The Reformed Down Grade

If you want to read something of a deep dive into the many issues in our Reformed/NAPARC denominations, start here: https://tulipdrivenlife.blogspot.com/2020/06/genevan-commons-part-1-introduction-and.html

The NAPARC Nanny State This blog is about Reformed theology and how to live the reformed faith.

"Other evidences of feminism in the Reformed churches are less subtle. The Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church allow the ordination of female deacons, though the winds of change seem to be blowing in a good direction. But it is an open secret that many congregations in the Presbyterian Church in America, against their own church order, are appointing deaconesses, and even shepherdesses (e.g. here and here). Yet in that denomination looms a larger and more sinister threat to godly s*xuality. The Revoice conference, hosted in 2018 by a PCA church with an openly gay minister, exists to promote the flourishing of those in our churches who are “same-s*x attracted,” that is, who are sodomites, but only in their hearts. This outright s*xual confusion is but a late stage of the feminism we have diagnosed. If you doubt this connection, note that the first day of Revoice20 will feature evening worship with woman’s homily. The ungodly logic of gender-bending is inevitable: Aimee Byrd is but a few steps from Greg Johnson, and beyond. For if a woman can play the man in the pulpit, why can’t a man play the woman in the bedroom?"

Feminism In The Reformed Churches: 4. The Tactics, In Church — The Daily Genevan 4. Feminism in the Reformed Churches: The Tactics, in Church Feminism is on the march against the Reformed churches. We met its leaders , then considered their tactics online . Then last time we looked at two key books , and saw how they set themselves against honesty, truth, nature, and Scriptu

"Now granted on this point, Miller says “only qualified men should be ordained as leaders in the church” (16). But Byrd seems to have already gone a few steps further, as the best I could find her saying was, “I do hold to the ordination of qualified males” (121). What about females? A hint of what’s to come appears in her constant legitimizing of the alternative: “I join hands with evangelical egalitarians...in the gospel” (121), “Whatever our stance is on ordination…” (203), “Churches that uphold male-only ordination...” (228, 231), “Some denominations and churches that hold to male-only ordination…” (232), “Whether you hold to male-only ordination or not...” (233) Indeed, the rot has run deeper into her heart than most want to admit. She openly advocates for women publicly reading Scripture and leading corporate prayers (232). She suggests she has found in the Bible a female “intermediary” of Paul, “carrying his gospel message” (146), female “leaders of house churches,” and even a female apostle (223). So when in a discussion question Byrd clucks condescendingly, “Complementarian churches fear that this will lead to women’s ordination” (234–235), we are not ashamed to respond, With all the hints she has given, isn’t that fear reasonable?"

Feminism in the Reformed Churches: 3. The Tactics, in Books — The Daily Genevan 3. Feminism in the Reformed Churches: The Tactics, in Books This series seeks to expose the threat of feminism against the Reformed churches, and to call on the godly to wage war against it. We first met the leaders of the movement, then we considered the ungodly tactics they employ online . Now

Great series of articles has begun, written by OPC minister Michael Spangler, concerning ungodly feminism/egalitarianism in the Reformed churches:

Feminism in the Reformed Churches: 1. The Leaders The Reformed churches have found themselves at war. The battle lines are drawn, and the conflict is underway. This article is the beginning of a series, in which I make a plea to godly readers, to …

Listening currently. Great so far from Dr. P**a. Directly addresses Theology Gals and Coleen Sharpe and I believe Rachel Green-Miller by name. Straight up says they engage in poor exegesis, which illustrates the Scriptural point that women are more easily deceived than men, and that women's primary role in the life of the Church is domestic.

They also reference Aimee Byrd's forthcoming book, and P**a rightly connects these feministic/egalitarian issues to, yep, Revoice and even "gender-blending". His words, not mine. And it is spot on.

And you can't say Dr. P**a is just some angry blogger.

