The following is a summary of the work of the Committee on Church Doctrine regarding Physician Assisted Suicide and the responses of General Assembly since 2017 Report from the Committee on Church Doctrine 2017 Introduction Canada’s changing attitudes towards Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS; See “Definitions – A word about words” below for explanation of terminology) … Read more
Category Archives: Blog
Resources to Understand Physician Assisted Suicide
During the July Renewal Café, it was suggested that the issue of Physician Assisted Suicide/Death (also known as Medical Assistance in Dying) might be the emerging issue for evangelical Presbyterians. The tone of our Café conversation backed it up. The church appears to be deeply divided. On the one hand, otherwise faithful congregants and elders … Read more
The domesticated church
Renewal Day 2023. Like wild animals removed from their natural environments, are today’s Western believers overly domesticated and thereby innocuous? Have we allowed ourselves to be tamed under the control of the ruler of this world in order to fit in and not be too offensive? Cory McKenna, the speaker at our 2023 Renewal Day … Read more
You are Peter
Matthew 16:13-18 is a fascinating conversation. And revealing. It sheds as much light on the relationship between Jesus and His people today as it did about the dynamics He had with His disciples. The problem then was that the world rejected The Son of God outright. To the Rulers of the Visible World (the Roman Empire) He was a nuisance to be controlled or eliminated. To the church of … Read more
Wear the Fruit, Keep it Fresh
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul has pointed words about sin in church. Basically, we are not to permit it. Don’t dine with sinners. Cast them out. For those in The Presbyterian Church in Canada who adhere to traditional and Biblical sexuality, it’s a bit late for that. The opportunity passed decades ago. Church law caught … Read more
Thank God for Holy Spirit revival
You’ve probably seen the news of what’s going on at Asbury University, a private Christian college in Kentucky. It started during a regular chapel service on February 8 – but didn’t stop. “After the benediction, the gospel choir began to sing a final chorus—and then something began to happen that defies easy description. Students did … Read more
Renewal Fellowship raises its flag
"Voluntary associations" already exist in the PCC, committee told. Among the tasks given by General Assembly to a special committee in response to racism last year was to look into the idea of establishing voluntary associations to provide places of community. Renewal Fellowship’s response was sent in late January. To the Special Committee on Listening, … Read more
The Joy of Orthodoxy
There are fewer things more joyful than talking about our faith. It’s the stuff which keeps us together. Traditional, historic, evangelical, Christ-centred faith – preservation of orthodoxy, for want of a better name – is why Renewal Fellowship exists. What exactly is orthodoxy? In the view of the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s “belief in or … Read more
Let’s be “inclusive” of orthodoxy
Has “liberty of conscience and action” replaced “no divisive course” as the touchstone phrase in our polity? Ministers, elders and deacons promise in our ordination vows to “follow no divisive course but to seek the peace and unity of Christ among your people” and the wider church. It’s widely quoted and tacitly accepted, even though … Read more
Is Revival a Lost Dream?
Is the evangelical revival of The Presbyterian Church in Canada a lost dream? Not necessarily. The PCC may be officially affirming. It’s entirely possible that “liberty of conscience and action” regarding participation in ordinations and adherence to traditional definition of marriage may just be short-term accommodations. And it’s disheartening to see a majority of commissioners … Read more