life, tremendous growth and worldwide respect to ECUSA, PCUSA should not delay in following suit.

[JenB]

And the PCA passed a resolution at General Assembly last week affirming marriage as between one man and one woman because God established it that way, and that nothing humans can do can change that.

[Unam Sanctam]

Calvin and Knox would be turning over in their grave. Do Presbyterians even believe in predestination and total depravity any more?

[IronJack]

Frankly, for any religion deserving its surplice, this is a no-brainer. Let those who are willing to follow the Lord in His way stay. All others are free to leave.

A church shouldn't ease its patrons' way into Hell.

[strongbow]

Just for the record the Presbyterians referred to here are not all Presbyterians. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) does not have a problem with this at all, it follows God's word not the majority vote of lesser gods. The need for such foolishness is avoided when you already have the answer in black and white from the creator.

[Ciexyz]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I knew this was coming! On every FR thread about the Episcopalians and Methodists dealing with this issue, I posted, "Coming soon to a Presbyterian church near you." (It's my denomination.)

They can't focus on the core mission of the church, which is showing Jesus' love for humankind. Nooooooo, they have to boil the salvation message down to the homosexuality issue. They have to tear the church apart!

[Ciexyz]

The PCUSA better not expect a yearly pledge from me in December if they affirm the right of gay clergy and gay marriages. They better stop the liberal bs and focus on the core mission of the church.

And I refuse to leave the church. Why should I let liberal fringe activists hijack my church? (They just won't get as much money from me, and I'll start by declining to pledge.)

[VOA]

The PCA is an awesome church: Christ-centered, solidly Biblical and definitely Calvinist.
I have great respect for them!

I've been fairly impressed by what I see/hear of the PCA, e.g., Coral Ridge
(even if D. James Kennedy is a bit showey for my tastes) and R.C. Sproul.