Intellectual Promiscuity—Letter to the Reserved Christian

I haven't been on here for a while and I apologize for that. However, there is a reason why I came back—other than the reason that I need to blog. There is a book that I recently purchased by Christian philosopher James P. Moreland entitled "Love Your God with all Your Mind." In it he presents a case first by showing that the Christian-Evangelical community is flanked with "empty-headedness" among the leadership as well as the church at large. This alone is enough to perturb the common Christian off his or her seat to action. However, he doesn't stop there. He goes to show that because of the church's lazed attitude throughout the centuries (more specifically the 18^th century), there was a drastic shift in the learning that travailed the academy. Moreland writes,

As Friedrich Nietzsche said, once God died in Western culture—that is, once the concept of God no longer informed the major idea-generating centers of society turned secular—there would be turmoil and horrible secular wars unchecked by traditional morality because the state would come to be a surrogate god for many.

Although many who read phrases like these don't see the inherent (philosophic) ideas behind this, it evident that most of the metaphysical and epistemic tragedies bereaved most of the academic world for a cheaper version of reality—a material reality. One of my favorite heroes of the 20^th century put it like this: "False ideas are the greatest obstacles for the reception of the gospel." It is the case that the academy is the center for ethical notions of practical living—and it is taught in the public square of the academic elites. There is a current rush over the public school system (and by this, I mean the state is launching an attack against parents who desire to teach their own children). Certain "demagogues" currently have the semblance of being devils. They disturb the peace of the American consensus. But are these people on to something? Do they have some knowledge forehand not seen by the public?

Dr. G.L. Bahnsen, when his Always Ready was first published in 1996 stated in chapter 1 that some people—the consensus—would have the general public believe that there isn't a real need for Christian schools (or private schools for that matter) since they basically teach the same things—with the exception of Bible readings and prayer. Is that true? Do we not have prior commitments when we look at, say, logic, math, geometry, etc.?

Moreland's voice is also heard in the vibrations of Lindsey, Gerstner and Sproul in Classical Apologetics when they wrote that the death of the church will not come from blunt force from the saeculum. It will come from the inexorable blow of irrelevance. The church will simply disappear from the world. Where Christianity was the voice of the sciences, it will merely be the voice of emotional bystanders whose dub worthy name will be "lunatic." So what does the church do when it is amassed with these epithets and insults? How will she defend herself when she has left the very arsenal by which emboldened the rise of the 18^th century Visigoths of science and philosophy?

SOLI DEO GLORIA,

Julio Martinez, Jr.

 

Women & the Office of Deacon in the PCA: The 36th General Assembly’s Decision

 

Female Deaconesses

• As we have seen in previously, the PCA Book of Church Order makes it quite clear that there are only two ordained offices in the PCA: Elder & Deacon (BCO 7-2).
  
• With regards to deacons we are told that they are to be ordained and that they are to be ordained and they are to be spiritual men (BCO 9-4).
  
• In fact, both offices are open to men only (BCO 7-2).
  
• This year's GA received an overture (#9) from Philadelphia Presbytery requesting that the GA "Erect a study committee on the deaconesses."
  
• The GA committee to study this overture was comprised of approximately 70 members.
  
• The net result was a minority and majority report.
  
• The minority report requested a "balanced" study committee to report back at the 37^th GA in Orlando.
  
• The minority folks (Bryan Chapell of Covenant Seminary was their spokesman) listed 3 specific areas for the committee.
  
• First, "Scriptural teaching bearing on the role of women in diaconal ministry."
  
• Second, "Is the Book of Church Order more, or less, restrictive than the Scriptural teaching bearing on the role of women in diaconal ministries? If so, what potential changes to the BCO (in keeping with any findings proceeding from the study of Scripture) might be considered for future Presbytery overtures?"
  
• Third, "Offer pastoral advice on what might be an appropriate range of practices related to women serving in diaconal ministry and give guidance regarding our current differences in practice among PCA churches."
  
• In their "Grounds," the minority stated: "Given the existence of a variety of practices on this issue, many have found the language of BCO 7-2 and BCO chapter 9 to be insufficient to answer questions such as those from Overture 9 from the Philadelphia Presbytery."
  
• What are some of those questions? Let's take a look at them.
  

Questions Considered

• First, may churches choose not to ordain any male deacons?
  
• Second, may churches choose to commission but not ordain male deacons?
  
• Third, may women be commissioned as deaconesses without ordaining them as deacons?
  
• Fourth, may the same constitutional questions, or similar questions, used to ordain be used to commission deacons or deaconesses who are not ordained?
  
• Fifth, may churches elect ordained men and commissioned women to serve together in the diaconate? (Note: 9-7 states: "It is often expedient that the session of a church should elect and appoint godly men and women of the congregation to assist the deacons in caring for the sick, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, and others who may be in distress or need.")
  
• Finally, may churches use the title deaconesses for an elected position off ministry in the church or selected to serve according to BCO 9-7?
  
• The minority adds, "There would be value in offering our congregations an historical and a comprehensive, exegetical, and hermeneutical analysis of Scripture's teaching concerning the role of women in the diaconal ministries."
  
• Thankfully, the minority report failed.
  

A Historical Look

• Let's take a historical look for a moment.
  
• Actually, the PCA examined the issue of deaconesses when they were initially formed. You see the denomination they came out of, the PCUS, decided to begin ordaining women to church offices in 1964 and amended their own Book of Church Order to reflect that. Nine years later, when the PCA was formed, much of their book of church order was taken verbatim from the PCUS book of church order, so at that point the PCA could have simply adopted the existing practice of the PCUS and continued to elect and ordain women deacons. This practice, however, was rejected.
  
• In 1973 the PCA determined that sessions could select and appoint godly women of the congregation to assist the deacons in their work, and in this a clear avenue was created for women who wish to formally serve the church to minister to the needs of others. Therefore it is incorrect to say the PCA is preventing women from serving the church, even in regards to diaconal care. Historically though, the controversy is not over having opportunities to serve, it is over whether women may hold ordained offices in the church.
  
• Additionally, in 1982 when the PCA joined and received the RPCES they merged with a denomination that already had an office of "non-ordained" deaconesses, and yet the understanding was that the RPCES would conform to the PCA BCO on this point, and not vice versa.
  
• With regard to Overture 9, the majority report answered, "Presbyteries are reminded that appropriate ways to bring these issues before the Assembly are through Presbytery overtures to amend the BCO, or by way of reference (BCO 41)."
  
• The majority's "Grounds" read as follows: "BCO 7-2, chapter 9, and especially 9-7, provided a sufficient answer to the issues contemplated in Overture 9; the Presbyteries should work through the implications in their own local contexts. This is always subject to the actions noted in the text of the response."
  
• The majority report passed.
  

Where Do We Move From Here?

• So what now? Let me briefly outline a course of action.
  
• First, at our stated meeting of South Coast Presbytery in September, Grace and whoever will join us will overture Presbytery to bring its practices into line with what is clearly stated in our PCA Constitution as given to us in the BCO.
  
• Please pray for us as we put this document together and ask other neighboring churches to join us and sign it.
  
• Also pray that the Presbytery meeting would go well because this is going to be an emotional discussion. Why?
  
• Simply because we intended to inform those who refuse to come into line that we are going to report them to the Standing Judicial Committee of the PCA, which will, if necessary, bring punitive measures to bear.