Are mainline Protestant splinter churches a new Reformation or old news?

There's a popular saying in church-planting circles: It's easier to make babies than to raise the dead. That principle applies to denominations as well, said the Rev. Paul Detterman, who helped found the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians in January.

"We thought it was easier in the long run to create something new rather than to keep on trying to modify existing forms," he said.

The "existing form," in Detterman's case, was the Presbyterian Church (USA), which remains the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination despite a decades-long plunge in membership.

The ECO may steepen that decline. Thousands of conservative Presbyterians, upset over the PC(USA)'s vote to lift its ban on partnered gay and lesbian clergy last year, are eyeing the new group. Planning for the ECO, which will not ordain sexually active gays and lesbians, preceded the gay clergy vote, Detterman said.

Nonetheless, the ECO represents the third new mainline Protestant denomination since 2008 to split from a national church following votes to permit partnered gay clergy.

Continue reading at www.christiancentury.org

« Previous Article

Posting Policy

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment where we can engage in reasonable discourse. Read more.

AJFRENCH

Apostasy. This is what it looks like. These people are changing God's laws to fit their weaknesses and ideology. This is the problem with why America is faltering. God does not hear the prayers of the wicked. Unfortunately, our Admin is full of ther wicked.
Bobseeks

The presbyterian church is a lieberal theology church. Lieberal theology is a lie and a cheat – it attempts to rob Jesus of His diety, the cross of its power, the Resurrection of its reality, the Bible of its authenticity, and the Gospel of Christ of its vitality. Amazingly, this loathsome disease of the soul has had great success in those churches that come from the Reformation. Sadly, these churches that once fought so hard to break free of the lies and heresies of the roman church easily fell prey to the lies and heresies of the lieberals, thus almost nullifying the work of the reformers. Perhaps this movement away from lieberal theology will lead to a new Reformation against the lieberals and the bastard child of the lieberals; the social gospel.
- Esteban Cafe
  
  Sir, your bombast at anything YOU consider different from your own belief system is appalling. I sense you think of yourself as a "True Believer", right? The True Believer’s certitudes are really a mask worn to conceal an absolute lack of faith; their dogma a brittle facade to keep the vacuum from sucking in all that is barely held at arm’s length.
  
  By contrast, real faith requires doubt; a doubt which makes it impossible to assign ourselves the power to arrange other people’s lives. Otherwise, it would be knowledge, not faith. You might learn the difference. Above all the True Believer has to leave something to both chance and other people’s freedom; something to the improvisation that comes after death takes each of us in mid-sentence. Your certitude about what Christ would want is not backed by your words…and likely your deeds. Good day.
Myrtlelinder

I have no idea about the theology is of various churches. I find it quite enough to take care of what I believe, what I know about HIS expectations in how I live my life. I do know, you should know what your particular church preaches. If it does not preach the Bible, GOD'S WORD as it it taught, we better get out of that church. We simple cannot change HIS WORD to suit the times or the situations. We as a country have a great need to get back into HIS WORD. We have strayed badly!! HE will not tolerate it, forever.
- Esteban Cafe
  
  Excellent response. You sound like a Faithful believer.
John J Flanagan

This is not a new trend. Christians who actually read their Bibles and follow the faith in humility and truth will always be protected from falling into apostasy or heresy by the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. When they belong to a church that embraces social changes at the expense of the Bible, receive false teachings that are contrary to God's commands, a silent warning is issued within the mind and soul. It will not be long before convicted believers who love the Lord will leave such churches and find ones that are faithful. In the case of the Presbyterian Church USA and similar liberal denominations who have gone the way of heresy and rejected God's word, the clear mandate is to leave these churches immediately.
Winston

The so-called "breakaway" groups aren't a new reformation of protestantism, but should be found to be seen as being firmly planted in God's Word, rightly avoiding the apostasy of "accepting" homosexuality by clergy or laypersons. Practicing homosexuals should not consider themselves "Christian" (other than in name only) because they're perpetuating a self-centered sin in their life…which God hates.
Steve03

