WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Eight Ways Presbyterian Beliefs Differ From Other Faiths

Recently, a Presbyterian pastor named James Ayers wrote in Presbyterians Today a helpful story entitled "What Presbyterians DON'T Believe."  He cited eight ways in which Presbyterians, while generally being committed Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, hold some beliefs different from what some other Christians believe.

Let's take a moment to test ourselves.  Where do you stand on each of these eight topics?

1.) Good works or grace?  Conventional wisdom says that good people go to Heaven and bad people go to Hell.  Are you good enough for Heaven?  Are you sufficiently righteous to go to Heaven when you die?  Presbyterians have always insisted that, as we all are sinners at birth, no one is good enough to deserve salvation on their own, regardless of their life-time good works.  We are saved only by God's grace.  Despite our failures in life, God already has decided to save us as evidenced through the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Presbyterians believe that everything we do is a response to what God has done.  Anything we have to offer is a response to God's own offering of himself in Jesus Christ.  We do not earn that love ---- it is given freely.  We live in gratitude for God's grace.  We love because God first loved us.  And it's that love ---- that gratitude ---- that sends us out into the world to give back, to work for a society that shares in the liberation, dignity, justice and grace given to us through and in Christ.

2.) Fate or pre-destination?  Some believe that every event may be caused by previous events. If so, they say, it is an illusion to suppose that your decisions actually change anything. If you do a good deed, that is what you were fated to do.  If you do something evil, that is just the outworking of your pre-deterined fate.  This is different from the Presbyterian doctrine of pre-destination, which says God chose to redeem us, long before we could even understand what that might mean.  Because God chose us before the formation of the world, that means we are pre-destined to life.  That does not take away from our freedom or ability to choose ---- we make many free choices every day.  Predestination teaches us that God has given us a new and bigger freedom ---- the freedom to fulfill our personal destiny.

3.) Reincarnation or eternal life?  Some Eastern religions say that after we die, we are reborn as another person or as an animal.  They believe that the world is an endless cycle of death and rebirth.  Therefore, that one continually gets "another chance" until we finally get it right. Presbyterians believe that Scripture does not teach reincarnation.  Instead, it points us toward eternal life in the presence of God.  Think about it ---- isn't belief in reincarnation a very severe form of believing in righteousness by one's works, as one lives over and over until we have attained a certain level of goodness? 

4.) Alter or table?  An alter is a place where a sacrifice is offered, and it is often viewed with special reverence.  In the traditional Roman Catholic understanding, during Mass the priest re-offers Christ on the alter as a sacrifice to God.  Presbyterians believe the sacrifice of Christ has already been offered once and for all.  The sacrifice needs no repetition, and the action of a priest cannot make it occur again.  Therefore, Presbyterians see the Lord's Supper as taking place at a table, rather than at an alter.  Although many communion tables are rather ornate, the table itself holds no particular significance or holiness.

5.) Purgatory, Heaven, Hell.  Where do people go when they die?  Many people would say "Heaven or Hell."  Yet in the Middle Ages people thought that if Heaven is where the saints stand in the holy presence of God, and Hell is where the wicked are sent, what about all of us sinners who have been forgiven?  Our lives are still impure when we die, so how can we exist in Heaven, along side the holiness of God?  Thus the doctrine of Purgatory was created ---- a place where the remainders of our sinfulness would be purged.  Presbyterians believe God will indeed redeem us and cleanse us from all of our sins, and we will be readied for Heaven, without needing to postulate going to a third possible place when we die. 

6.) Authority figures.  Where is the authority of the church based?  Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and Episcopal churches believe it is carried in the office of the Bishop.  The doctrine of the "historic succession of Bishops" means that Bishops receive their authority from previous Bishops, all of whom received their authority from still earlier Bishops.  Catholics and some Anglicans trace this authority back to the Apostles themselves.  Presbyterians believe church authority is not carried in individuals this way.  Instead, church leaders can declare the will of God merely on the authority of Scripture.

7.) To whom do we pray?  When you have problems, you may ask your friends to pray for you.  But why restrict yourself to present-day friends?  Why not also ask radiant Christians from previous centuries to offer up their intercessions on your behalf?  This is perhaps the most positive way to think of praying to the saints.  Yet, there is a problem here.  Asking Mary (the mother of Jesus) or Saint Joan to pray for you becomes praying to Mary or Saint Joan.  But praying is an act of worship and devotion, and this should be offered only to God.

8.) Ranking Sins.  In Roman Catholic thinking, when you die you are carrying the guilt of all the sins you have committed since your last confession.  If your sins are venial (relatively light), you will now work them off in Purgatory.  A mortal sin, in contrast, cannot be resolved in Purgatory.  An unconfessed mortal sin means you are damned to Hell.  Presbyterians do not believe that sins can be graded this way.  Sin is sin.   Forgiveness is God's free gift in Christ. Confession and assurance of pardon are not what enable God to forgive us, but rather what enables us to recognize or feel or experience that we are forgiven.

