A Letter to the Presbyterian Layman

October 26, 2011

Editor, Layman,

Your newsletter has been a constant presence in my mail for many years, though I find most of what it offers offensive, dysfunctional and saturated with hubris.

With that said, blessings on the Fremont Church - they will continue on, as many have, with a slow drift into irrational fundamentalism, leaving behind the great Evangelical/Reformed Tradition. In place of faith, will be money, David Barton's/Rousas John Rushdoony's weird reconstructionist vision of America, private schools, creationism, anti-intellectualism, a diminished role for women, and an abiding James Dobson hatred of LGBTQ people (there is no such thing as hating the sin and loving the sinner - that's an example of pious muddled thinking that closes doors even as it prides itself on open doors).

I find it tragic that many Presbyterians have sold their Evangelical/Reformed soul for a mess of potage seasoned by Americanism, nationalistic illusions, a love of money and big buildings (even small conservative churches look to the big boys as if size mattered in the Kingdom of God), a world-denying version of "salvation," faith without exegesis, tradition without thought and a bitter dogmatism driven by the Westminster Catechism (a 17th Century example of mostly where not to go).

I've been following the Layman since 1973, when I was a pastor in Altoona, PA. I know well the contours of your soul, and it's a jumbled and sad landscape.

Though I've sometimes been sympathetic to your original theological intentions, I've watched the Layman drift all the more into bitterness and darkness of spirit, while claiming to have the greater share of light in the PCUSA and assigning itself the task of guarding and traveling the higher road of faith, feeding the demons of fear and anger, aiming for a new denomination all along.

And, frankly, as someone from the north, I'm no longer saddened by Southern Tier Churches leaving (formerly PCUS) - while the vision of reunion was worthy, and driven by some extraordinary leaders, too many of the Southern Churches brought very little to the health of the church, often requiring the Northern Church to walk on eggshells, cater to their theological sensibilities, parochial attitudes, the "spiritual nature of the church," and, yes, the remnants of racism which remain unresolved in the South, and, yes, in all parts of our country.

Meanwhile, the PCUSA will sharpen and expand the biblical vision of inclusivity and welcome. New congregations will be planted, folks brought to the Christ of the New Testament, and lives changed. Theologians like N.T. Wright are leading the way, along with Newbigin and his missional insights, and young-generation historians like John Fea and Darren Dochuk, not to mention Mark Noll. 

It will be a better day for the PCUSA when the dust settles, and perhaps you'll be happier, too, though the mindset of the Layman is always in need of an enemy, so it will be fascinating to watch who the next enemy will be. I doubt very much if you and gang will ever find happiness this side of heaven, and, frankly, if Matthew 25 has any bearing, it's likely that unhappiness will plague your house even then.

I realize that my note is headed for the trash bin, or, if published, will be edited and then heralded by the "righteous" as just another example of liberal insanity and progressive blindness.

Well, so be it, and baloney to you.

BTW, if you want to remove my name from your mailing list, go ahead.

But I bet you won't.

And as long as you send your nonsense to me, I'll send my comments to you.

Is that a deal?

Faithfully in Christ, and in always grateful for the Amazing Grace that saves, and looking for better days in the PCUSA, with windows and doors wide open to the gospel of faith, hope and love, because Christ is risen from the dead.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas P. Eggebeen, HR and Interim Pastor

Calvary Presbyterian Church

Hawthorne, CA

Kindness is always in season! And so is truth!

Presbyterian Lay Committee

As the reader may or may not know, I'm a Presbyterian pastor and have been in the ministry for 38 years. During that time, I've been in a lot of different places, geographically, emotionally and spiritually.

I'd like to believe that as I now write, I do so from the perspective of experience and thought.

Well, who knows, but for now, here goes.

I just finished reading the latest edition of the The Laymen, a poisoned-pen publication of the worst kind, twisting facts, omitting vital detail, telling only one side of a complicated story, and telling it in the glorious tradition of all yellow journalism.

They have the money to publish a slick paper and mail it to millions of Presbyterians who are not likely to read with a critical eye, but a gentle heart, all too easily swayed by malicious suggestions and slanted reporting.

