OPC Justification Report Out

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NaphtaliPress

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I see from other chat groups that the OPC "Report of the Committee to Study the Doctrine of Justification" is out.

{Edit, to try and keep the PB from even the appearance of contributing to unauthorized spread. Let's abide by the OPC wishes, and not discuss anything pertaining to the report. Chris, you did nothing improper at the time to reference the links, I'm just making the change now.}

[Edited on 4-19-2006 by Contra_Mundum]
 
Jeff,
One person says his OPC contacts say the report is a godsend and that it condemns both the FV and the NPP as out of accord with both scripture and the confession.
 
in my opinion, this outstanding report is the definitive treatment of the various New Perspectives for Evangelical and Reformed churches.

{Mod}
Let's not publicize PWs...

[Edited on 4-19-2006 by Contra_Mundum]
 
Sure but,...
It really doesn't matter how well written it is. JR already anathematized this church as of 1948.

{ghost of van til} "Boo!"
 
Is there a reason why they're not making the report available without a PW? Does somebody have the report? I can't get to it.
 
Originally posted by SemperFideles
Is there a reason why they're not making the report available without a PW? Does somebody have the report? I can't get to it.

I think it is only intended for OPC GA use until it is approved by the GA. After that it will probably be public on the OPC website.
 
Originally posted by puritansailor
Originally posted by SemperFideles
Is there a reason why they're not making the report available without a PW? Does somebody have the report? I can't get to it.

I think it is only intended for OPC GA use until it is approved by the GA. After that it will probably be public on the OPC website.
Roger. Thanks.
 
Originally posted by Contra_Mundum
Sure but,...
It really doesn't matter how well written it is. JR already anathematized this church as of 1948.

{ghost of van til} "Boo!"

:banghead:
 
This report appears to be very straightforward in its assessment of the FV and NPP. I would expect advocates of the FV to be vehement at the OPC GA - because if the report is adopted, they are likely done.

I would be surprised if the PCA feels the need to have its own study committee after this 91 page report, whose authors include one who has been heavily criticized (apparently wrongly) by John Robbins et al as being pro-FV (Gaffin).

I am not sure what several PCA ministers will say on their blogs tomorrow, since they have spent years defending the principles criticized in the report (think about their view of the efficacy of baptism, and moaning about grace in the covenant in Eden)

{Edit, removing quote}

[Edited on 4-19-2006 by Contra_Mundum]
 
fyi. There is some surprise expressed on the Yahoo OPC discussion forum that the report has been made so public since it has not yet been presented to GA which has to act on it; and some indicate it is likely to be tinkered with or attempts there at.
 
Originally posted by NaphtaliPress
fyi. There is some surprise expressed on the Yahoo OPC discussion forum that the report has been made so public since it has not yet been presented to GA which has to act on it; and some indicate it is likely to be tinkered with or attempts there at.
In retrospect, that is quite astonishing that somebody published the report before adoption. That doesn't seem very Presbyterian for the committee to publish the report before it is adopted by GA.
 
Originally posted by SemperFideles
Originally posted by NaphtaliPress
fyi. There is some surprise expressed on the Yahoo OPC discussion forum that the report has been made so public since it has not yet been presented to GA which has to act on it; and some indicate it is likely to be tinkered with or attempts there at.
In retrospect, that is quite astonishing that somebody published the report before adoption. That doesn't seem very Presbyterian for the committee to publish the report before it is adopted by GA.
This may be symantics . . but . . the Report has been made "public," but the report has not been "published." I'll see about talking to my professor today (Rev. Alan Strange) to ask why it's been made "public." My guess: It's a weighty matter, and the Report (being rather long) needs to be "digested" by the church before it can be received and the recommendations adopted. Yes? :um: Unless items of discipline, Presbyteries and General Assemblies are always public -- including most of their reports. It seems more a "Presbyterian thing" to remain transparent. Yes?
 
That is probably the situation. Prof. Strange told me some weeks back it would be "out" before GA (he wrote some 19K words of it if I recall what he told me correctly). Prof. Strange is one of the contributing editors to The Confessional Presbyterian journal.
Originally posted by StaunchPresbyterian
Originally posted by SemperFideles
Originally posted by NaphtaliPress
fyi. There is some surprise expressed on the Yahoo OPC discussion forum that the report has been made so public since it has not yet been presented to GA which has to act on it; and some indicate it is likely to be tinkered with or attempts there at.
In retrospect, that is quite astonishing that somebody published the report before adoption. That doesn't seem very Presbyterian for the committee to publish the report before it is adopted by GA.
This may be symantics . . but . . the Report has been made "public," but the report has not been "published." I'll see about talking to my professor today (Rev. Alan Strange) to ask why it's been made "public." My guess: It's a weighty matter, and the Report (being rather long) needs to be "digested" by the church before it can be received and the recommendations adopted. Yes? :um: Unless items of discipline, Presbyteries and General Assemblies are always public -- including most of their reports. It seems more a "Presbyterian thing" to remain transparent. Yes?
 
