The PCUSA is in the midst of turmoil across the country. We have brother and sister Presbyterians who find that our theological center has shifted too far for them to remain in the denominational family. At a meeting, yesterday, one pastor talked about the attractiveness and, perhaps, faithfulness of moving to a denomination where the essential or central beliefs of the church are well-defined. ”It fits us; it fits me” I understand that longing. It’s why I’m Presbyterian.
For me, the woman who was born asking “how come?”, I “fit” in a denomination which has it’s center in Christ, but which values many different interpretations as we read scripture, engage a changing culture, build our relationship with Jesus Christ, and give witness to the resurrection in real and life-changing ways. I don’t think it’s a secret that I usually approach scripture from position which is more progressive, less traditional, more metaphorical, less factual, more narrative and wholistic, less legalistic and literal. It’s not only the way I approach scripture, but the way I approach life … God has gifted me with the ability to see new possibilities and the big picture, to be creative and imaginative, to get deeper and broader and wider in understanding and interpreting what’s going on in life and culture. But there’s a shadow side to that, of course … I need to be around people who are more attuned to detail, who are grounded in a heritage and history which can illuminate where we are by where we’ve been, who are good at “conserving” the values and ethics and understandings of God and Christ and Church. I need to be around people who are gifted differently than me, in order to be better … more faithful. I need my more conservative sisters and brothers in the church to keep me grounded. And, I’m convinced, they also need me. It’s this challenge of each other that keeps us growing spiritually, intellectually, faithfully, and compassionately. And that is what leads us to be reformed and always reforming.
The strength of the Presbyterian Church, I believe, is that while our center is clearly in Christ, we are also convinced that faithful followers of Christ can differ — sometimes in very substantial ways. It pains me to think of some of our sister congregations leaving the PCUSA … not because of property issues, endowments, membership or institutional stress on presbyteries … but because I feel we’re losing a piece of what makes us strong … a piece of what keeps us faithful. We’re losing the strength of our diversity in Christ. We’re losing the gifts of those who are of a different “mindedness” than me … who can challenge me … who can hold me accountable … who can complement me.
As Christians we should constantly seek the “like-mindedness” of Christ … and the best way to do that is to be in relationship with people of all minds as we strive to know Christ better together. My pastor friend who is “discerning” whether to stay or go, agrees … that’s why it’s important to go with graciousness and respect and to stay in relationship … it’s just a different level of relationship … as sister denominations instead of sister congregations. I understand that … but I don’t have to like it.
It think you mean “complement” not “compliment.”
One thing that mystifies me, as I hear of churches that are talking about petitioning to be dismissed to another Reformed denomination, is how precipitous that decision is, historically speaking. We’re only just beginning to live into the decision of the presbyteries, little more than a year ago, to ratify the General Assembly’s recommendation to remove a paragraph from the Form of Government that had only been in there since 1996. The churches in our presbytery that are considering such a move are over a century old. Where’s their sense of obligation to the Communion of Saints, the generations of the faithful who labored and made offerings and prayed so that a PC(USA) congregation (or one trading under one of our antecedent names) could be established in their community? Do all those many decades of commitment by their ancestors count for so little that they are ready to break fellowship after so little time, failing to wait for even a few years to see what the full implications of the decision are going to be? Surely some of those forbears in the faith thought about leaving when we stopped ordaining only men as elders. Or as ministers. Or started allowing divorced people to be remarried in the church. Yes, there was a time when all these issues seemed like they would cause the church to split. But they didn’t. They didn’t, because our ancestors had a sense of history. They were willing to wait a while and see if, perhaps, the Holy Spirit could be behind those changes after all. G.K. Chesterton had this to say: “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely
happen to be walking about.” Our tradition of belonging to the PC(USA) ought to count for something more than the convenience of this historical moment. Would that we could ask the founders of these congregations how important it was to them that the church they were establishing be a mainline Presbyterian church! The answer that would come back would, I think, lead today’s church members to at least put the brakes on for a while.