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An Open Letter to the Ruling Elders of New Covenant PCA Commentary by TE David Barker Gentlemen – The articles in the Fall ’08 issue of byFaith Magazine were insightful as to the approaching discussions in the higher courts of the PCA regarding the question of women in the service of the church by way of diaconal ministry and role. I have the following response to these articles which I would like you to know and keep in mind as we see this issue go forward in our denomination and determine how to respond as a united session of our congregation. Here’s what I see: A divided front – The editor’s note on page 5 of this issue reassures the reader that both Mssr.s Duncan and Keller are both firmly complimentarian. Although that word is becoming more technical as the discussion continues this time around, essentially it means that they both affirm and hold to the belief that the Bible speaks clearly on the issue of a man being singularly called to the offices of elder and to exercise leadership in the church, at least, if not in the home. Saying one is complimentarian is not the same, however, as saying that one believes in the principle of headship which runs throughout the Bible as a pronounced theme. Also, be aware that just because Mr. Keller says he is committed to a complimentarian view does not mean that the other voices who will be joining him in this discussion hold their views in a similar way. Men will be coming to the floor with all kinds of perspectives and motivations. We just should not assume that they all think alike. A history of decline – Mr. Keller dismisses the logic of “a decline narrative”. What he means by that phrase is to be of the opinion or suspicion that by opening the door to women in office is just the first, inevitable step toward liberalism in other areas of the church. But in dismissing such logic he does not respond to it or tell us why it should not be on our minds. If there were no historical precedent, why in the world would anyone have that suspicion? In truth, however, several denominations have suffered such an historical decline in just such a way, including the mainline Presbyterian denominations, which helped to plunge Reformed thinking into a morass of theological and political liberalism out of which we are only beginning to climb with any significant influence in our nation and the world. To many of our Christian brothers and sisters outside the Reformed camp, “mainline Presbyterian” is still anathema because it simply means “unbelieving”. And do not be . . . continued
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