As Pastor Ayers says, these eight brief explanations are not meant to antagonize people of other faith traditions.  Rather, they are intended simply to mark off some of the distinguishing features of being a Presbyterian.

Now that you have taken the test, how "Presbyterian" do you think you are?

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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage you to pursue some personal spiritual growth this winter at CPC.

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WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Keeping Up With The Times

Golf has always clung to strict standards and a rich tradition.  But, as reported by The New York Times recently, golf may have become a victim of its own image and hide-bound ways.  The Times quoted a National Golf Foundation estimate that golf has lost 5,000,000 players in the last decade, with 20% of the existing 25 million golfers apt to quit in the next few years.

People under age 35, according to The New York Times, have especially spurned the game, saying "it takes too long to play, is too difficult to learn and has too many tiresome rules."  The new goal, says The Times, is to alter the game's reputation in order to recruit lapsed golfers and a younger demographic.

At this point in the story, I thought I could already see some parallels between the plight of modern golf and the plight of modern churches like CPC.  Hoping to find some "silver bullets" for churches, I took a closer look at what golfing changes were being proposed.

Advocates of change, The Times said, have focused on adopting to the busy schedules of parents and families.  In recent years, golf courses have encouraged people to think of golf in a potentially shorter format ---- perhaps six-hole or nine-hole increments.  The Times says about 30 golf courses across the country have become test cases for a system of punch-in-punch-out time clocks that assess a fee by the minutes spent playing or practicing rather than by 18- or 9-hole rounds.

Golf is one of the top ten recreational sports in the U.S., so not everyone will favor changes to encourage it to be more participatory.  Some say they do not want to rig the game and cheapen it, even for beginners.  Many golfers believe that the charm of the game is a single set of rules for beginners as well as for skilled players.

I think I have heard some of the same discussions at CPC as we tried to recruit lapsed members and a younger demographic.  It was interesting to see the substantial attendance recently at our Christmas services.  At other times of the year we usually have only 150 - 200 people attending worship at our 10:00 a.m. Sunday service.  Just as with golf, participation could be better. National golf tournaments draw thousands of spectators and a TV audience of millions of people, but where are the 5,000,000 players the National Golf Foundation says are not golfing participants any more?  Later, what will become of the people who fill our church pews at Christmas?

Changes CPC has already gradually introduced in hopes of increasing participation, include more music offerings, but not just the old-time favorite hymns ---- now we also have contemporary praise music at least once in the Sunday Sanctuary service.  That service is now followed at 5:00 p.m. many Sundays with a "contemporary" service in less formal surroundings, which we call "The Wave Service."

And we have done other things at CPC to make it easier for people to get to know us.  In the old days, it took a number of classes before one would be ready to become a new CPC member.  Today, membership can come after a brief Sunday morning meeting with the Senior Pastor and an expressed desire on the new member's part.  Today, Bible study is of less interest, but short-term mission engagement is actively supported.  Today, the time available for church participation in anything, even in worship services, must compete with many other community and school activities.  Somewhat like the golfers, those seeking involvement in CPC offerings are faced with the already tight daily schedules of themselves and their families.

As in golfing, there are some church members who have habits and expectations formed many years ago.  They may not understand why church practices must change.  But, there are outside social and cultural forces at work which simply require us to be flexible and see the good possibilities in practical changes that keep us relevant. 

For us at CPC, our daily practices of faith may change form, but the fundamentals of our faith stay the same ---- just as in the game of golf.

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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage you to pursue some personal spiritual growth this winter at CPC.

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WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Are You A "Sucker"?

Each of us is often faced with a choice.  We are called upon to balance between really letting God in ---- that means yielding to His control, and doing things by faith that are contrary to our secular upbringing.  OR, playing it safe and cautious ---- not trusting those whom we cannot control.  We probably have this dilemma frequently, and each of us may strike a different balance from situation to situation.

This week I heard an interesting story.  A church in Summit has a custodian who is fluent in Spanish.

During his work day a woman came to the church with her 8-year-old son.  She told the custodian she had lived in Summit for a year, but it was too expensive for her, and her uncle in Florida had offered to take her in, but she could not afford the bus fare to make that trip.

The custodian talked with her some more and remembered a church member who had helped others.

Perhaps he would help her.  The custodian guessed when the church member might be in the building again, and encouraged the woman to return at that time.  She did.  They were introduced. The woman spoke Spanish, but little English.  The custodian was the interpreter.

"How much do you need," the church member asked?  She said the bus fare would be $300. The church member thought a moment and said, "You will need some money to feed yourself and your son on the bus trip ---- let's make it $400."