That Christians should behave this way is unconscionable. That they should then vilify anyone who raises a question against them, claiming the high moral ground for themselves in all matters of faith and life, is beyond all moral, theological and human boundaries.

Shame on the Presbyterian Lay Committee ... their specious arguments have taken a toll. Doesn't the one rotten apple spoil the whole barrel? Sling enough mud and constantly cast aspersions and, sooner or later, the mud sticks and the doubts take root.

Have they harmed the Presbyterian Church?

Of course they have, and proud of it they are.

But in such harm are the seeds of grace.

God's goodness prevails in the worst of times.

Good and wonderful things are happening throughout the Presbyterian Church. We've taken our hits in recent years, and we've needed to get our act together on a number of fronts, but we are, and we have been, a brave denomination, tackling tough issues and holding before our world the gospel of Jesus Christ, intelligently and compassionately.

As a denomination, we have learned that no one has to be wrong in order for us to be right. We've learned to be one denomination among many, and one faith among others.

In my 38 years of ministry, I've seen and heard it all. I've watched the Lay Committee slouch toward their appointed goal - to split the church, to form a new group and be little kings in a little kingdom.

Are they interested in the gospel? World mission? Evangelism? That's what they say, but their cantankerous, proud, arrogant rantings point in another direction.

I gratefully receive their embittered diatribes. They bear witness against themselves, and in time, the sheer weight of their own self-righteousness will bring down the house of cards.

The sun is already setting on their fiefdom - they've had their day and are likely to spend the remainder of their days fighting with one another over pin heads and angels.

My denomination, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is good and faithful, not perfect. Yet God remains present in our midst and the Spirit bears witness to Jesus through us. The winds of change are blowing gently - new leadership is emerging, new congregations are being planted, conservative and liberal groups are converging in a movement called Emergent, we're learning how to talk to one another, we're recovering our sense of the sacred text, doing good theology and looking to God for life and hope.

I'm proud to be a Presbyterian, and I'm more than happy to tell the Presbyterian Lay Committee how wrong they are and how twisted they've become. Lord have mercy upon them.

Presbyterian Layman

Dear Elders,

Some of you likely receive The Layman as I do.

I have read it for years, carefully noting their work since the early 70s, sometimes agreeing with their theology but always saddened by their rhetoric and their deep-seated desire to leave the Presbyterian Church and form their own group.

In spite of their repeated protests about staying in the denomination and changing it from within, I always felt a deeper current heading toward disassociation.

With the formation now of the non-geographical New Wine Skins Presbytery affiliated with the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church), their long-standing wish is being realized. They’ve come out of the closet!

I’m writing to you after carefully reading the latest issue of the Layman. I could hardly manage it; such is my disappointment and sadness.

As I read, I had the feeling I was eavesdropping on a terrorist conclave exulting in its latest suicide bombing. On every page, delight in our woes and a sense of self-righteousness that I find disturbingly inconsistent with the Christ they claim to know so much better than I do.

Their claims to know Christ better, their claims to have a clearer grasp of Scripture, their claims to have the theological high ground on homosexuality, marriage and issues of choice, leave little room for conversation. Like radical terrorists, they have labeled folks like me apostate, thus negating the need and the possibility of conversation. After all, why waste time chatting with a servant of Satan?

I write with a heavy heart, encouraging you as Elders to be all the more thoughtful about your faith, and deeply grateful for our Presbyterian Church (USA) identity. This is the church of my ordination; I signed on the dotted line, and so did the pastors and elders who have left to form their own group in affiliation with the EPC. My loyalties run deep and my commitment remains.

I wish my angry friends could take a deep breath and see how graciously our LORD is at work in our fields, and I wish they could find in their hearts the gospel truths of fellowship and love.

I pray for them and wish them well, though I suspect what history amply reveals will be their story: schismatic groups carry a soul-wound that never heals – the need to justify an action condemned by their own conscience.

The volume of their rhetoric leads me to think: “thou dost protest too much,” as if repeating the same arguments and declaring them all the more loudly could make them right.

Just some thoughts on a Saturday morning.

Blessings and Joy, and all the Grace you can use, and then some.

February 2, 2008