After a long history of dissent regarding various theological issues, including the Federal Vision controversy, Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church of Monroe, La., and its pastor, Rev. Steve Wilkins, have withdrawn from the PCA and are now affiliated with the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC).
Further, the Louisiana Presbytery—which has overseen Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church up to this point—has been indicted by the General Assembly’s Standing Judicial Commission (SJC) in this matter.
“This is most unusual,” said Dr. Roy Taylor, stated clerk of the PCA. “It’s the only time in the history of the PCA that a presbytery has been indicted for trial. And it’s also a rare event in American Presbyterianism as a whole.”...
The issue is not that the PCA does not use Scripture to back up its position against FV. The question before the General Assembly had to do with whether the FV doctrine was in violation of our doctrinal standard, the Westminster Confession of Faith. Many articles and books have already been written giving biblical exposition on the subject. That is why the frequent reference to the WCF.
Jim, another tiresome strawman. What you're attacking is abuse of creeds, or the quality thereof, which are different issues. Certainly the "Apostle's" Creed is very weak, see www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=108
You still haven't answered my question: what's the difference between a "statement of faith" and a creed?
Not really, creeds can have nuances that are not understood, as this sermon on the Apostle Creed points out, Christ's Ministry to Angels. Creeds are usually ok, but like the Lord's Prayer, whose recitation is more understandable but no less Biblical than the continual recitation of creeds, (and thank goodness we don't have to recite the our statement of belief every Sunday!
Matthew 6:7: And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Neil wrote: "A problem of taking creeds over the Bible" Red herring & a strawman, Jim. A creed (or Confession) is a concise summary of doctrines a church believes the Bible teaches, no different than "statements of faith" published by anti-creedal Baptists like IHCC. Creeds are useful for resolving intramural disputes such as Fed. Vision. Even Anabaptists had a confession: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dordrecht_Confession_of_Faith
I agree Neil. It is because the Westminster divines defined their beliefs openly for others to critique in the light of scripture that the PCA was enabled to discern the differences between the FV and the Bible. It is easy for people to say they believe the Bible, but unless you define what you mean specifically it leaves a great deal of room for "any private interpretation". Christians do not fear to have their beliefs challenged because they are anchored to the "rock".
Red herring & a strawman, Jim. A creed (or Confession) is a concise summary of doctrines a church believes the Bible teaches, no different than "statements of faith" published by anti-creedal Baptists like IHCC. Creeds are useful for resolving intramural disputes such as Fed. Vision.
Even Anabaptists had a confession: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dordrecht_Confession_of_Faith