1 Timothy 2:12-15 is the basis:

12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

https://anchor.fm/gpts/episodes/225---Faith--Practice-58-ear9an?fbclid=IwAR2x_Js_-mr1plEQeDDq93kd9IbY5XqNVHT-6wMz3TO8DrWv3Hy6Ngv0aw8

#225 - Faith & Practice #58 by Confessing Our Hope: The Podcast of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary • A podcast on Anchor In this episode, Dr. P**a addresses listener questions regarding ontological differences between men and women, the encroachment of feminism in Reformed denominations, heresy and error regarding the doctrine of the Trinity, demonology, best/biblical practices in worship, the second commandment, adul...

Critical Theory in the PCA part 5 Share with your elders.

Wow, thanks for this quote Stephen Wolfe, Mark Galli is the one who just wrote the article about why Christians should oppose Trump and why Trump must be removed from office, and he pulls back the curtain on his own, self described, evangelical elite circus, or the deep state that is right in front of us, the leaders of many of our evangelical institutions:

"Mark Galli (Christianity Today editor) on the evangelical elite (not satire):

“It’s as if we’re each speaking a different language. That was certainly the shock some evangelicals felt after the election of Donald Trump, especially when they heard that 81 percent of white evangelicals voted for him. Most evangelical Christians like me exclaimed, ‘Who are these people? I know hardly anyone, let alone any evangelical Christian who voted for Trump.’ I describe evangelicals like me as ‘elite’ evangelicals....To call such evangelicals elite doesn’t mean we are superior in any way, only that we are a distinct social class, mostly defined by being leaders in evangelical institutions and movements.... And this class of evangelicals has discovered that we have family members so different they seem like aliens in our midst. These other evangelicals often haven’t finished college, and if they have jobs (and apparently a lot of them don’t), they are blue-collar jobs or entry level work. They don’t write books or give speeches; they don’t attend conferences of evangelicals for social justice or evangelicals for immigration reform. They are deeply suspicious of mainstream media. A lot of them voted for Donald Trump.” (140-41)

Pages 140-41, *Still Evangelical?: Insiders Reconsider Political, Social, and Theological Meaning* (2018)"

"God's World Mission" Class from Covenant Theological Seminary Blatantly Promotes Critical Race Theory - Enemies Within: The Church It’s difficult to think of a Christian denomination or organization that has not started down the path of Marxist-inspired social justice. Lately, the Southern Baptist Convention has stolen most of the headlines. However, the Presbyterian Church of America is not far behind. Here’s a syllabus fr...

This is outstanding. Every conservative Christian, whether in the SBC, PCA, OPC, URC, whatever, should watch this.

I plan on recommending this film at the end of my sermon on 2 Pet. 2:1-3 this Sunday, because false teachers really have brought into our churches destructive heresies that will bring swift destruction upon themselves and those they lead astray, which God says will be many.

https://founders.org/cinedoc/?fbclid=IwAR2FjlseOYcA7nLjUDajSTDoK7-jcqIpCNLgzlxbo3t9Xe26VUAxlQ8V6kE

By What Standard? A Founders Cinedoc

A must watch. All about the fall of the Southern Baptist Convention, likely echoing the fall of the PCA.

By What Standard? A Founders Cinedoc

Dr. Venema, giving the URCNA denomination's report on Federal Vision back in 2010 says at 27:30 of Doug Wilson:

"Doug Wilson's view in respect to some of these questions [concerning federal vision] is actually far better and closer to historic Reformed teaching and confession than those with whom he associates. That is my judgment and not only mine but that of others as well. The problem is he doesn't disassociate himself from those who hold views or take positions or dissociate himself from positions that are highly problematic."

Since 2010 Wilson has dissociated himself from those who are more problematic, at least to some extent.

So then, from what Venema is saying and what he claimed other critics of Federal Vision were saying, Doug Wilson today should be regarded as within the Reformed, confessional pale, or at least quite close to it. His teaching certainly isn't dangerous heresy and he shouldn't be blacklisted as so many are doing and are doing so based on the allegation that all the denominations and most renowned Reformed pastors and theologians have denounced Doug Wilson's theology as serious error and/or heresy. Venema is communicating otherwise from almost ten years ago.

