This is a big deal for the Presbyterian Church in America, which is by far the largest of the conservative Presbyterian denominations in the United States. It could also be a very big deal for fixing what is wrong with Scouting.
Dr. Reeder pastors the largest congregation in the PCA, Briarwood Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Alabama, and now that Dr. D. James Kennedy has died, Dr. Reeder is probably the most prominent politically active conservative among the pastors of large PCA congregations.
I am not unaware of issues at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. There are reasons why I am not PCA. However, Dr. Reeder is on the right side of this issue with Scouting and he deserves to get support, not only from conservative Calvinists but also from others who want to promote a Christian alternative to the homosexual agenda in Scouting.
My personal recommendation for Calvinists — contact the Calvinist Cadet Corps, which is an independent organization that began long ago as a Christian Reformed alternative to Scouting but now has quite a few United Reformed, Orthodox Presbyterian, and other more conservative Reformed and Presbyterian congregations participating. A large influx of PCA churches could make a major difference and provide an already existing alternative to Scouting that was created specifically because Scouting has always, since the days of Baden-Powell, had a generic nondenominational approach to religion.
More information on the Calvinist Cadet Corps can be found at this Free Republic link:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/3023193/posts?page=399#399
Similar faith-based organizations also exist for the Southern Baptist Convention, Assemblies of God, and Seventh Day Adventists. Any of them would likely be willing to accept former Scouting organizations and leaders in churches affiliated with their denominations.
Selected U.S. churches membership (2010) reported in the 2012 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches.
Catholic 68,202,492
Southern Baptist 16,136,044
United Methodist 7,679,850
Mormon-LDS 6,157,238
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 4,274,855
Assemblies of God 3,030,944
Presbyterian (U.S.A.) 2,675,873
Lutheran - Missouri Synod 2,278,586
Episcopal 1,951,907
Presbyterian Church in America 346,814
The PCA is a tiny player on the national stage in terms of numbers.
Dr. Reeder pastors the largest congregation in the PCA, Briarwood Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Alabama, and now that Dr. D. James Kennedy has died, Dr. Reeder is probably the most prominent politically active conservative among the pastors of large PCA congregations.
Briarwood was where the PCA was founded in the early 1970s when a schism took place in the Presbyterian Church. Briarwood PCA is 1 of several BIG fish Boy Scout troops in the tiny pond of the Vulcan District (southeast quadrant of Jefferson County/Birmingham) of the Greater Alabama Council. Briarwood is a mega-church. Its troop, at least 10 years ago, had 100+ youth members.
I am not unaware of issues at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. There are reasons why I am not PCA. However, Dr. Reeder is on the right side of this issue with Scouting and he deserves to get support, not only from conservative Calvinists but also from others who want to promote a Christian alternative to the homosexual agenda in Scouting.
Briarwood probably has an equal number of admirers and detractors in the local community. It will be very interesting to watch what decision the PCA reaches.
I had Dr. Reeder as a seminary professor—and he really is a remarkable man. In a class of about 35, he knew only one or two students. On the opening day, he told us each to introduce ourselves, and tell where we were from and what college we went to. When all 35 finished, Dr. Reeder went back over each student...recalling their first and last name, home-town, and college...flawlessly, without notes. Only a very well trained mind can do that.
Dr. Reeder is also a noteable Civil War historian—and no, he doesn’t take the “it was only about state’s rights!” stand...