5 January 2011
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Presbyterians Week Headlines
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[1] Christian Observer Highlights for January 2011
[4] New Children’s Biography of John Owen Reviewed
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[1] Christian Observer Highlights for January 2011
New articles for January 2011 in the Christian Observer include:
— How is the Gold Leaf Peeled Off – by retired Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) pastor the Rev. Dr. Carl Bogue – republication of a 1994 article from The Presbyterian Advocate regarding:
– Problems of biblical and confessional integrity at the founding of the PCA, including politicized church courts and toleration of doctrinal aberrations;
– The “Century Place Gate” scandal where eleven non-profit and twelve for-profit corporations listed the PCA Office Building at 1852 Century Place as the corporate registered office;
– The audit commissioned by the PCA 20th General Assembly to investigate “Century Place Gate” and other matters – the request for the audit results being denied to the Committee of Commissioners on Administration at the PCA 21st General Assembly (and remain secret to the present day); and,
– The unofficial draft document Dr. Bogue dubbed the “Atlanta Affirmation”, a.k.a. A Statement of Identity for the Presbyterian Church in America (subtitled PCA Consensus 1994), where loosening of subscription standards for PCA Teaching Elders were proposed , and where criticism of and opposition to the actions of PCA denominational leaders was condemned.
Included with the article are links to “Century Place Gate” corporate data, and to the unofficial draft document PCA Consensus 1994;
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— God’s Call to Avoid the Digital Void in Education – by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – the negative effects of “Digital Distraction” on educational achievement;
Plus, regular features including weekly Sabbath School Lessons and Westminster Shorter Catechism lessons by Christian Observer Assistant Editor Dr. Robert LaMay, and Daily Devotionals by T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.
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+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 20110, christianobserver@christianobserver.org
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A 4 January 2011 byFaith Magazine article titled “The Current Debate: Will the AC Funding Plan Make the PCA More Liberal?” fires the opening salvo in the January 2011 resumption of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Administrative Committee’s campaign for the hearts and minds of PCA presbyteries that soon will be considering and voting upon proposed amendments to the PCA Book of Church Order (BCO) regarding the funding of the PCA Administrative Committee.
The byFaith Magazine article couches support for and opposition to the BCO amendments respectively in terms of “Liberal” Presbyterianism versus “Conservative” Presbyterianism, characterizing opposition to the amendments as arising from fear that the unintended consequences of the amendments, if enacted, “will tilt the PCA in a liberal direction”.
Several opponents of the BCO amendments consider the byFaith Magazine article an inaccurate portrayal of the opposing position. One of the responses to the article sent to byFaith Magazine states:
“….The argument of those opposed to the plan is not that it will make that the PCA “liberal” but that the PCA is supposed to be a biblical denomination and the plan isn’t biblical. The biblical model followed by the Apostolic church was “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7) and they didn’t change this to a system of involuntary giving even when the church leadership were in the midst of a terrible famine! I’d humbly ask that if you are going to give the other side of the funding argument, that you would do so in a manner that the proponents of alternative plans would recognize.”
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+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org
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The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) has suspended indefinitely the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Elder Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, for acts of insubordination and lawlessness capable of destabilizing the PCN and causing a breach of public peace.
Also suspended were the Commissioner for Works in the Ebonyi State Government, Engineer Paul Okorie, Elder C. I. Ewa, Elder Jombo Ukoma, Mr. Odicha Ude, the Rev. Ibiam Egwu Ukeni, the Rev. Eze Nwonu Eze, the Rev. Dr. Amarachi Nnachi Ukoma, the Rev. Michael Ani, the Rev. Aka Aka Ibiam, the Rev. David Amaramo, and the Rev. Nze Nsie Eke. Mr. Eke additionally was removed from office as Secretary of the PCN’s Board of Trustees.
The PCN made the decision at an emergency meeting of the PCN General Assembly Executive Committee, which was held at St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
In a statement issued after the meeting, PCN Director of Information and Public Affairs, the Rev. Kalu Eme, said Prof. Ogbu and the others were disciplined for violating their ordination and membership vows. Mr. Eme said the PCN discovered that the duo had been using State apparatus as Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Works in the Ebonyi State Government to sponsor some rebellious members of the PCN in actions designed to destabilize the PCN and cause socio-political disharmony.
According to Mr. Eme, the anti-PCN activities of those disciplined included the illegal induction of a PCN minister against the approval and procedure of the PCN and acts of threat and intimidation on the lives, property, and employment of some ministers working in the PCN Mid-East Synod, which comprise Afikpo/Unwana, Uburu, Onicha, Edda and Okposi Presbyteries. The PCN also received reports that the suspended men were planning for an unconstitutional public rally in the Presbyterian Church, Afikpo Parish.
The PCN additionally petitioned the Governor of Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Chief Martin Elechi, to use his good offices to restrain his Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Works and their cohorts from further acts of intimidation and threat to the lives and work of non-indigenous PCN ministers in the PCN Mid-East Synod.
In a letter, the PCN described the activities of the suspended men as being capable of causing disaffection and division in the house of God, and additionally that the activities are likely to cause a breach of public peace which could cause communal crisis in the areas involved and endanger the forthcoming 2011 General Elections. Copies of the letter additionally were circulated to the National Secretary and Ebonyi State Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party.
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+ The Rev. Kalu U. Eme, Director of Information & Public Affairs, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, 26 Ehere Road, Post Office Box 2635, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, 082-234-780
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[4] New Children’s Biography of John Owen Reviewed
A new children’s biography of John Owen by Simonetta Carr titled “Christian Biographies for Young Readers: John Owen” was reviewed by United Reformed Churches in North America pastor the Rev. William Boekestein in a 23 December 2010 article by on the Life Reformation website titled “New Children’s Book on John Owen”.
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+ Life Reformation, 47 South Church Street, Carbondale, Pennsylvania 18407, info@lifereformation.org
+ Reformation Heritage Books, 2965 Leonard Street Northeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525, 616-977-0599, orders@heritagebooks.org
+ United Reformed Churches in North America, c/o the Rev. Bradd Nymeyer, 227 1st Avenue Southeast, Sioux Center, Iowa 51250, 712-722-1965, statedclerk@urcna.org
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