As someone else astutely pointed out, this makes R. Scott Clark's accusations against Doug Wilson especially rich given both he and Venema are in the URCNA and Clark likes to point to his own denomination's report on Federal Vision as basis for his vitriol and frankly slander of Doug Wilson. I'm 99 percent sure that Venema is presenting the report because he was one of the architects of the URCNA report!

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=31210115800

URCNA FV Report Part 1 Dr. Cornelis Venema | Community United Reformed Church

tom ascol on Twitter “This was a painful, but necessary article to write. The new professor hired by has endorsed a conference that promotes what Rosaria Butterfield calls “a different religion.” Southern Baptists cannot pretend this is ok. https://t.co/rgzm5C3ANA”

When you look at the NT and how often God warns His church to persevere and not fall away, you realize that any pastor, theologian, church, or denomination that says such warnings and exhortations are anti-Gospel, are themselves anti-Gospel. The Good News of salvation is that we persevere down the path of righteousness in all areas of life, we resist temptation and error, and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

As many of you know, I work with Reformation Christian Ministries, which is an international organization that includes an online college and seminary, Christian school in Suriname, South America with over 350 students, the Good News Bible Series, publications, and more. It is an organization worthy of your support, and we need donations to stay in operation at our current capacity. If you feel so led, please consider donating here, or reach out to me at [email protected] for more information, to be added to our newsletter, etc.

Churches have added us to their regular support for ministry/missionary outreach, as our Christian school in South America teaches the Scriptures to all students and the Westminster Confession of Faith to high school students as well. These students come from all over the world, and many of them are not Christians, so they are hearing the gospel, perhaps for the first time. If you believe your church would like to support this work, please let them know about us as well.

https://www.reformation.edu/donate/

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Here is the list of men who signed the protest saying that Steven Warhurst's great speech at last year's PCA GA contained intemperate (but in reality biblically faithful) language. If they find this intemperate then they can't possibly accept the language of Scripture. Not also Jay Sklar signed this, who spoke at Revoice from Covenant Seminary, Ron Lutjens, who I believe was investigating matters, and Irwyn Ince, recent moderator of GA.

