Church Politics In The PCA

I mentioned earlier that over at the Bayly Brothers blog they were discussing the dangers of egalitarianism. It seems that there is some kind of push in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) to ordain women as deacons.

What I want to post about here is only indirectly concerned to the issue of egalitarianism, or the issue of creeping feminism in the Church. Except to those who are advocates for egalitarianism and feminism it is a given that these are realities that are present in the Church. What I want to post on is the wonder of denominational church politics.

I suspect the Bayly’s and others of like convictions are beginning to realize how their concerns about the feminization of the PCA is linked to the issue of Federal Vision. It is simply a matter of votes. If the Federal Vision adherents are run out on rail from the PCA that weakens the ability of conservatives, like the Baylys, to build a firewall against encroaching feminism in the PCA, if only because many of the Federal Vision types would vote against egalitarianism. Politically speaking the removal of the Federal Vision adherents leaves the denomination (PCA) weighted in the direction of ‘men wearing skirts.’

Now the argument is presented by those who virulently oppose the Federal Vision that Federal Vision is more dangerous then the feminization of the Church since it attacks the heart of the Gospel while potential deaconesses only conveys a kind of ill health in the Church. I think there is currently truth in that observation. The only problem is that it is difficult to see how the feminization of the denomination is stopped once it is given its head. In other words, it may be the case that for now the Federal Vision is a more dangerous threat but it is not difficult to see how in the near future, with a couple of wins for the ‘men in nylons’ crowd, the denomination isn’t destroyed by feminism.

Pity the PCA. If on one hand they protect the Gospel from the attacks of the Federal Vision they are left with growing feminism. If they don’t protect the Gospel from the attacks of the Federal Vision they are left nurturing incipient Arminianism.

And that says nothing in regards to how they are harboring pagan theories of psychology in their denominational infrastructure.

Author: jetbrane

I am a Pastor of a small Church in Mid-Michigan who delights in my family, my congregation and my calling. I am postmillennial in my eschatology. Paedo-Calvinist Covenantal in my Christianity Reformed in my Soteriology Presuppositional in my apologetics Familialist in my family theology Agrarian in my regional community social order belief Christianity creates culture and so Christendom in my national social order belief Mythic-Poetic / Grammatical Historical in my Hermeneutic Pre-modern, Medieval, & Feudal before Enlightenment, modernity, & postmodern Reconstructionist / Theonomic in my Worldview One part paleo-conservative / one part micro Libertarian in my politics Systematic and Biblical theology need one another but Systematics has pride of place Some of my favorite authors, Augustine, Turretin, Calvin, Tolkien, Chesterton, Nock, Tozer, Dabney, Bavinck, Wodehouse, Rushdoony, Bahnsen, Schaeffer, C. Van Til, H. Van Til, G. H. Clark, C. Dawson, H. Berman, R. Nash, C. G. Singer, R. Kipling, G. North, J. Edwards, S. Foote, F. Hayek, O. Guiness, J. Witte, M. Rothbard, Clyde Wilson, Mencken, Lasch, Postman, Gatto, T. Boston, Thomas Brooks, Terry Brooks, C. Hodge, J. Calhoun, Llyod-Jones, T. Sowell, A. McClaren, M. Muggeridge, C. F. H. Henry, F. Swarz, M. Henry, G. Marten, P. Schaff, T. S. Elliott, K. Van Hoozer, K. Gentry, etc. My passion is to write in such a way that the Lord Christ might be pleased. It is my hope that people will be challenged to reconsider what are considered the givens of the current culture. Your biggest help to me dear reader will be to often remind me that God is Sovereign and that all that is, is because it pleases him.

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