134 articles from 67 issues, 1995 to 2026 · Page 3 of 12
Does the proposed replacement for G-6.0106b keep the church under the Lordship of Christ, or quietly drop its standard for ordination? Tom Hobson and Susan Cyre compare the two texts, answer common objections and urge a vote of no.
What would presbyteries be approving if they replaced the whole Form of Government? Carol Shanholtzer reads the new Foundations section, the rewritten chapters and the advisory handbook, and warns of a more hierarchical church and a loss of ordination standards.
Is the Belhar Confession confined to the sin of racism, or does its language reach further? Susan Cyre argues that Belhar ranks unity above truth, cites how supporters already apply it to same-sex relationships, and urges presbyteries to vote no.
Should presbyteries vote on a confession they have barely read? Jerry Andrews welcomes a church-wide conversation about the Belhar but argues that the voting timetable leaves no time to examine and test it, and recommends neither yes nor no.
Could every congregation be made to fund benefits for same-sex partners through the mandatory pension plan? James Tony explains what the 219th General Assembly urged the Board of Pensions to do, why presbyteries will not vote on it, and what members can do.
Where does the Presbytery of Denver’s overture leave same-gender partnerships in the church? Three members of the special committee on civil unions and Christian marriage answer from Scripture, the confessions and the Constitution that the church cannot bless them.
Should the PC(USA) add the Belhar Confession to its Book of Confessions? Viola Larson compares Belhar with the Theological Declaration of Barmen and argues that it fails to confess Jesus Christ as Lord, leaving room for misuse on homosexuality, Israel and pluralism.
What would the proposed new Form of Government mean for the local congregation? Carol Shanholtzer lists changes that would limit the session’s powers and place congregations under a more centralized, top-down structure.
Who chooses the commissioners whose votes shape a General Assembly? Gabrielle Avedian argues that presbyters must examine nominees, cites Pittsburgh and Los Ranchos as models, and shows how to change a presbytery’s election rules.
What does the Reformed tradition say a church is, and when may a Christian leave one? Dennis Okholm turns to Calvin and Barth on the church’s nature, its marks, the sin of schism and its mission, and asks what they mean for the PC(USA).
The new Form of Government task force recommends a paper on “missional ecclesiology” as required reading for Presbyterians. Viola Larson argues that it redefines the Church’s core message, the Nicene marks and the Reformation marks of the true Church.
What does an ancient wall-builder have to say to a denomination voting for the fourth time on the same question? Terry Schlossberg turns to Nehemiah’s strategy of lifting the people’s eyes from the rubble and urges a firm No on Amendment B.
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