11 May 2011
.
Presbyterians Week Headlines
.
[1] As PCUSA and the National Capitol Presbytery Vote to Eliminate Fidelity and Chastity Amendment, One Pastor Calls for Return to Bible and the Lordship of Jesus Christ
[4] Mentally Ill Pakistani Man Arrested for Blasphemy in Bid to Keep Muslim Clerics from Killing Him
[5] Syrian Christians Being Attacked by Protesting Revolutionary Islamists
.
—
.
[1] As PCUSA and the National Capitol Presbytery Vote to Eliminate Fidelity and Chastity Amendment, One Pastor Calls for Return to Bible and the Lordship of Jesus Christ
A 9 May 2011 email message from The Presbyterian Coalition titled “Vote “No” on 10-A: A Pastor’s Witness” reports that the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)’s National Capitol Presbytery voted 30 April 2011 by a wide margin to approve Amendment 10-A, elimination of the ministerial requirement for “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness”.
The message continues, “…many pastors and elders brought their prophetic witness to that body with courage and grace. One pastor, Peter Della Santina [Neelsville Presbyterian Church, Germantown, Maryland] said this:”
“I am voting “No” on Amendment ‘A’ and I implore you to do the same.
“G-6.0106b has clarified what the Bible teaches Presbyterians to believe and what the Church Universal has always confessed: that God’s intention for his children is “to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.”
“I am voting No because this change is not faithful to the Word of God; it is a willful act of disobedience to our Lord — and for me personally, it de-moralizes the vows I made to Christ, by my chastity in singleness and fidelity in marriage these past 16 ½ years. The Bible’s message about sexual morality is consistent and clear: sex outside of marriage is sinful. Christians submit their whole selves to the lordship of Jesus Christ, including submitting our sexual orientation and our sexual practices, to the glory of God and for our eternal joy.
“I am voting No because:
“– Amendment 10-A is not true to what the Bible tells us about God’s design in creation and God’s intention for human relationships.
“– Amendment 10-A is not true to the way the Bible honors marriage — even lifting up the union of a man and a woman as an outward sign of the union of Christ and His bride, the Church.
“– Amendment 10-A is contrary to the one voice with which the Bible speaks in opposition to heterosexual adultery, extramarital sex, and GLBTQ practice.
“– The proposed amendment contains neither a clear standard of sexual morality, nor a requirement to repent of sin.
“Please vote No: in humble dependence on the Holy Spirit, see the world rightly, and so remain within the will of our Father in heaven — God’s good and perfect will — presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1-2) Thank you.”
The Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) announced 10 May 2011 that the 87th presbytery vote in favor of eliminating fidelity and chastity standards for PCUSA ministers was cast earlier in the day by a vote of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, thus reaching the majority required to pass Amendment 10-A, to take effect on 10 July 2011.
.
+ The Presbyterian Coalition, 4604 Grove Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23226, 804-615-3243, office@presbycoalition.org
+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
+ National Capitol Presbytery, One Central Plaza, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 1009, Rockville, Maryland 20852, 240-514-5348, mbkirkpatrick@alumnisouthwestern.edu
+ Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, 122 West Franklin Avenue, Suite 508, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404, 612-871-7281, Fax: 612-871-0698, office@ptcaweb.org
.
A 13 April 2011 memorandum from Rear Admiral Mark L. Tidd, U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains, to Chaplains and Religious Program Specialists announces a new revision to the Chaplain Corps Tier 1 Training Manual, which changes the previous prohibition of homosexual marriages on federal property into, in states where legal, allowing homosexual marriages to occur in U.S. Navy chapels and be performed by U.S. Navy chaplains.
Referring to a review of regulations by U.S. Navy attorneys, Chaplain Rear Admiral Tidd says the U.S. Navy now “has concluded that, generally speaking, base facility use is sexual orientation neutral.”
.
+ American Family Association, Post Office Drawer 2440, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803, 662-844-5036
+ U.S. Navy, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, 2000 Navy Pentagon, Washington DC 20350, Contact Page
.
An 8 May 2011 article by Garrett Ellison in The Grand Rapids Press titled “Semester Over, But Critics inside Hope College Say Debate over Homosexuality is Unresolved” reports that at the end of the school year, the debate at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, over college policies regarding homosexuality remain unresolved despite a Human Sexuality Statement policy and position document released 28 January 2011 that was developed over a period of eight months and revised former Hope College president John Jacobson’s 1995 policy mandating non-recognition of groups that advocated or legitimized homosexuality.
