Posted on 01/25/2011 5:42:51 AM PST by Cronos
The Presbyterian Church in America commissioned a report, which was given to their 28th General Assembly in 2000. The report considered several possible interpretations of the days in Genesis 1, including:
That since historically in Reformed theology there has been a diversity of views of the creation days among highly resected theologicans, and, since the PCA has from its inception allowed a diversity, that the Assembly affirm that such diversity as covered in this report is acceptable as long as the full historicity of the creation account is accepted.
As I understand it, the PCA said that the evidence on the days of Genesis 1 is unclear, and several beliefs are compatible with the Biblical account. Divine creation really happened, they say. They just aren't sure when, or how long it took.
"has taken a very strong pro-life position, believing that the unborn child is a human being whom God is creating." The position paper of 1978, which is also accepted as the current position, expresses a clear understanding of the sanctity of human life. "Abortion is the intentional killing of an unborn child between conception and birth. ... Scripture leaves no doubt about the continuity of personhood that includes the unborn child, and therefore, under the Sixth Commandment, prohibits shedding innocent blood." At the 1996 General Assembly, PCA strongly condemned partial-birth abortions "as a murderous and horrifying practice and a grave offense against almighty God," and petitioned the President and Congress "to act in accord with this Biblical standard."this ties in well with the Catholic
has continuously and steadfastly opposed the legalization of abortion and has supported virtually all meaningful pro-life legislation and public policies. The bishops have testified before Congress on numerous occasions pleading for restoration of respect for all human life. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has prepared several pastoral letters clearly defining the Catholic Church’s pro-life position. Most dioceses have active respect life offices and parish pro-life committees.
the only non-heretical answer is #1.
This is significant because the PCA is considered to be a conservative/fundamentalist denomination which takes as its foundation the Bible and the Westminster Confession - and which broke away from the PCUSA specifically because of its insistence on Biblical inerrancy.
And to think Paul said “I determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified”.
R.C. Sproul at one time said he was up in the air on the issue but lately has been leaning toward #1.
I would also point out, ZC, that these are the “redneck” Presbyterians - insofar as the vast majority of their congregations and membership are located in the Deep South: the denomination started in Birmingham, is headquartered in Georgia and maintains a college in Lookout Mountain, GA.
Please can you change this title from “Presbyterian Church OF America” to “Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)”?
PCA were mostly from Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina
I am curious how option 1 deals with the creation of the sun and the moon on the 4th day - what measured off the duration of the days and nights of days 1 through 3?
I agree. The Hebrew word for a 24 hour day is the same one used in Genesis.
I’m surprised that people think that God is so limited that He can’t do what He says He did.
The creation of the "two great lights" (traditionally associated with the sun and moon) on the fourth day does not mean there was no division of light and darkness before - in fact, the text specifically says they were divided before.
First, it has been assumed in the conservative Reformed community for more than 150 years (on the strength of the witness of Shaw, Hodge, Mitchell and Warfield) that the Confession articulates no particular position on the nature and duration of the creation days and that one’s position on the subject is a matter of indifference. Second, and in that light, many of the founding fathers of the PCA took their ordination vows in good conscience while holding to non-literal views of the creation days or while holding to that issue as a matter of indifference. It would be less than charitable for any of us to view them as unprincipled. Third, recent primary evidence uncovered by David Hall and others has convinced many that what the Westminster Assembly meant by its phrase “in the space of six days” was six calendar days. Fourth, one hears from some the complaint that the PCA has ‘broadened’ and from others that it has ‘narrowed’ in its tolerance of positions on the days of creation. There is, perhaps, something to be said for both these perceptions since there appears to be advocacy for change in the PCA in both broader and narrower directions.
There was no Hebrew word for "24 hour day" - the word "yom" (day) means the period from darkness (usually sundown) to darkness, which varies from the strict 24 hour modern day in duration (sometimes noticeably) and also in structure.
The Hebrews did not count days from midnight to midnight and different rabbinical schools had different rules for when exactly a day officially ended.
correct wideawake. Poolque, the tradition Catholic understanding is that this division of light and darkness as created by God on the first day separates the day from the night.
No because the actual title uses “of” - but I will put the “in” in brackets.
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
That 24 hour day has not changed but for maybe a few seconds.
Yes, the actual title was wrong, but the [in] is good, thank you!
Never met a highly resected theologian, but I'm sure I would have a great deal of respect for him. :-)
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