TE Doug Serven Hills and Plains
TE Charles McKnight Central Carolina
TE Ryan Baker Hills and Plains
TE Charles Anderson Central Indiana
TE Greg Ward South Texas
TE David Keithley Northern Illinois
TE James Han Korean Southwest
RE Ken Kostrzewa Southern Louisiana
RE Richard L. Jamison South Coast
TE Matt Ham Central Carolina
TE Andrew Kim Korean Eastern
TE Tom Patton Evangel
TE Casey Shutt Hills and Plains
RE David Daniel Southern New England
TE Ronald Rowe North Texas
TE Kenneth Aldrich Suncoast Florida
TE David Martin Southwest Florida
TE Steven Chitty Northern California
TE Loren Bell Missouri
RE Luke Calvin Missouri
TE Howard Brown Central Carolina
TE Jonathan Robson Columbus Metro
TE Owen Lee Korean Capital
TE Austin Pfeiffer Piedmont Triad
RE Alexander Jun Korean Southwest Orange County
TE Andy Moehn Westminster
TE James Madden North Texas
TE Michael Novak South Texas
TE David Filson Nashville
TE Chris Sicks Potomac
TE Gray Ewing Arizona
TE Daniel J. Young South Texas
TE Bruce O’Neil Chesapeake
RE Tim Wierenga Chicago Metro
TE Mitchell Carter Nashville
TE Jeff Summers Metro Atlanta
TE Robert Edenfield Gulfstream
RE David Westerfield North Texas
RE James Pocta North Texas
TE Greg Meyer Missouri
TE Mark Upton Central Carolina
TE Jeff Suhr South Coast
TE Jason Cornwell Calvary
TE Gorden Fleming Central Carolina
RE Towner Scheffler Ascension
TE Robert Browning Covenant
TE Brian LoPiccolo Chesapeake
TE Kenneth Campbell South Texas
TE Clay Warden Tidewater
TE Sean Roberts Northern New England
TE Daniel Sung Potomac
TE Chris Polski Missouri
TE Casey Cramer Nashville
RE James Miller Pittsburgh
TE Joshua Burdette Pacific
TE Brian Davis North Texas
TE Mitch Welborn Siouxland
TE Ryan Laughlin Missouri
TE Chris Smith Missouri
TE Chris Jhu New York State
TE Ethan Smith Piedmont Triad
TE Randy Lovelace Chesapeake
TE Douglas Tharp Eastern Pennsylvania
TE Duane Cory Rocky Mountain
TE Brian Hand Eastern Pennsylvania
TE Nate Bower Ohio
TE Ross Dixon Missouri
TE Clay Holland Houston Metro
RE Paul Richardson Nashville
TE Matthew Cadora Ohio Valley
TE Keith Robinson Missouri
TE Derek Radney Piedmont Triad
TE Justin Smith North Texas
TE Brad Anderson Northern California
TE Justin Chappell Rocky Mountain
TE Dan Katches Northern California
TE Dan Herron Central Indiana
TE Greg Schneeberger Rio Grande
TE Drew Martin Central Carolina
TE Brad Edwards Rocky Mountain
TE Daniel Levi Central Florida
TE BJ Milgate Central Florida
TE Travis Drake Philadelphia
TE Robert Becker James River
TE Paul May Potomac
TE David Schweissing Pittsburgh
TE Greg Blosser Columbus Metro
TE Jay Sklar Missouri
TE Dagan Mayfield North Texas
TE Keith Berger North Texas
TE Rob Wootton James River
RE Josh Spears Hills and Plains
TE David Richter Southern New England
TE Clay Wooten Hills and Plains
RE Trevor Laurence Piedmont Triad
TE Jason Mather Pacific
TE Scott Sauls Nashville
TE Rob Yancey, Jr. Potomac
TE Aaron Morris Pacific Northwest
TE Mike McLaughlin Missouri
TE Jesse York Missouri
TE Chris Bowen Lowcountry
TE Scott Mawhinney Suncoast Florida
TE Taylor Clark Southwest Florida
TE Omar Ortiz Southern New England
TE Todd Gwennap North Texas
TE William McCutchen Lowcountry
TE Jeremy Kemp Southwest Florida
TE Bijan Mirtolooi Metro New York
TE Matt Wiley Hills and Plains
TE Jonathan Winfree Southwest Florida
TE Timothy R. LeCroy Missouri
RE Dan Barber Central Indiana
TE Kenneth Leggett Nashville
TE David P. Cassidy Nashville
RE Nathan Partain Central Indiana
TE Jeffrey Rendell Philadelphia Metro West
TE Steven Brooks Georgia Foothills
TE Matthew Guzi Central Carolina
TE Justin Woodall Southwest Florida
TE Walter Lee Korean Capital
TE Chris Florence Fellowship
TE Omari Hill Central Carolina
TE Benjamin Lyon Tidewater
TE Ewan Kenndy Metro Atlanta
RE Jason Kang Metro Atlanta
TE Scott Kerns Suncoast Florida
RE James W. Wert, Jr. Metro Atlanta
TE Kyle Hackmann Eastern Canada
TE Peter Rowan Susquehanna Valley
TE Ben Jolliffe Eastern Canada
TE Michael Colvard Catawba Valley
RE Joe Thompson Missouri
TE Robert Binion, Jr. Northern California
TE Matthew Lanser Pacific Northwest
TE Jason Bobo Hills and Plains
TE Scott Brown Arizona
TE Dan Adamson Chicago Metro
TE Chris Accardy Covenant
TE Jason Polk Missouri
TE Jeremy Mullen Southern New England
TE Justin Grimm Columbus Metro
TE Cameron Barham Northwest Georgia
TE Wes James Illiana
TE Philip Kruis Arizona
TE Chris Talley Tennessee Valley
RE Tag Tuck Blue Ridge
TE Irwyn Ince, Jr. Potomac
TE Jeffrey Birch Central Florida
RE Todd Phillips Houston Metro
TE Mark Hertenstein James River
TE Russ Ramsey Nashville
TE Shane Hatfield Hills and Plains
TE Glenn Hoburg Potomac
TE Jeremy Fair Hills and Plains
RE Titus Bagby South Texas
TE Jon Talley Wisconsin
TE Steven Cooper South Coast
TE Stan McMahan, Jr. Southwest Florida
TE Hace Cargo Metro Atlanta
TE Joel Branscomb Piedmont Triad
TE Jonathan Iverson Central Florida
TE Kevin Vanden Brink Missouri
TE Wesley Martin Hills and Plains
TE Tim Jackson Missouri
TE Luke Brodine Metro Atlanta
TE Nicholas Davis South Coast
TE Travis Marsh Northern California
TE Travis Scott Pittsburgh
TE Scott Seaton Potomac
TE Justin Edgar Rio Grande
TE Shawn Slate Tennessee Valley
TE John Standridge Rio Grande
TE Bradley G. Wright Houston Metro
TE Robert Schmidtberger Philadelphia Metro West
TE Bob Cargo Metro Atlanta
TE Aaron Baker Chicago Metro
TE Jake Patton North Texas
TE Caleb Galloway Southeast Alabama
TE Michael Phillips Metro Atlanta
TE David Ridenhour North Texas
TE Brian MacDonald Southwest Florida
TE Jim Wilkerson Palmetto
TE Ron Lutjens Missouri
TE Grant Beachy Eastern Carolina
TE Pat Hickman Central Indiana
TE Charles Johnson Nashville
TE Bradley Barnes Southern New England
TE Lance Lewis Northern California
RE James Hawes Hills and Plains
TE Kevin Witten South Texas
TE Larry Hoop Ohio Valley
TE Curran D. Bishop Southern New England
TE Dan Jackson Wisconsin
TE Aaron Ingle Central Carolina
TE David Wallover Ohio
TE Chad Baudhuin Wisconsin
TE Hansoo Jin Korean Capitol
TE Daniel M. Smith Arizona
TE Isaac J. Terwilleger Platte Valley
TE Michael W. Honeycutt Fellowship
TE Taylor Leachman Houston Metro
RE Adam Drews Potomac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhE6EzE2sI

