More LayMAN Love

My little club of bandits has been named by the LayMAN again.


Here is the story and what they say about us:

First Presbyterian of Elizabethton, TN  a member congregation of Holston Presbytery may be the most transparent about its allegiance. The first descriptor under "Who we are" on the church's homepage is "A Progressive Christian Community" that links through to the eight points of a progressive Christian church.

We aren't the only ones listed.  We are one of 14 on this particular list of progressive congregations.   It is convenient that the LayMAN compiled that list.  Perhaps one of these great congregations is near you.   If so, you might consider joining it.

Here is a link to Progressive Christianity, the eight points the LayMAN mentioned, and a directory to progressive individuals and congregations all over the world.  

I am sure the LayMAN didn't publish this as a favor to us.  They don't like us much I am afraid.  We are bad little Christians.  They think we should be disciplined.

Hi ho.

They also realize that isn't going to happen:

Other Presbyterians in the presbyteries where these churches are located are supposed to have applied regular discipline and brought the pastors and elders of these churches back into accord with the family of faith. They have not. I dare say, they will not. Why not? Because, I believe, we have lost the will to fight, even for what we know is right.

You would think eventually they would get tired.   They have lost.  There is nothing they can do about us and we are growing.

So thanks for the publicity, LayMAN.

So Long But Leave the Silver

It took me some time to figure out why so many fundamentalist congregations had the same complaints on their websites regarding the PCUSA.    I wrote about that in A Bullet Point in PCUSA History.   Since then I discovered that these documents all come from the same source, The LayMAN.

On the right side of their homepage is a link to Discernment Resources.

Click it and you will find all kinds of documents that ministers can use to manipulate and misinform their congregations regarding the "apostasy" of the PCUSA and strategies to steal the PCUSA's property.

One such document is entitled, "Five Solas."   (I am featured under the heading, "The Erosion of Authority.")  This replaces an earlier "Five Solas" (in which I was also mentioned).  But that first one is a little long for short attention spans and the new one gets you the "PCUSA is Apostate" message with less effort.    

I am a bullet point on the new "Five Solas."  To wit:

Those who deny key biblical doctrines remain unchallenged. For example, in a sermon on Pentecost 2012, Rev John Shuck denied that most of the events in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles ever happened.  Previously, Shuck has denied many of the central tenets of the Christian faith.

Funny, I don't ever remember being charged (let alone convicted) with such a crime as denying "the central tenets of the Christian faith," but if the LayMAN says so it must be true.    If you are curious about my recent (very recent, May of this year--are these people stalking me?) sermon, check it out.   For those interested in how higher criticism works, biblical scholars carefully conceal this information in books. 

What's even more bizarre is that right before the LayMAN tells falsehoods about me, it misrepresents the Confession of 1967.  

 - The Confession of 1967 states that Scriptural authority is determined not by Scripture but by the interpreter. In effect this means that our intellect is valued above the plain meaning of the text (C67 - 9.27)

This misrepresentation notwithstanding, do these clergy who think it is now time to leave the PCUSA not know that the Confession of 1967 has been in the Book of Confessions since 1967?    Anyone ordained as a clergyperson (unless they are over 70) took vows to uphold this confession.    Why the surprise now?   One of the breakoffs like the PCA would have been a far better choice for them a long, long time ago.

Interestingly, the PCA just finished their General Assembly deciding that Adam and Eve were historical people and reaffirming that no woman should be a deacon (or deaconness).    There you go.  The authority of the Bible at work.

Any PCUSA members who are convinced by the LayMAN's brand of fundamentalism have (in spirit) left the PCUSA long ago.    So long.  God bless.   Good luck in finding a fit for your fundamentalism.   But leave the silver here please unless you plan to pay for it.

Clergy With Conscience

Rev. Brian Merritt is a good minister and now a neighbor down the road apiece in Chattanooga.  Before he came to greenest state in the land of the free, he officiated at a wedding for a same-gender couple in Washington D.C.  

The LayMAN wrote all about it.  Brian made page 3! 

And along comes Mary Naegeli.

Brian made some nice responses to these folks, to Mary Naegeli here, and offered a bit of history regarding the LayMAN that all should find interesting.  Here is a piece.