Originally posted by StaunchPresbyterian
Originally posted by SemperFideles
Originally posted by NaphtaliPress
fyi. There is some surprise expressed on the Yahoo OPC discussion forum that the report has been made so public since it has not yet been presented to GA which has to act on it; and some indicate it is likely to be tinkered with or attempts there at.
In retrospect, that is quite astonishing that somebody published the report before adoption. That doesn't seem very Presbyterian for the committee to publish the report before it is adopted by GA.
This may be symantics . . but . . the Report has been made "public," but the report has not been "published." I'll see about talking to my professor today (Rev. Alan Strange) to ask why it's been made "public." My guess: It's a weighty matter, and the Report (being rather long) needs to be "digested" by the church before it can be received and the recommendations adopted. Yes? :um: Unless items of discipline, Presbyteries and General Assemblies are always public -- including most of their reports. It seems more a "Presbyterian thing" to remain transparent. Yes?
I don't know. I should have made it more of an interrogative. It just seemed that the GA's "job" is to determine which parts it's going to actually "make public" and approve. It might end up being scandalous if portions are omitted later. I'll be curious to hear what your professor says.
 
I do wonder, have all previous study committee papers "come out" like this or is it just the amount of contoversy over the issue that brings the pre distribution of the paper into discussion?
 
Actually, the report itself in the first page/introduction speaks briefly to the issue of the internet and its uses. I suspect the report's posting on the website is the fastest way to distribute it to OP presbyters and members. I suppose for those not familiar with Presbyterian/OP church government that a "disclaimer" could have been posted as well that the report is finished but not accepted. Clearly someone/some people felt this report was important enough to distribute in this way rather than by snail mail etc.
 
The fact that it is so full a report means that ministers, sessions, and especially GA commissioners need the report in advance in order to give it proper study and consideration. This is much better to be done with a couple months notice, and not on the day everyone shows up at GA.

E-mail is the world's cheapest distribution system ever. This is a rather substantial report, just talking size. ANT can give you going rates for shipping. Then there's printing costs. Either the stated clerk's office could absorb all that at the nearest Kinkos, Staples, or OfficeMax, or blow it all on 7 or 8 toner cartridges, or let all the presbytery stated clerks crank it out (in addition to--most of them--pastoring their churches).

What about e-mail? Why not send it to all the minsters, pastors, and elders in the whole denomination? Well, not only does the STO not have all those e-mail addresses, it is not their job to have them. And maybe all these guys don't want (or need ) the report. The commissioners to GA are the ones in particular, although every minster and session really do need to be "up" on the issue.

So why the "secrecy"? Well, its not really "secret", after all, we don't hold secret meetings, or star-chamber deliberations. The church isn't a secret society. But this is not ready for general distribution. The present report has yet to be submitted to the church officially--at GA for deliberation, and from GA to the church. So, its not "hanging out there" on the web or anything else. You have to "try" to get it, and if you want it badly enough, you can get it without too much trouble. It's like a present wrapped up, under the tree. Its already been bought, and dressed up. It gets opened in a few weeks.

{Edit, again, we may discuss the fact of the report, and other's references, but let us not "open the present" until Krissmiss.

[Edited on 4-19-2006 by Contra_Mundum]
 
Someone messed up. Here is a note I saw just now:
I just called the Stated Clerk of the OPC. He informed me that the intention was to allow only those with OPC alias to have accecss to the report. So. I repeat my call for restraint. Barb, here are a few reasons why I believe it would be the right thing to do.

1. It was not the intent of the Committee or the OPC for the report to be publically available until after the GA
2. It belongs to the GA in that it is a report to the GA from one of its committees
3. Committe reports whether for Presbyterys or GA are not made public until a decision by said Presbytery or GA.

I realize that in a way the genie is out of the bottle. That is why I call for restraint. I believe the Christian thing to do would be to not disucss the report in cyber space until it is offically made public by an act of GA.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/presbyterians-opc/post?act=forward&messageNum=33658

[Edited on 4-19-2006 by NaphtaliPress]
 
Friends, as suspected by some earlier, the Stated Clerk of the OPC did not want the committee report released to the general public prior to consideration by the GA. I understand that they have requested that out of respect their process, folks hold off on web discussions until after the OPC speaks to the report. Let's be sure to respect their wish and keep a lid on it until after the June GA.
 
The reason I didn't lock it, and yet did major editing in this one, is so that there is one place to talk about the fact that there IS a report, or related matters, but so that we aren't openning and closing 15-20 threads on the same topic. We will NOT discuss the report at all. And any post of substance dealing with its contents will be deleted. Until the 2006 OPC GA is concluded.
 
For additional clarification and confirmation of what has already been expressed: I asked my professor, the Rev. Alan Strange (who is on the Committee who wrote report), about the report . . he said it was intended for officers of the church to review, and explicitly said he would not like the report discussed on the Internet. Although he did suggest that he wasn't too concerned about the spread of the report, since it will most probably not be revised. The report will be presented to the GA in the form it presently is in (most probably). The only question is whether or not the recommendations will be adopted. Either way, we probably shouldn't discuss it online--though we can read it if we got it. :D
 
Hope I am not off-topic but I am trying to print the report out and I cannot get the Greek to print. Has anyone been able to do so? It is calling for GreekNT,Bold font.

I know, Bob, I should let it go, but I can't. I just can't. :chained::chained::chained:
 
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