Mainline Christian Anti-Semitism (Why Presbyterian, WCC and Lutheran churches side with terrorists)

FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | March 15, 2005 | David Meir-Levi

[onedoug]

For the record, Christian anti-Semitism is heresy.

Thus may it always be, though it wasn't always.

[dervish]

Excellent article and history review.

The historical revisionism plan has already happened to a large extent.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ping!

[SJackson]

I might think it's wrong for them to be anti-Semitic, but for them to divest themselves of holdings they take to be against their religion is their right not their privilege.

If they run afoul of the law that's not likely where it will be. For example, if they don't want to own Caterpillar stock, that's fine. If, and they haven't yet, pressure Caterpillar to cease doing business in Israel, or with companies that do business with Israel, in defacto support of the Arab boycott, then they've probably crossed the line. I'm sure some would make the case that by refusing to invest in CAT, pressure is being applied, but it's my guess CAT would be the violator in that case.

[SJackson]

See 66. I don't see it as a speech (or religion) issue. "Liberty of commerce" in terms of international trade is a new concept to me. If it exists, we'd be free to violate the Cuba embargo. I doubt it would fly. IMO, I don't think a "freedom of religion" would work either. I'd guess some of these same Churches would be happy to trade with Cuba or Iraq while under sanctions.

[malakhi]

What part of NO LAW don't they understand????!!

You have to pretend for a moment that you are a Clinton, and parse accordingly. After all, "LAW" is singular, so if Congress makes lots of lawS, then it is constitutionally okay. </sarcasm>

[bvw]

I used the word Liberty for a number of reasons. Are you familiar with Hancock's "Liberty"?

[bvw]

And it is not a "new concept" ... geeeesh!

[SJackson]

I used the word Liberty for a number of reasons. Are you familiar with Hancock's "Liberty"?...And it is not a "new concept" ... geeeesh!

Yes, though I don't see it's applicablity relative to the anti-boycott law (not the Church's actions). The government has regulated trade and levied duties since our founding. It's caused trouble at times, but I don't think those actions are prohibited by any "right of commerce", if that's what you were implying by liberty of commerce.

[bvw]

How about the Book of Tobias? Familiar with that?

[JenB]

The PCA should change its denominational name

Whoa... suggest Presbyterians change anything? That'll never happen. It's a minor scandal when you change which side of the aisle you sit on.

Seriously, why should we, the PCA, give up a historically rich name? 'Presbyterian' refers to our system of government, but it's also a claim to a long heritage of faith. I'm never ashamed to say I'm Presbyterian, but I always follow up and explain that I'm the conservative, narrow-minded bigot type.

[SJackson]

In general, though I don't see the connection to the government's ability to participate in, or not participate in boycotts, and enforce that judgement on the population.

[Wallace T.]

It is my experience that many dispensationalists, Arminians, and charismatics do not examine the covenantalism and soteriology of Reformed theology because they assume that it is part of the package of liberalism, mid-church liturgy, and sacramentalism that they wrongfully assume that Presbyterianism represents. They believe that the Presbyterian church is Episcopalianism light: all the liberalism, half the pageantry. This belief is true respective to the PCUSA. The PCA is none of this: the denomination is conservative to very conservative; most congregations are as low church in liturgy as the Baptist and independent Bible churches (Park Cities Presbyterian in Dallas is an exception); and few ministers, other than those associated with the "Auburn Avenue theology" of Douglas Wilson, Steve Wilkins, et. al., believe in sacramental regeneration or equate justification with sanctification. The same could be said of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the several micro-denominations of conservative Reformed congregations.

Improving the image of the doctrines of sovereign grace to our fellow Christians is a strong argument for a name change. Like it or not, most people know little of John Knox, the Covenanters, and "Old Princeton" theology. As an analogy, Reformed believers, along with other evangelicals and the Eastern Orthodox, regard themselves as part of the universal, or catholic, church. However, the term, Catholic, has been taken by those who believe that the Pope is the visible head of the church. The term, Presbyterian, has been similarly co-opted by those who do not believe the Bible is inerrant, who question or deny orthodox Biblical beliefs, and who assume that big government and multiculturalism will bring about a secular utopia.

[JenB]

I've been doing some church-hunting lately due to a move. The Presbyterian churches I've visited that don't have the word "Presbyterian" in their name tend to be more liberal and less filling. The ones that hold to tradition, including a more liturgical worship, aren't embarrassed of the Presbyterian label.

The only thing we have to do is get out there and live what we believe, so that when we're asked, "wow, where do you go to church?" our lives serve as a testimony to the liveness of the PCA.

[bvw]

One more: The Ladies of Havana? The ones who sold their jewelry?

[Wallace T.]

Liturgical worship in American Reformed circles is essentially a liberal innovation. The English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters were strongly opposed to "vain repetition" and formalism that smacked of Canterbury and Rome. The rise of what might be called "mid church" liturgy stemmed from the effects of the Romantic movement of the 19th Century which glorified tradition for its own sake. While the trend toward liturgical ceremony did not go as far in Presbyterian circles as it did among Episcopals, with their Anglo-Catholic movement, there was a movement to re-adopt the church calendar, with Advent, Lent, Christmas, etc., have the ministers decked out in liturgical costumes, the so-called "Geneva robes", and invent a Presbyterian version of the Book of Common Prayer. This movement was strong among those ministers from the less Calvinist and more modernist seminaries like Union in New York City than those like Princeton in New Jersey that held firmly to the doctrines of grace.

Reformed tradition is not candlesticks, costumes, and canned prayers, but the Biblical doctrines of the Reformers, especially those of Calvin and his followers.

[k2blader]

Yay, the SBC is not on the list. Not that I expected it would be.

[MamaB]

The SBC would never be on that list. At least, with the leadership we have today.