Most of us do not carry around $400 in cash, and neither did this church member.  They agreed to meet again at the church member's bank at a certain time, which they did.  The woman and her son hopefully now were on their way to Florida, to start a new chapter with friends and family who could help her going forward.

One question did bother the church member ---- was this need legitimate, or were his kind instincts being abused?  There was really no way to tell from the limited conversation he was able to have with the woman.  He knew he was being very trusting, but was he being a "sucker"?

With  the woman not present, he had asked the custodian that question.  The custodian replied ---- "Remember the story Jesus tells of the Good Samaritan.  The injured man in the road could have been the decoy for an ambush, but the Samaritan took a chance, and we still talk about it."

The church member had taken a chance based on trusting the woman, but probably he will never know the outcome.  He will never know if he had been a "sucker."  But what gave him the confidence to take this risk?  Was the $400 gift a thoughtlessly generous action, or had something set the stage?  What kinds of risks are you prepared to take for other people?  Has your growing hospitality toward God brought you under the guiding influence of a greater faith? More was at stake than the future of this woman and her 8-year-old son.  Isn't the degree of our hospitality toward God being tested whenever we are in a situation like this?

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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage some personal spiritual growth in you this winter at CPC.

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WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Two Hungry Wolves

In the summer of 2004, my wife and I spent a week living on a Blackfeet Indian reservation in western Montana.  We were members of a volunteer project sponsored by a national organization that gives a helping hand to needy communities.  It was a little like CPC's High School Mission trips, except ours was not church-sponsored.

We spent time with some very friendly Blackfeet Indian families, and were invited to their community meetings.  On one occasion, a tribal elder shared a lesson I still remember, even to this day.

          "An old Indian grandfather said to his grandson who came to him with

          anger at a friend who had done him an injustice . . . . 'Let me tell you

          a story.'

          'At times, I too have felt a great hate for those who have taken too much,

          with no sorrow for what they have done.  But hate wears you down, and 

          does not hurt your enemy.  It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy

          would die.  I have struggled with these things many times.'

          "He continued . . . .'It is as if there are two wolves inside me.  One is good

          and does no harm.  He lives in harmony with all around him, and he tries to

          practice forgiveness.  He will fight only when it is right to do so, and in the

          right way.  He saves all his energy for the right fight.'

          'But the other wolf, ahhh.  He is full of anger.  The littlest thing will set him

          into a fit of temper.  He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason.  He

          cannot think because his anger and hate are so great.  It is helpless anger,

          for his anger will change nothing.'

          'Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of

          them try to dominate my spirit.'

          "The boy looked intently into his grandfather's eyes and asked . . . .'Which

          one wins, Grandfather?'

          "The grandfather smiled and quietly said . . . .'The one I feed."

But, could this wisdom really be relevant to us . . . . we live so far from that reservation?

Let's look at the two sides of this dilemma.  What message does the word FORGIVE convey?

Webster's dictionary tells us it means ceasing to feel resentment against an offender.

But, there is a lot to be said for not forgiving people who have done us wrong.  Why should people who have upset our lives, leaving us bleeding in their wake, expect us to forgive everything and act as if nothing went wrong?  We are not talking about the petty slights that we all inevitably suffer.  We are talking about forgiving people who have wronged us deeply and unfairly.  If forgiving leaves the victim exposed and encourages the wrongdoer to hurt again,

why forgive?

If you hurt me and I retaliate in kind, I may think I have given you only what you deserve, no more.  But you will feel it as a hurt that is too great to accept.  Your passion for fairness will force you to retaliate against me, harder this time.  Then it will be my turn.  And will it ever stop?  This is how family feuds progress, and go on and on until everyone is dead . . . . or gets too old and too tired to fight.

Now, let's look at forgiveness.  It is not the alternative to revenge, just because forgiveness is soft and gentle.  It is the best alternative because it is the only creative route to less unfairness.  Hard as forgiveness seems at the time, forgiveness has creative power to move us from a past moment of pain, block us from an endless chain of pain-giving reactions, and to create a new situation in which the wrongdoer and the person wronged can begin in a new way. There is no guarantee, but forgiving is the only door open to new possibilities.           

So, how do we forgive?  Forgiveness means accepting others . . . . and ourselves . . . . as human and not divine.  Forgiveness means resisting a defensive response when we are hurt

. . . . a response that could mean cutting off the other person.  Forgiveness means risking the pain of living, and holding to the hope that disappointments and hurt do not have to be the final word.

Therefore, our forgiveness is a process . . . . a journey.  As much as we might like forgiveness to be a "forgive and forget" moment, our lives do not work that way.  Old hurts have a way of resurfacing so we are led to examine a new facet of the wound we had hoped had healed. Forgiveness requires a commitment to face life with a posture that takes risks, rather than seeking mere self-protection, while struggling with the fact that there are times when self-protection is the wise choice.

