Classic 1923 text by J. Gresham Machen comes to life again. In this diverse world of ours, we live side-by-side with colleagues, friends, neighbours and even family members who hold sometimes radically different political views, lifestyles and opinions about life. The Presbyterian Church in Canada has never been wholly unified. Progressives and traditionalists have been … Read more
Category Archives: Theology
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
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
Issues
We live in a broken world. Until we join Christ in the kingdom of heaven, how does a true believer deal with matters which plague the human condition? Here are some issues to start – with more to come.
Orthodoxy
The Enemy wants us to disregard our faith or at least water it down. Our culture openly doubts Jesus’ claim that He is the only way to God. In a misguided attempt to be loving, many churches have bought into this lie and have turned from orthodoxy – the acceptance of the fundamentals of the faith (as described in the Primers section).
- Theology matters – more than you might think. In 2016, a study comparing growing mainline Protestant churches in southern Ontario with those of declining churches from the same area and the same denominations. Traditional or evangelical theology was a driver of growth, while liberal or progressive theology was a driver of decline. Click here to view the PowerPoint slides of David Haskell's presentation at the Thriving in Babylon conference, while you listen to the audio recording. Click here to see the study.
Some people are naturally attracted to the same gender in a physical/sexual way. Yet Scripture states clearly that we are not to act on those feelings. At the same time, God loves us unconditionally and wants us to enjoy life to the full. Here are some useful resources to understand more about this complex and emotional issue.