A Presbyterian Path

SAT., AUG. 22, 1998, 3:02 PM
FARM, STUDY

Initially you thought the title would be THE Presbyterian Path, implying that there is only one. With somewhere around 2½ million members your “branch” of this denomination is bound to have some differences in perceptions, interpretation, and belief. This, then should be one affirmation as you begin this Forum next week. All Christians are not alike, and even all Presbyterian Christians differ in a number of ways.

I’ll start with similarities. All believe in Me as Father God and as Creator and Sustainer God. All believe in Me as Jesus, the Son Who lived on earth, preached, taught, and showed a way to live. He was born a Jew and came to His own people, but was rejected by the Jewish leadership. He was crucified for being a societal disruption by claiming He was the Christ and the Messiah. He was both killed as a social threat AND gave up His life willingly for the sins of the world. Most would not deny this interpretation, but there would be some variations of it.

All would give lip service to Me as Holy Spirit and part of the Trinity. However, few are as “acquainted with” Me as you are, and many are not sure Who I am and what I do, here in the 20th century.

Most Presbyterians are satisfied with or at least have little objection to the “republican” form of government that your church employs. Though you do have congregational meetings occasionally, most of the decisions in the church life are the responsibility of the elected Boards, particularly the Session and the Trustees. It is less than democratic when you don’t have “real” elections, but merely the approval of those presented by the Nominating Committee. With an election there would be losers… and campaigning… and that could well cause more problems than it solves. At least members get some say in how they are represented.

Though the ordained clergy are presumed to be role models of Christian behavior, they are ordained for having a theological education and some skills in preaching, teaching, and pastoring. These are their primary roles, but as a church increases in size the minister takes on more administrative roles, for which she or he may not be gifted or trained. This can generate problems, as your church is experiencing in this era.

Thus it is clear that you Presbyterians are Protestant Christians… those not approving of a hierarchal structure, with “power from above”, in human form. You can listen to proclamations from General Assemblies, but these are not received as from a Bishop, Archbishop, or Pope. You are not as autonomous as those in the Congregational or Baptist traditions, but you are supposed to respect the recommendations of Presbyteries and general Assemblies… you are a “connectional” church.

One feature of this path that you will emphasize on all three Sunday mornings is the belief in predestination… or in God’s desire and prerogative to “choose first” and call, for His purposes. (3:38pm / 3:45) You presume that there will be varied support for such an interpretation of reality in your present congregation.

Emphasize that God is the Ultimate Power, and, as exhibited in Jesus life on earth, some are specifically chosen to serve in needed ways. This does not negate the possibility and value of those, who are not especially chosen, to come voluntarily. (See if you can find that Parable of Predestination that We developed together many years ago.)