Forgiveness is not passivity.  It is an active response to brokenness.  While refusing to return evil for evil, forgiveness can also be an act of resistance, refusing to let evil continue.  Martin Luther King, Jr.'s tactic of non-violent resistance is an example of forgiveness that refuses to let evil continue.  By resisting segregation, civil rights workers were saying no to racism, but by being nonviolent they were inviting the enemy to join the community.  Forgiveness loves the sinner while saying clearly that the sin is unacceptable.

So, feed the love within you and your anger will starve to death!

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These thoughts are brought to you by the Adult Spiritual Development Team at CPC, hoping to encourage your personal spiritual growth this winter.

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WEEKLY COMMENTARY: Does A Loving God Really Send People To HELL?

"In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity's most offensive doctrines."  So says Timothy Keller, pastor of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, a church with 6,000 regular attendees at five services each Sunday.  As a minister and preacher, he says, he often finds himself speaking on Biblical texts that teach the wrath of God, the final judgment, and the doctrine of HELL.

In Christianity, Keller continues, God is both a God of love and of justice.  Many believe that a loving God can't be a judging God filled with wrath and anger.  "If he is loving and perfect, he should forgive and accept everyone.  He shouldn't get angry."

Keller then points out that all loving persons are sometimes filled with wrath, not just despite but because of their love.  If you love a person, he says, and you see someone ruining them with unwise actions and relationships ---- even done by the loved person themselves ---- you get angry.

"Ah," says Keller, "God fighting evil and injustice in the world is one thing, but sending people to HELL is quite another.  The Bible speaks of eternal punishment, but sending people to HELL as popularly envisioned is much more extreme.

I remember that as a college freshman I was required to take a Humanities course with a challenging reading list.  One of the requirements was to read Dante's Inferno and discuss in class the symbolism and fearful consequences of possibly going to HELL when we die.  The instructor came prepared, with a selection of reproduction pictures of a flaming landscape rendered by famous Renaissance painters.  His portfolio showed in excruciating detail each of the layers of HELL, as Dante visualized them, and to this day I can recall these dreadful scenes.

Keller's analysis continues:  "Modern people inevitably think HELL works like this ---- God gives us time, but if we haven't made the right choices by the end of our lives, he casts our souls into HELL for all eternity.  As the poor souls fall through space, they cry out for mercy, but God says "Too late!  You had your chance!  Now you will suffer!"  But, says Keller, this caricature misunderstands the very nature of evil.

The Biblical picture, according to Keller, is that sin is our separation from the presence of God, which is the source of all joy and indeed of all love, wisdom, and good things of any sort.  Since we were originally created for God's immediate presence, only before his face will we thrive, flourish, and achieve our greatest potential.  If we were to lose his presence totally, that would be HELL ---- the loss of our capacity for giving or receiving love or joy.

A traditional image of HELL, Keller tells us, is that of fire.  Fire disintegrates.  Even in this life we can see the kind of soul disintegration that self-centeredness creates. We know selfishness and self-absorption leads to bitterness, envy, anxiety, paranoid thoughts, and the mental denials and distortions that accompany them.

Now ask the question:  What if when we die we don't end, but spiritually our life extends on into eternity?"  HELL, then, is the trajectory of a soul, living a self-absorbed, self-centered life, going on and on forever.

Keller concludes that HELL is simply one's freely chosen identity to be separated from God on a trajectory that goes on for a billion or more years.  We see small examples of this process in addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling and pornography. 

First, there is some kind of dependency (but not to God), says Keller, and as time goes on one needs more and more of the addictive substance to get an equal kick, which leads to less and less satisfaction.

Second, there is isolation increasingly, by one's blame of others and circumstances, in order to justify one's own behavior.  When we build our lives on anything but God, says Keller, that thing ---- though perhaps a "good" thing in a sense (for example, wealth) ---- becomes an enslaving addiction, something we must have to be happy. Keller believes that this personal dependency can go on forever, with increasing isolation, denial, delusion and self-absorption.

People go to Heaven, Keller says, because they love God and want to submit to him. People go to HELL be cause they want to be away from God, because they do not want somebody telling them how to live their lives.  They want to be their own savior, their own Lord.  They want to live their lives their own way.  That's HELL.  Keller believes that HELL is eternal, but it is not inevitable.  God gives you what you want. He says that Heaven and HELL essentially are our freely chosen identities, going on forever.  And, says Keller, you stay wanting it; you cannot suddenly change your mind.  

So, Keller leaves us with this thought:  It is not a question of God "sending" us to HELL.  In each of us there is something growing, which will be HELL unless we nip it in the bud.

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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage you to pursue some personal growth this year at CPC.

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