What Were They Thinking?

Today’s headline of The Birmingham News poked me in the eye early this morning. The headline reads “Presbyterians to try variations on Trinity.”

Greg Garrison, the news staff writer covering the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meeting in Birmingham this week reports,

The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly on Monday accepted a report that encourages, but does not mandate, using alternatives to traditional references to the Trinity.

A few of the alternative forms for the Trinity include:

• Rainbow of Promise, Ark of Salvation and Dove of Peace
• Speaker, Word and Breath
• Compassionate Mother, Beloved Child, Lifegiving Womb
• Rock, Cornerstone and Temple
• Lover, Beloved and Love that binds together Lover and Beloved
• Giver, Gift and Giving

Garrison continues,

“The language of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rooted in Scripture and creed, remains an indispensable anchor for our efforts to speak faithfully of God,” said the theological report for the 2.3 million-member Presbyterian Church (USA). “With this anchor in place, however, we are liberated to interpret, amplify, and expand upon the ways of naming the three-in-one God familiar to most church members. We are freed to speak faithfully and amply of the mystery of the Trinity.”

What is the PC USA thinking? Better yet, what are they smoking?

The Bible is clear: the Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Any addition, manipulation or amplification of that is heresy. The operative word in the aforementioned quote is “liberated”. If the PC USA is not careful they will “liberate” themselves into oblivion.

Thankfully, a few people in the PC USA have some form of biblical grounding and understanding. Garrison continues,

Some members of the committee said the church had taken a non-controversial issue and created a controversy over gender-inclusive language. They offered a minority report, which was rejected by the General Assembly.

The minority report said the Trinity paper makes the biblical names of God equivalent to metaphors or analogies for God.

“The Trinity paper suffers from a confusion about the names of God,” said Jonathan Lovelady, a committee member who opposed the report. “It was a matter of great concern for the early church and it’s still a matter of concern.”

It is a shame the minority report was rejected. Those speaking in the minority made much more sense than the majority. It is sad that the majority often rules in the church.

Additionally, little did I realize when I started a message series on defending and defining the faith four months ago, that part of the defense would include contending for the faith within the church.

There is a message here for CrossPoint. We must continue to contend for the faith, both within and outside of the church.

The call is simple: we must remain faithful to the Bible and what it says instead of what we think we are “liberated” to say about it. And that is why I have asked you every week for the last 18 weeks do you know what you believe and why you believe it? What you believe and why you believe it is important because someday it will be challenged…even from the PC USA!