While many in the church decry it for its obviously ill conceived social positions on homosexuality and it’s past’s wildly inaccurate reporting, the main problem with the Presbyterian Lay Committee is that its theology, ideology and history are for the furtherance of a few powerful people in society maintaining an unquestioned grip on the church’s future.  That is the power many of them have had in society as a whole, so why not the church?

Brian is right on.  Check out his post and while you are there, let him know you appreciate clergy who won't be bullied.

ECO = We don't want equality for gay people

The LayMAN reports that 47 congregations are girding up their loins to leave the PC(USA) for greener more ECO friendly pastures.    These ECO friendly pastures will be pure and lovely and won't have any nasty gay people grazing about (at least in leadership positions).

The congregations offer lists of complaints as they report to their local media how they are leaving the faithless PC(USA) to follow the good shepherd.   They say many things such as the "real reason" being the lack of trust in the Scriptures, or universalism, or quirky views of Jesus that apparently some people in the denomination hold.    Perhaps even me.   Because the denomination (whoever that is, exactly) doesn't punish these "heretics" these faithful congregations can't possibly do their ministry.

But that is nothing new.   So-called "heretics" have gone unpunished in pulpits for centuries.   Complaining about them has served as a cover for darker prejudices.  In fact, these lists of complaints, in this case, are nothing more than veiled homophobia.   

These congregations are leaving because the PC(USA) took a small step in removing discriminatory barriers against gays and lesbians.

This new denomination, ECO, has a lovely new website.  There you will find photos of happy people and you will find rationale and strategy for congregations to depart the PC(USA) with the property.

Be well.  Have a good life.   But do know that you will leave a legacy.

When your children ask you in days to come why you separated from your sisters and brothers in the PC(USA), you can tell them that it was because you didn't think gay people should be equal with straight people.  When your children look at you with a WTF? expression on their faces, you will know that that decision to leave was really warped...

...in fact, not even Christian.    

I Am No Longer Standing, Crouching, or Fawning for Vice-Moderator

It was a quick campaign, but scrappy.

It appears that our five candidates standing for moderator of the PC(USA) have chosen their mates.    Yes, I know it is a shock, but none chose me.   I just want to thank all who worked so tirelessly for my campaign.  Please don't think your hopes are dashed.  There is always tomorrow.  We gave it a go, didn't we?  Yes, we did, Beloveds.  Yes, we did.  

I received an email from someone who thought I was mocking the church, its candidates and what all.  No.  I think the candidates are all fine folks and I like our system of government.   I am happy to be a participant and delighted to be a commissioner.

I was mocking something, however. 

This was all in response to Parker Williamson's trash talk regarding me and a candidate for moderator, Rev. Janet Edwards.   I don't know of a person who is more gracious, more willing to dialogue across divisions, and more sincere in her faith than Rev. Edwards.   She is more than qualified to be moderator and if elected will represent the PC(USA) well.   When Williamson has the gall to imply that the "once-esteemed office of moderator" is no longer esteemed because Rev. Edwards is standing for it, he needs to be called out.  

It would be good for the denomination if the other media outlets would call him out.   Since they won't, I guess I will.   The LayMAN is a multi-million dollar media enterprise.  By PC(USA) standards, an empire.  Williamson can afford to put his trash and slander in the mailboxes of every Presbyterian member.  He smears people and seeks to ruin careers.   He "parades with impunity" his meanness and bullying.   That is what I was mocking.

On to General Assembly.

My Hope for the PC(USA)

Now that I have been made famous by none other than Parker Williamson of the LayMAN, I feel it is time to put this fame to good use.    His editorial is not only on-line but in the print edition as well.  I have been collecting copies.  I might send one to my mother.   It is also listed under the LayMAN's links for information about the upcoming General Assembly.   This is so cool.  I am so tickled that I decided to crouch and fawn for vice-moderator!  Please pick me!