Steve Warhurst at the PCA General Assembly 2019 Addressing the issues related to the Revoice conference

Jump to 53:20, apparently Al Mohler is going to run for President of the SBC.

Reactions to Beth Moore "Go Home" Controversy & the "Split" Begins Jon analyzes John MacArthur's remarks at the Truth Matter's Conference, does a twitter deep dive to show what evangelical elites are thinking, shows how the ...

MacArthur tells Beth Moore to go home and says the SBC is finished being an orthodox denomination.

John MacArthur Tells Beth Moore to "Go Home," No Biblical Case For a Female Preacher Follow Us on Social Media! During a recent Q&A session during the Truth Matters Conference at Grace Church, Todd Friel

THEOLOGY GALS, PATRIARCHY, BULLY PASTORS, AND WHINY WOMEN: MY TAKE AND A WAY FORWARD This blog is about Reformed theology and how to live the reformed faith.

A must read. Miller is both wrong and slanderous it appears. Will Byrd and Trueman and everyone else continue their support? Of course they will.

A New Way to Understand Men and Women in Christ? A Review of Rachel Green Miller’s Beyond Authority and Submission Editor's Note: The following review by Steven Wedgeworth will appear in the Fall 2019 issue of Eikon, which will be available to read online and in print next month. Rachel Green Miller’s Beyond Authority and Submission: …

All this is good, but especially the 3rd segment.