Or perhaps the breakaway congregations are one with those first disciples who followed Jesus until he began to teach something they regarded as an abomination. "This is an hard saying; who can hear it? . . . From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." Even Peter needed a thrice-repeated vision and a military escort before he understood that "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" applied to people as well as food: "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?"
Robert De Leon

So, "deformer" churches splitting and splitting over and over. What's the idea? 50,000, 60,000 or 100,000 christian, biblical, evangelical "churches"? What a shame!
Robert.
- Bobseeks
  
  Better than one heretical abomination called the roman catholic church.
  - Robert De Leon
    
    Bobseeks:
    Be serious. My Catholic. Apostolic, Christian and Roman Church is not heretical. IT IS the sole Religion founded by our dear Lord Jesus Christ – God. And you prefer 100,000 "deformer" churches and sects?
    Again, be serious.
    - http://youtu.be/ltW-AKROlXQ Despeville
      
      Sure…the indeed "god" of Muslims is true God and you in fact worship and adore that god along with the rest of RCs…
      Here it is black on white heresy and apostasy from true Apostolic Faith and this is is just a minuscule part of Roman nefarious false gospel:
      
      "The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
      
      Point 841
      Catechism of Roman Catholic Church
      Official Vatican Site: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P29.HTM
    - Bobseeks
      
      I am serious, the roman church is a pagan church that worships the fertility goddess mary and a host of pagan demi-gods you call saints.
  - Esteban Cafe
    
    But just as wrong.
- Steve03
  
  Just as transubstantiation and purgatory were the twin roots of Roman error, so sola scriptura and Biblical inerrancy are the roots of Protestant schism.
  
  “He who rends and divides the church of Christ cannot possess the clothing of Christ.” – Cyprian of Carthage
  - Bobseeks
    
    Proverbs 13:15,16. False teachers such as you Jesus Seminarians are those who rend the clothing of Christ. By the way, I am sure that Cyprian the martyr would not be pleased being quoted by the likes of you. People: To understand where steve03 is coming from, read up on li(e)beral theology and the Jesus seminar to understand that steve03 is not a Christian, but a poser.
    - Esteban Cafe
      
      Wow, another circular firing squad of Christians.
dolphine2u

Sadly this is the start of the phasing out of the bible based churches. These signs have been coming for a long time even though the groups that are hosting it have been denying it for a long time. They have lied in the past and they will lie in the future. They need to split the bible based church to be able to do this. Then it can watch the world and governments attack the bible based church and make them obsolete . It is happening now. It has been happening for a long time. These groups will never be content because that is not groups agenda . This is a full blown action to change the world as they want it no matter what the costs. A healthy balance is important in anything. They were allowed and given leeway and that was not enough. It will never be enough. Just remember we do not have to believe it to be right. We do not like a lot of things that are going on but sometimes are made to have it around us. We are to endure and not give up our right and wrong if our church gets shoved into a closet we still have our own feeling never give that up unless you choose too.
- Bobseeks
  
  Not true at all, GOD does not take lightly the lies of those churches that preach the lies of lieberal theologians and the lies of the social gospel. GOD is 100% intolerant of false teaching and these churches are right in leaving. If you can find one instance of GOD being tolerant of false teaching, please point it out to me and I will re-appraise my position.
  - Robert De Leon
    
    Bobseeks:
    You just have to read VERY CAREFUL the Holy Bible and do not follow the corruption that Luther, Calvin, Zwinglio, Knox et al made from the Bible back in the XVI Century… until nowadays.
    I might cite MANY verses from the Word of the Lord to support this comment but maybe you are moved against my Catholic Faith – as many other "deformers" – by ignorance and/or hate.
    Robert.
    - http://youtu.be/ltW-AKROlXQ Despeville
      
      How about you and your fellow religious OFFICIALLY and per teaching of YOUR "church" adoring and worshiping same "god" as Muslims do… Would that be something of to be careful about??? IF you read at least once "Institutes of Christian Religion" by Calvin then you will begin to have some semblance of intelligent critique. As it is you are completely oblivious to what is in there besides what your spin doctors and man in dresses told you to think is there.
      