Parker wasn't writing about me.  He was writing about himself.  David Walters has it right.   He also tried to belittle my colleague and friend, Rev. Janet Edwards, who has more integrity in her little finger than Parker could hope for in a lifetime.  From what I have read of Parker Williamson over the years, he thinks there are two types of people in the world:  people who think like him and unbelievers.   With that typology there is little else that he can absorb.    He has mastered the skill of bullying.    Parker's divine mandate is to bully "unbelievers" into silence.

Sadly, this has had some effect.  There are people in our denomination who have been more careful than they wanted to be about speaking on issues theological and otherwise because of the way that the LayMAN operates.    Normal people don't like to be bullied, misrepresented, and used.   They will avoid that.  That avoidance can result in not speaking out regarding issues of importance.   Of course, I am not normal.   I love it.  I would love it if the LayMAN wrote about me every week. 

What is happening is that the LayMAN is losing its teeth.   Parker has become less and less credible to more and more people.     He can't even do anything about me, a loud-mouthed nobody right across the border in a neighboring presbytery, and a conservative presbytery at that.   I parade "with impunity [my] unbelief" and Parker is impotent to do anything about it.  That must irritate him something fierce.

Since, thanks to Parker, I have your attention, I invite you to explore this blog.   That is a pretty big task since I have been writing it for nearly six years.   Parker helped with that, though.   In his editorial, he quoted from two recent sermons (March 4, February 26) and from a blog post from two years previous.    Those are good places to start.

Here is the deal.  I put my sermons and my theological musings right out there.   I take seriously what I learned in my seminary experience as well as what I continue to learn every day.   I talk about it openly.   From Parker's perspective that is called "parading with impunity."   He is all about being punitive.    I think the denomination has had enough of Parker's punitive policing.   We can think for ourselves.

So, I read, write, and now host a radio program, Religion For Life, that tackles religious issues.    I recently interviewed PC(USA) vice-moderator, Landon Whitsitt, and this week I speak with Rev. Jane Spahr about the GAPCJ decision and what this means for the PC(USA) and for equality and compassionate ministry in general.

Within a few weeks WETS and WEHC will broadcast my interviews with Bishop John Shelby Spong, John Dominic Crossan, Bart Ehrman, and Robert Price.  The series will be called, "Will the Real Jesus Please Rise?"  It will be entertaining and thought-provoking.   For Parker, it will be further evidence of "unbelief."

I do have a belief.  I am not an "unbeliever."  I believe that God is a lot bigger than Parker Williamson's view of God.   God is certainly a lot bigger than my view of God.  So it would seem logical to expand my view.     That is what I try to do in my ministry.  That is what I think the church does when it is at its best.    I think that is the direction the PC(USA) is going.

These will be rough waters for some time as the LayMAN and others who think the denomination is sinking into apostasy and unbelief will write their articles and editorials from that point of view.    We will lose some people.  We have already.  We will gain some as well.  My congregation is an example of that.  My hope and my belief is that the PC(USA) will find its voice.    From my point of view that voice will be for open-ended inquiry, compassion, and justice.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to representing my presbytery as a commissioner to the General Assembly.   I thank my colleagues of Holston Presbytery with whom I serve and worship for this opportunity.  They are good people.   Even though we may disagree on certain things, overall, we are a community.   Parker's divisiveness will not end that.

Janet and Me to Rule General Assembly

After nearly twenty years in the ministry, I finally get to go to the PC(USA) General Assembly.  

The LayMAN broke the story.

Shuck has been elected by Holston Presbytery to serve as a voting commissioner to the PCUSA’s 2012 General Assembly.

That is the truth.  Even though there may be a thousand other commissioners (or however many there are) what is important is that I am going.  As we all know Beloveds, it is all about me.   

Well it is about me and Janet.

Shuck is not alone. At the General Assembly, he will find allies who are equally dismissive of God’s Word. The Rev. Janet Edwards, a self-identified “bisexual” whose officiating at lesbian wedding ceremonies have made the news in recent years, will also be there as a voting commissioner, promoting her bid to become moderator of the General Assembly.

Me and Janet the bisexual are going to occupy GA.   Because of that...

Biblically faithful Presbyterians by the tens of thousands are heading for the exit. That massive migration has so seriously enervated the few evangelical Christians remaining that Edwards may now campaign for the once-esteemed office of moderator while Shuck parades with impunity his unbelief.

