Evangelical PCUSA Churches Need to Avoid Hollywood Presbyterian's Fate

October 4, 2006 Letter to The Layman

I agree with all of the criticisms of the two-synod system. But, here is the problem: Our fate, if we do nothing else, will mirror that of First Hollywood Presbyterian Church, a church where I have had many friends and have visited over my lifetime. I think that everyone should look at the chronology and outcome of the events at First Hollywood Presbyterian Church very carefully. It is sobering. How many church's elders have established outside corporate entities to gather assets outside the reach of their presbytery? How many sessions are pushing their presbyteries to adopt the constitutional Presbyterian standards. Although the Permanent Judicial Counsel will most likely side with GAC, and eventually rule against Constitutional presbytery standards (even though this A.I. is not part of our constitution and is being treated as such), the more presbyteries that become constitutional presbyteries the stronger our cases in secular court that we are not schismatics, but represent a large and formally majority theological camp in this denomination.

But we need to push for 70 presbyteries to do this so that we do not appear in secular court to be some small unhappy group. How many Confessing Churches are willing to follow Baton Rouge's lead and both get an injunction and a declaratory judgment as to title? How many churches have established outside corporate entities where they have gathered assets to pay an exit fee to obtain title to their churches from the local presbytery? And what about the more meek evangelical pastors and their church members who are left behind to suffer Hollywood Presbyterian's fate.

Doesn't this emerging tragedy keep you awake at night? It should. This is part of Christ's body that will truly suffer. Maybe the two-synod concept, carving out a legally safe place for evangelicals to serve the Lord Jesus Christ without fear, threat, or retaliation, is not such a terrible idea. In saying this I do not want to discourage any congregation from joining with the EPC etc. But, it is easy to criticize, and if we sit around and do nothing we will meet Hollywood Presbyterian Church's fate. Read the chronology, it is sobering. We must tend to the flock whether we protect them in a two-synod PCUSA or exercise another option.
John Almquist
Member, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Newport Beach, CA)

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