ECO-Presbyterians

Odd the OPC was not mentioned as an alternative for conservative PC(USA) dissidents.

 

Why not simply join the existing Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) or the Orthodox Presbyterian Church? I suspect it may have a great deal with both of those church bodies refusing to recognize womens ordination.

The Anglican Church of North America wrestled with the same issue after that jurisdiction was formed out of the many churches that left the Episcopal Church and trying to include many of the already existing Anglican jurisdictions that formed after The Episcopal Church began ordaining women priests. The ACNA left it up to each bishop. The majority of Presbyterians leaving PCUSA have no issue with womens ordaination. The same situation exists for those congregations leaving ELCA over gay ordinations in that body. Most of them are not comfortable joining the LCMS because of that denominations refusal to ordain women.

 

Another issue might well be that although these PCUSA congregations considering leaving acknowledge the role of scriptural authority, the overwhelming majority of the membership of PCUSA generally do not believe in biblical inerrancy. The PCA left (PCUSA) because the PCUSA "...had shifted from its historic beliefs to a theological liberalism that denied core biblical doctrines, such as the inerrancy and authority of Scripture." I read that most of the 2,000 people who attended the organizational meeting who were polled said their congregations had not decided to leave PCUSA but were considering it.

I suspect, just as most of these congregations considering leaving PCUSA accept Women's Ordination, most of them also do not accept inerrancy of scripture.

 

Also, women elders are a no-no in the PCA and OPC. The ECO is very much in favor of them and there will be no local option allowed to exclude them.