Hope College President James Bultman commented: “Hope’s position is based on our best interpretation of Biblical teaching and not on social norms….I think Hope has made a statement that’s not unlike what our founding denomination has said. Other Christian colleges and universities have the same position….It parallels positions of the Reformed Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church and the Roman Catholic Church and says so in the text.”
The leader of campus activist group Hope is Ready said that the document’s policies indirectly legitimize incidents which have occurred at Hope College such as rocks being thrown through the residence windows of openly homosexual couples, spray-painted slurs on campus sidewalks, KKK fliers, and intermittent harassment of homosexual students.
.
+ The Grand Rapids Press, 155 Michigan Street Northwest, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, 616-222-5818, dgaydou@grpress.com
+ Hope College, Holland, Michigan 49423, 616-395-7780, Fax: 616-395-7111, bultmanj@hope.edu
+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org
+ Christian Reformed Church in North America, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560, 616-241-1691, Fax: 616-224-0803 crcna@crcna.org
+ The Vatican, Città del Vaticano, Rome, Italy, 39-6-69-88-35-11, Fax: 39-6-69-88-54-47, Contact Page
.
[4] Mentally Ill Pakistani Man Arrested for Blasphemy in Bid to Keep Muslim Clerics from Killing Him
Compass Direct News reported 6 May 2011 that a mentally ill man from Chichawatni, Sahiwal district, Pakistan, was arrested by and jailed by police for “injuring religious feelings” under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, after the man used abusive language against the prophet Muhammad as people were coming out of the Canal Mosque after prayer. The man has suffered mental illness for the past six or seven years typified by fits of unprovoked rage, where he uses abusive language and lacks concern for food and clothing.
A large number of Muslim clerics then gathered outside of the man’s family’s house and demanded that he be turned over to them so that they could “do justice” by killing him. A neighbor suggested the family call the police and have the man taken into custody before the Muslim clerics killed him. When the clerics saw the man being put into a police van, they rushed toward the van and tried to take hold of the man. The clerics continued chasing after the vehicle as it carried the man away.
While the Muslim clerics were chasing after the police vehicle, three families closely related to the mentally ill man fled their homes and remain in hiding.
.
+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org
.
[5] Syrian Christians Being Attacked by Protesting Revolutionary Islamists
International Christian Concern reported 4 May 2011 that Christians in Syria are being forced by Islamists seeking the overthrow of Syrian President Assad to join in the protests against the Assad government or to flee Syria.
A Christian leader is Syria commented: “If Muslim Salafis gain political influence, they will make sure that there will be no trace of Christianity in Syria.”
.
+ International Christian Concern, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest #941, Washington DC 20006, 800-422-5441, Fax: 301-989-1709, superadmin@persecution.org
.
The Assyrian International News Agency reported 8 May 2011 that a mob of 3000 Muslim Salafis staged a fourteen hour attack on Coptic Christians in Embaba, Egypt, on 7 May 2011, killing twelve and injuring 232. The Muslims fired guns and rifles, and hurled Molotov cocktails at Coptic churches, houses, and businesses. Rooftop snipers picked off members of the church of Saint Mina as they exited a church congregation meeting.
.
+ Assyrian International News Agency
.
Compass Direct News reported 10 May 2011 that Muslim extremists began an attack on Kurum, Nigeria, on 4 May 2011, killing sixteen, looting houses, and setting twenty Christian homes on fire.
The wife and three of the four children of Church Of Christ In Nigeria Pastor James Musa Rike were murdered by the Muslims when the Muslims attacked at midnight, invading the pastor’s home. The Muslims shot Pastor Rike’s wife and two of his four children as they tried to escape their home, then disemboweled Mrs. Rike with a machete. Pastor Rike’s thirteen-year old daughter was then disemboweled with a machete after the Muslims told her “see how your Jesus will save you.” As she lay dying, the thirteen-year old told her father that she responded to the Muslims by telling them that Jesus had already saved her, and that by killing her they would only be making it possible for her to be with Him.
Among the dead were one man, three women, and twelve children.
.
+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org
+ Church Of Christ In Nigeria (COCIN), Number 5 Noad Avenue, PMB 2127, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, 234-73-453679, info@cocin-ng.org
.
