103 articles from 57 issues, 1996 to 2026 · Page 7 of 9
What happens when a presbytery tells a congregation it must elect a woman as elder? Richard White, an associate pastor in Montreat, recounts how his church complied, what it cost, and what the experience says about discipline in the PCUSA.
Who decides which leaders reach the national offices of the church, and on what information? Susan Cyre examines how the General Assembly Nominating Committee works, where its process falls short, and what would make it answer to the presbyteries.
What would you say if the denomination asked you to help define the family? Christine Bruce reviews the churchwide study document “Changing Families,” weighs its strengths against its handling of Scripture and the confessions, and urges readers to respond.
What happens to a church whose officers refuse to obey its own constitution? Terry Schlossberg follows the Londonderry decision and the Presbytery of Northern New England, and calls on presbyteries, the Stated Clerk and the General Assembly to act.
How can Presbyterians be sure their leaders are fit to lead? Susan Cyre and Philip Keevil look at the session and the presbytery, and propose better instruction in the Reformed faith, closer examination of elders and clergy, and specific questions to ask.
What happens to ordination standards when a whole chapter of the Book of Order is rewritten and its procedures are handed to the presbyteries? Carol Shanholtzer sets out six reasons to vote no on Amendment H.
Why should church government matter when governing bodies stray from the faith? Susan Cyre argues from Scripture, the confessions and human sinfulness that government is a divine gift, and names three areas where reform is needed.
After twenty years of denominational debate, some are asking whether it is time to leave. Roberta Hestenes recalls the Christians she met in Cambodia and turns to Hebrews 12 to argue for staying focused on Christ and on the cloud of witnesses.
Is the Presbyterian Church (USA) apostate, or is there still ground for hope? Susan Cyre and Terry Schlossberg survey the General Assembly votes, the constitution and the confessions, and begin a series on why faithful Presbyterians should stay and work for renewal.
Is the General Assembly about to speak on euthanasia? Terry Schlossberg recalls the 1995 study guide that fewer than fifteen congregations used, and urges careful congregational study before any policy statement is written.
What would the Presbyterian Church give up by joining Churches Uniting in Christ? Paul Leggett argues that the proposal ignores the Reformed marks of a true church, threatens the autonomy of congregations, and offers a thin account of the faith.
Is a vote for Churches Uniting in Christ only a vote on a concept? Eighteen questions and answers walk through what the proposal would bind Presbyterians to, from new structures of accountability and their cost to ordination standards and the theology of the plan.
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