Presbyterians and the Absence of Faith

Fall 2008 I received a survey from the Presbyterian Church (USA) Research Panel. The Presbyterian Panel is a representative sample of 5,000 Presbyterians (members, elders, pastors, and specialized clergy) serve on the Presbyterian Panel for a three-year period and responds to mailed questionnaires four times a year. The Panel provides a way to listen to and collect information about the practices, beliefs, and opinions from both clergy and laity. The initial questionnaire was sent to more than 5,000 Presbyterians in late 2008, with response rates ranging from 59 to 70 percent from the various groups. The stated average margin of error is around 3 to 5 percent, according to the report, but in some cases can go as high as 7 to 10 percent.

The survey was filled with many questions. We were asked to respond on a scale of 1 to 5. From “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” I am a theological conservative and support traditional Christian Orthodoxy and I thought most others did as well. I believe I thought better of my colleagues and fellow Presbyterians than I ought.

The report entitled “Religious and Demographic Profile of Presbyterians” has outlined the findings of the survey I responded to. The survey was sent to Presbyterian Church members, Presbyterian Elders, Presbyterian Church Pastors, and Specialized Clergy. The report defines “specialized clergy” as ministers serving full-time in a school or seminary, as a hospital or military chaplain, as PCUSA middle governing body staff, in an ecumenical agency or any other job or position. The category also includes part-time and temporary ministries.

The results of the survey are frightening. Nearly half of PCUSA pastors (45 percent) and a majority of “specialized clergy” (60 percent) surveyed disagree that “only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved.” Approximately 1 in 5 in both categories answered “neutral” or “not sure,” making the totals that do not “agree” with the statement as 65 percent for pastors and 78 percent for specialized clergy.

More than half of “members” and “elders” surveyed answered similarly. Approximately 1 in 3 members (36 percent) and elders (31 percent) either disagree or strongly disagree that “only followers of Jesus can be saved.” In both categories, approximately 1 in 5 is “neutral” or “not sure.” Those who “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statement are: 39 percent of members; 45 percent of elders; 35 percent of pastors and 22 percent of specialized clergy. If you would like to read more of the report it can be found at http://www.pcusa.org/research/panel/index.htm.

I wonder why people who do not believe, “Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Him”, remain in the church? All ordained people in the PC (USA) respond in the affirmative to the following questions when ordained.

1. Do you trust in Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledge him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
2. Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Word to you?
3. Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?
4. Will you fulfill your office in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture, and be continually guided by our confessions?
5. Will you be governed by our church’s polity, and will you abide by its discipline? Will you be a friend among your colleagues in ministry, working with them, subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit?
6. Will you in your own life seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, love your neighbors, and work for the reconciliation of the world?
7. Do you promise to further the peace, unity, and purity of the church?
8. Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?
9. (1) (For elder) Will you be a faithful elder, watching over the people, providing for
their worship, nurture, and service? Will you share in government and discipline, serving in governing bodies of the church, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?
9. (2) (For deacon) Will you be a faithful deacon, teaching charity, urging concern, and
directing the people’s help to the friendless and those in need, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?
9. (3) (For minister of the Word and Sacrament) Will you be a faithful minister, proclaiming the good news in Word and Sacrament, teaching faith and caring for people? Will you be active in government and discipline, serving in the governing bodies of the church; and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?

Did they not mean it when they answered these questions in the affirmative? If people have changed their minds the honorable thing to do is resign from the PC (USA) and the Church of Jesus Christ. Why remain in a Christian church when one is not a Christian? Why remain in an organization that has Jesus Christ as its Head and believes the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the authoritative Word of God? Why do I say this? Jesus Himself says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9 NIV) “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV) The Bible goes on to speak of the exclusive nature of salvation, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24 NIV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV)

There is small wonder why the PC (USA) is hemorrhaging members year after year. Half the church is populated by people that are not Christians. That kind of witness is useless in a lost and dying world.