I couldn't pay an advertising company to create a better endorsement.  Thank you, Parker!   He is my SuperPac Daddy!   Janet and I also received endorsements from his disciples:

"I am always amazed that leaders such as John Shuck are permitted to continue to minister within the PCUSA with their heretical teachings."  Rev. Soto

I am amazed too now and again.  But not all are amazed:

I cannot believe that anyone is surprised by the heresy and apostasy running absolutely rampant in the PCUSA.  With enormous hubris and arrogance, Shuck has been trumpeting his heresy in his blog and pulpit for years, aided and abetted by fellow travelers and non-believers in his "congregation" and his presbytery. 

"That he and Edwards ("... who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality...") and others like them will be allowed to pollute and poison the processes and activities of the upcoming GA, and is a completely foreseeable result of the capture of our hierarchy by liberal progressives who are hostile to, and dismissive of, the Word of God.  The orthodox believers remaining in this denomination should be prepared for even more apostasy in July.  Shame on Pittsburgh and Holston for even sending these people to GA."  Rev. Yearsley 

There you have it.

But you don't know the latest.   Janet is "standing for moderator" for GA.  What that means is that all the candidates for moderator stand there and the one who pulls the sword from the stone gets to be queen.   I am certain that Janet, as prophetess and anointed bisexual, will receive this divine honor.  

When Janet becomes Queen of Presbyteriandom she will in turn, crown me as Duke.

 

I already have the hat.

Together we will parade with impunity and pollute and poison the General Assembly with apostasy.  

Here is our platform:  

Free ice cream for everyone every Friday.

We learned our lesson from history.  It is not enough to let them eat cake as the fated Marie Antoinette learned too late.   

Let them eat cake and ice cream!

Parker Lays an Egg

It must be getting close to Easter.

Parker Williamson of the LayMAN loves to celebrate Holy Week by attacking those who use biblical literacy in their sermons.   In so doing he demonstrates his lack of same.

This was his post about me two years ago at Easter.

I am one of the LayMAN's poster children for how bad the PC(USA) has become. I think I am useful for the LayMAN's fundraising appeals.  I am also happy to be useful in emptying pews.

This is his most recent, Unbelief Unveiled.

Shuck continues with accolades for the Jesus Seminar, a project by a handful of academics to discredit any passage of Scripture that portrays Jesus as divine. Supporting the seminar’s view of Scripture, Shuck said, “The Bible is not always what it seems. It was created by numerous human authors. Every one of them had an agenda. They created these stories and these images for a variety of reasons. Reasons that we may never know.”

Williamson thinks it is big, heretical news that the authors of the gospels each shaped Jesus. Where would anyone possibly get an idea like that? Perhaps at any one of our Presbyterian seminaries. Scholars carefully conceal this knowledge in books.   Maybe Parker will read one someday.  It is Easter.  Miracles do happen.

One would also think that an editor of a magazine might actually provide a source for documents from which the editor takes quotations. In the digital age it is as easy as a link.  What is Parker demonstrating by refusing to engage in this obvious practice?  Vote for one:

1. Ignorance
2. Lack of journalistic integrity

If you are curious about my sermons on the Gospel of John, check them out.

I do look forward to General Assembly!!

Who knows? Maybe I'll even meet Parker!

I Am the Most Blatant, Obvious Heretic!!

What do I have to do to lose respect around here?

I am the royal prince of heretics. I have unabashedly spouted my dastardly views all over the web. Then along comes Landon. Gets himself elected vice-moderator of the denomination. Does an interview saying something about some bizarre Latin phrase and I lose my title.

It just isn't right.

Why have heresy proceedings not begun against this so-called vice moderator of the General Assembly? His statements are counter to everything our Christian faith adheres to and believes. Will someone please tell me why this hasn’t happened and if not, will it happen? I have hoped that the Holston Presbytery would do the same in the case of John Shuck, but this Whitsitt case is about as clear a case of heresy as we have ever seen. Where is our courage? Down through the centuries martyrs have died for their faith. Are we not willing to stand up and defend it as faithfully has they did? If not, shame on us as Christians and Presbyterians.
Rev. Patricia Slomanski
Benson, N.C.