In response to the recent U.S. Navy SEALS mission in Pakistan that killed Muslim terrorist Osama bin Laden, Reformed Presbyterian minister the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, released the following statement:
“After ripping President Bush as immoral and un-American for waterboarding terrorists the Obama Administration executed an unarmed terrorist in front of his wife.
“The question that must be asked is, “If waterboarding terrorists is immoral torture and un-American why is it now moral and American to execute an unarmed terrorist in front of his family?”
“The Obama administration cannot have it both ways if the execution of an unarmed bin Laden was acceptable then waterboarding cannot be condemned.
“Rev. Mahoney, director of the Washington DC based Christian Defense Coalition is troubled by the double standard and hypocrisy of the Obama administration.
“Rev. Mahoney asks President Obama these questions:
“– Is the new policy of the Obama Administration executing unarmed terrorists instead of waterboarding them?
“– After changing the story of bin Laden’s death several times can the President now offer a definitive narrative?
“– How much resistance did bin Laden offer?
“– How many children were in the compound and how many were injured?
“– After the execution of an unarmed terrorist will President Obama still condemn waterboarding?
“– After ordering the execution of an unarmed bin Laden will the President give his Nobel Peace Prize back?
“In no way should these comments be construed as an attack on the heroic and courageous efforts of our Navy SEALs, rather they are presented as a challenge to the double standards shown by the Obama Administration when dealing with terrorism.”
.
+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
.
A 4 May 2011 article by Sapa in the Times Live titled “Church Concerned by Remarks on Zuma, Trinity” reports that the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) released a statement expressing concern over a pastor’s remarks at a rally for South Africa President Jacob Zuma, where the pastor said that the African National Congress (ANC), Congress of South African Trade Unions (CSATU), and the South African Communist Party (SACP) are the Trinity, and that Jesus was a Communist.
DRC spokesman Ben Du Toit wrote:
“While acknowledging our own history in this regard, as well as the same errors we have committed in the past, it is with a growing sense of concern that we as the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) take note of the public remarks clergy as well as political figures have recently made, claiming God’s support for their political party…. The latest incident in this regard, in which a pastor ceremoniously anointed president Zuma and misused Rom 13 in an irresponsible way to forcefully compel voters to support the ANC, really oversteps the boundaries of responsible theology, the responsible use of the Bible, as well as the responsible lobbying of support for the political party in question…. Should political leaders fail to publicly announce their opposition of these practices in the build-up towards the municipal elections, the DRC will have no choice but to use its communication structures as effectively as possible to advise voters to rather support political parties that do not misuse religion to further their own cause.”
.
+ Times Live, 4 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa, 011-280-3000, Fax: 011-280-5070, feedback@timeslive.co.za
+ Dutch Reformed Church, Posbus 13528, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa, 27-0-12-342-0092, Fax: 27-0-12-342-0380, algemenesinode@ngkerk.org.za
+ African National Congress, 54 Sauer Street, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa, 011-376-1000, Fax: 011-376-1100, Contact Page
.
The 24th annual meeting of the New Netherland Institute is scheduled for 21 May 2011 at the Stockade Inn in Schenectady, New York.
The featured speaker is Dr. Dirk Mouw, an authority on the history of the Dutch Reformed Church, who will speak on the topic, “A Silver Lining? How New Netherland Church-Goers Seized New Opportunities Presented by the English Conquest, 1665-1699”.
The meeting is open to both members and non-members. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m., and the cost of the luncheon program is US$25.
The New Netherland Institute is a membership organization that supports the New Netherland Research Center in its mission of transcribing, translating and publishing some 12,000 documents of the New Netherland Colony in the 17th century.
.
+ New Netherland Institute, Cultural Education Center, Room 10D45, Albany, New York 12230, 518-486-4815, Fax: 518-473-0472, cgehring@mail.nysed.gov
.
The 2011 West-Coast Christian Worldview Conference (WCWC) is scheduled for 27 June – 1 July 2011 at the Presentation Center in Los Gatos, California. Speakers include John M. Hodges, Mark R. Rushdoony, Brian M. Abshire, Gary DeMar, and Kevin Swanson.
The WCWC accepts high school students in the tenth grade and above and college students who are committed Christians and are eager to deepen their faith. The conference’s goal is that each student will leave feeling affirmed in the faith and encouraged to spread the kingdom of Christ.
Registration and further information are available at www.wcwc.ws .
.
+ WCWC, PMB #402, 1484 Pollard Road, Los Gatos, California 95032, 408-866-5607, info@wcwc.ws
.
Comments are closed for this Article !