Presbyterians Standing for Apostolic Love and Truth
By Rev. Dr. Martin Kreplin Have you ever wanted to give a standing ovation to a sermon? For the first time in my life, I really wanted to do exactly that when the Rev. Douglas Rollwage, the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly (GA), provided an incredible address to the crowded sanctuary at St. Andrew’s …
Continue reading Letter from the Chair, PSALT Leadership Team
Greetings from the PSALT Leadership Team! The Team took a break over the summer, but has now resumed twice-monthly online meetings. They have asked me to bring you some old and new news. Unity is so precious in a divided church. We want to keep in touch with you. Plans are underway for a conference …
Now that the 143rd GA is over, what sense can we make of it? What impact will decisions made have upon the denomination? What is before us as PSALT? Some of these issues will become clearer in time, but here are some reflections on our situation. First, the penultimate decision of GA this year was ... Read more
God works in many creative ways. One is repetition: the same word, phrase, verse, or concept appearing in different contexts at roughly the same time. In these God moments, He gets my attention. It happens in my life as a pastor and it happened here, at the gathering of Presbyterians Standing for Apostolic Love and Truth (PSALT) at Vaughan Community Church on May 12-13, 2017. I have several pages of notes at the conference. Here are some key takeaways... Read more
Rev. Doug Rollwage, Past Moderator, outlines several rediscoveries of the power of God's Word as chronicled in Scripture itself and in the pages of history. He asks, "Why is our denomination experiencing precipitous decline, troubled by increasing division, edging ever closer to 'consumebatur,' its fire flickering dangerously dim? Because somehow someway, the Book has again slipped from our hands." ... Read More
As my wife and I embarked for Africa, the denomination’s mission secretary gave us this advice: "When you get there, keep your mouth shut for the first six months." He knew from long experience Christian missionaries have often been quick to speak and slow to listen. So for the first six months I worked at a seminary in Malawi, I followed his advice during staff meetings, and I have to say it saved me from some blunders! I wonder if Canadian churches should heed similar advice as we debate major issues such as homosexuality. Read more
Much to no-one's surprise, the Church of Scotland General Assembly has just voted to accept the Theological Forum’s report which changes the Churches definition of marriage to include same sex marriages and to apologise to gay people for their previous understanding. I know there are various caveats and nuances but that is the reality of …
By Roland De Vries The Life and Mission Agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada is presenting the following recommendation to the General Assembly of the denomination in two weeks time. That clergy in The Presbyterian Church in Canada be permitted for pastoral reasons to bless same sex marriages conducted by civil authorities. This is …
I’ll presume to call it Neuhaus’s Law, or at least one of his several laws: Where orthodoxy is optional, orthodoxy will sooner or later be proscribed. Some otherwise bright people have indicated their puzzlement with that axiom but it seems to me, well, axiomatic. Orthodoxy, no matter how politely expressed, suggests that there is a …
How much time, energy and resources are being expended in an effort to convince one another that our prayerfully and thoughtfully considered and deeply held convictions regarding what the Bible says about the LGBTQ question are wrong? How much ministry is being neglected by the PCC as a whole, and by local congregations, as a …