      "The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
      
      Point 841
      Catechism of Roman Catholic Church
      Official Vatican Site: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P29.HTM
    - Bobseeks
      
      Go light a candle to your goddess mary/ashtoreth and then sell some indulges. Maybe you should send an inquisitor or two over to see me and torture me until I agree with you.
  - dolphine2u
    
    I do not understand what is not true. In the report it is stating that churches are having to break away from the named religion. I understand what God does not except and also what Jesus has taught. Which I agree with. That is why I'm am concerned about this. I look to what is happening in our society day and in the last 30 years. A lot of churches are being pressure of going along with the lies of some and am very glad that they are standing their ground. But some have not they are embracing false churches with our government fighting for alternative life styles. If our government and alternative live styles aren't helping this then you will have to explain this to me. I hope this does not happen but I see and hear it everyday.
Eugene

As a Minister of the Word and Sacrament, I was disappointed in he decision of the church to go in this direction. This is not the first time something like this has happened before, but for me the silence that prevailed after the vote worries me somewhat. Our Presbytery is holding together pretty well. We have gone this way with several other groups attempting this. The women's get together several years ago caused much backlash. Being Reformed, I hope we will work through this and move on the main focus of the church, bringing Christ to the nation and world as we have always attempted in the past. I plan to stay in the denomination, because I grew up in it and still love it, warts and all. In the end God will work it all out. Soli Christus! Gene
- John J Flanagan
  
  Eugene, did you ever think that the direction of your church "worries" you because the Spirit of the Lord is trying to tell you something? Because you grew up in this church does not mean you must accept it "warts and all?." I would suggest you look deep within your soul and look in the mirror. If you see a Minister of the word making excuses and compromising long held beliefs and doctrines to remain in an apostate church, you must search for your backbone and find it. You must act in faith and courage, like an Abraham or like Moses, "the servant of the Lord", and you must make an important decision to leave your heretical denomination for good. You have but one life to live, and you need to first affirm that you are God's follower, and refuse to adhere to a social gospel. The infection of apostasy brought about by the PCUSA is similar to the days of the prophets of BAAl. Will you take the mantle of Elijah and accept the scorn of your former friends, or will you step out in faith and serve your God with humility of heart and with the courage of your convictions?
  - John J Flanagan
    
    Eugene, as a suggestion, you might consider the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), or the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), or another reformed Presbyterian denomination if you would like to retain the Presbyterian doctrines and traditions. These two, the PCA and OPC, are good and solid Presbyterian churches and do not share the post modernist and liberal ideas characteristic of the apostate PCUSA. I do not think it would be difficult for you to go through the necessary orientation and training to become a minister in any of these two denominations, since you are already ordained, but you need to have a willingness to remove yourself from the PCUSA.
- Winston
  
  For a "Minister of the Word and Sacrament" to say "I plan to stay in the denomination, because I grew up in it and still love it, warts and all" is not being Biblical at all but you have fallen into being a "follower of men" rather than returning to your first love – Jesus, unless of course your denomination is your first love… then you aren't Christian at all, but a religious lover of self and vain tradition…which God teaches us to avoid. Get back to reading and studying your approved Bible version and not what you may have been taught in a liberal school of theology. May God have mercy on your soul.
http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11

1 Cor 5:__ 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? __ 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: __ 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness
http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11

but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Steve03

Just as the Gospel eventually convinced all but the most obstinate of "Bible believers" that no matter how many verses they could marshal in its defense, slavery was an abomination, so it may prove that it is the self-proclaimed "orthodox" who are the heretics, and those they scorn as "apostates" who stand for Truth. For now, the matter is sub judice, and the Judge will make his decision known in due time.

"If we are to retain the old Anglican foundations of research and fair statement, we must revise some of the decisions provisionally given upon imperfect evidence; or, if we shrink from doing so, we must abdicate our ancient claim to build upon the truth; and our retreat will be either to Rome, as some of our lost ones have consistently seen, or to some form, equally evil, of darkness voluntary." — Rowland Williams
- Esteban Cafe
  
  And which denomination backed slavery to the hilt during your American Civil War? A little research reveals it was the Southern Baptists (though they were known as just "Baptist"). Clearly Christ was not speaking to them nor informing their sordid justifications.