Yeah, Rev. Patricia. Shame on you. Get on now and whup that Whitsitt. Let him know the truth! The Bible is the only book God ever wrote. Can I hear a hallelujah?

Time to Get Game On

The lulus at the LayMAN have begun their nutterism regarding the ordination equality amendment.



They have decided this time around to blame their own homophobia on Phyllis Tickle.

I do think it is a rather interesting strategy.


Carmen "The Millstone" Fowler made the connection in her latest post. According to her, Phyllis Tickle has mesmerized denominational leadership and now all hell is breaking loose.

Some other LayMAN dude named Stephen Brown is spouting similar silliness. According to him, if we let the gays in the Nazis will attack Clint Eastwood or something like that.

Then of course, the Holy One of Lenoir, Parker Williamson, recently compared (again) ordination equality with molestation of children. You can always count on Parker to take the high road especially after taking shots at the new Vice-Moderator in the on-going saga of Tickle-Gate.

Sigh.

My presbytery (Holston) votes on 10-A on Tuesday, December 7th.

My presbytery who refuses to discipline me even though I beg for it is made up of very nice people. I like them a lot even though they consistently vote against equality by a three to one margin. Who knows, maybe this time I will win them over with my charm.

Failing that, perhaps the solidly Reformed theological content of the proposed text itself will win the day:

“Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.”

It has a nice, Presbyterian ring to it. It is time to talk it up and make the change.

A Slow News Week for the LayMAN

The LayMAN has decided to take a few shots at the new vice-moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Rev. Landon Whitsitt.





In a meandering post that moves from wikipedia to crowdsourcing to Phyllis Tickle, former editor of the LayMAN, Parker Williamson, has gone on a Whitsitt hunt.

The Holy One of Lenoir explains Whitsitt's "world":

What’s lacking, of course, is our refusal to acknowledge any authority above ourselves. We’re talking here of a world without God, a world that does not – will not – hear “Thus says the Lord,” a world where “crowdsourcing” is all there is.

This is the world that the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s vice moderator embraced when shortly after the General Assembly adjourned, he opined that “Scripture is no longer an authority.”

To get what Parker is talking about, you have to follow his link to another LayMAN article entitled: PCUSA Vice-Moderator: "Scripture is Not the Word of God".

I have to say the title alone is enough to make me admire Whitsitt. At most "Word of God" is a metaphorical combination. I personally think it does more harm than good and that we should stop using it as I wrote here.

I am not sure that is where Landon is. I'd hate to see the poor guy sent to hell because I have praised him. Finally, after working through the links I find the the source of the damning quote, an interview with Whitsitt shortly after he took office, A Leader Rethinks Church. Yet this is all I found:

'Sola Scriptura' is dead most places, and dying rapidly in others. So where do we lodge the authority of our faith? That's the real battle we see fought in the church. We're not really arguing about LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) inclusion, we're arguing about how we read the Bible.

I still haven't found where he said, "Scripture is not the Word of God."

Maybe he said, "Scripture is not the Word of God" somewhere else or maybe the LayMAN is just telling an Appalachian tall tale. They are common in these parts.

Landon's quote about sola scriptura is interesting. I personally think he is doing a good thing for the church. I wonder if the difference between the "worlds" of Parker and Landon is the difference between understanding faith as clinging to a slogan and repeating it vs. reflecting on what it means and making some decisions about its usefulness.

Good job, Landon. These are questions the church needs to talk about even if it is brought into the conversation kicking and screaming.

UPDATE: OK, I think I found it. At the end of the first LayMAN article, it reads:

Whitsitt added that he believes Jesus Christ is the final authority, and the disagreement over Scripture is on how it’s read and at what point it should be authoritative.

“What I’m trying to do is place Scripture at a specific point in the process of trying to discern what the Word of God would have us do,” he said. “Scripture is only a reference point to the Word of God, it’s not the Word of God, you know, capital W. It’s only a reference point.”

That is not the same as declaring as the title did: "Scripture is not the Word of God."

What Whitsitt is saying is pretty standard stuff. I mean what else can a metaphor do but point?