Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Viva! La Reformation!

A current news article from the denomination’s own press service refers to Bruce Reyes-Chow, Gradye Parsons, and Linda Valentine as our top three leaders.

And all the while, I thought that our top three leaders in the Reformed tradition were the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You may think that I’m nit-picking, but the Reformation mainly occurred because of a rejection of hierarchy in the church. As Presbyterians, we need to be constantly vigilant about this.

BR-C,GP & LV are our top three office-bearers, not leaders. That mantel belongs to the Trinity.
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8 comments:

  1. Douglas UnderhillJuly 16, 2008 at 5:34 PM

    Yeah...while a valid point, this does seem a wee bit nit-picky. I imagine the PCUSA news services wasn't intending to foment idolatry.

    At least, I hope not...

    Dun-DUN-DUN!!!

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  2. StushieJuly 16, 2008 at 7:29 PM

    Doug,

    I thought that with your icon, it would be dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun dunda dun-dun...:)

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  3. UnknownJuly 16, 2008 at 7:50 PM

    I doubt that Jerry Van Marter meant to elevate the troika on a level with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

    But it certainly does little to assure Presbyterians in their home congregations that our leadership -- I mean office holders -- are in tune with the historical Reformation.

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  4. StushieJuly 16, 2008 at 8:42 PM

    Hi Denis,
    I wrote to Jerry and he took it all in good humor.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Reyes-ChowJuly 17, 2008 at 3:51 PM

    I don't suppose it would be good strategy to start listing other characters that come in threes:

    - Larry, Moe and Curlie
    - Luke, Leia and Han
    - Peter, Paul and Mary

    Okay, certainly too much time on my hands ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Time Loves a HeroJuly 19, 2008 at 2:17 PM

    Thanks for getting me started Bruce--

    -This, that, and the other thing
    -Yesterday, today, and tomorrow
    -Crosby, Stills, and Nash
    -Peace, love, and understanding (what's so funny about that?)
    -Willie, and Waylon, and the Boys
    -Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old
    -Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear
    -Jill, Kelly, and Sabrina (of course they were angels)
    -Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod
    -Red, blue, yellow (or green if you are thinking light instead of pigment)
    -Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe

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  7. Reyes-ChowJuly 19, 2008 at 7:29 PM

    TLAH - no problem. And a few more from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070630092142AAVGBgx

    . . . and I will not say who is who.

    The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
    Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato
    Lock, Stock, Barrel
    3 little pigs
    3 tenors

    Okay, back to work.

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  8. ChristineJuly 20, 2008 at 2:22 PM

    Tinker, Evers and Chance
    Groucho, Chico, Zeppo
    Rock, Paper, Scissors
    Hook, line, sinker
    Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar

    ReplyDelete