Tlaib's Racial Bias, Over Taxation|Church Reformed wPastor Tim Bayly|Botham Jean, Amber Guyger Trial

King David a Ra**st? & Confirmed: Cru Endorses Social Gospel Jon discusses the latest controversy over whether King David was a Ra**st in the mold. Also, internal Cru documents prove the orga...

What I am wondering concerning Byrd and these other gals is if they mean something like this:

When Scripture says "Woman was made for man, not man for woman," that really means "woman was made to be served by men, because Eve is eschatologically Zion, men are the fading glory of Moses protecting (in vain because only Christ can do it) wandering Israel/Christian wives, but men fail and so are destined to become brides of Christ themselves, which is actually an upgrade for men because they shed their defective maleness/masculinity, and thus discover Eve/woman as true Israel/glorified Zion is superior to men in glory and was so from the beginning as Adam looking at Eve saw his true telos, thus patriarchy is bad bad bad, QED".

And just to say a bit more. This is just like some of the Christian girls I knew in high school, who couldn't/wouldn't date because, you know, Jesus had to be their everything first, or they were basically "dating Jesus". Just now these same girls are in their 20's, 30's, maybe even 40's, some of them are now M.Diva's, and they've come up with this more sophisticated version of their soppy, sentimental, and overly emotive view of men, women, marriage, s*x, and their relationship to God.

I Sensed a Little Dig at the Endorsers by Mark Jones...

"Methodologically, the book suffers from serious problems in terms of her analysis of history. The Greeks, Romans, and Victorians are the bad guys (p. 232). Complementarianism in America today often reflects “Victorian” ideals than biblical ones, according to Miller (16). I suspect that it is not so neat. Her references to the Reformers are basically positive, but has she read what they said about authority and submission between men and women? Consider, for example, Calvin on 1 Corinthians 11:7-8, “…but of the distinction, which God has conferred upon the man, so as to have superiority over the woman. In this superior order of dignity the glory of God is seen, as it shines forth in every kind of superiority…The first is, that as the woman derives her origin from the man, she is therefore inferior in rank. The second is, that as the woman was created for the sake of the man, she is therefore subject to him…”

Or, has she considered the Puritans and their views on authority and submission? William Gouge’s work, Of Domesticall Duties (1620), would cause a riot on Twitter if critics of Patriarchy took time to read him. In one place, working with a natural law argument, Gouge says, “Nature has placed an eminency in the male over the female: so as where they are linked together in one yoke, it is given by nature that he should govern, she obey. This did the Heathen by light of nature observe” (Treatise 3, p. 158). What Miller finds so objectionable in her book is really the norm in the church before the rise of feminism."

https://mereorthodoxy.com/book-review-beyond-authority-and-submission/?fbclid=IwAR2qd2ioGi-6xL_yzFGSwJVyz1sfCwrRc16Knbnvfp2dMwi1oj_C9WW_cKM

Book Review: Beyond Authority and Submission by Rachel Green Miller Miller's book struggles to land many of its arguments because it doesn't engage sufficiently with key biblical texts or historic Christian views of gender.

THEOLOGY GALS, PATRIARCHY, BULLY PASTORS, AND WHINY WOMEN: MY TAKE AND A WAY FORWARD

The Reformed church is deeply divided over many issues, not the least of which is gender roles, or even more fundamentally perhaps (depending on how we are defining things), gender itself, what it means to be a man, and what does it mean to be a woman. What is masculinity and femininity? What does the Bible have to say about this, if anything at all?

It should be pointed out that this crisis mirrors the very real issues in our nations today, especially here in the United States, concerning gender/s*xuality, etc. It is quite likely that the movement has been able to take root in the church as well because there are real issues of abuse, and because there are real instances of primarily women lying about being abused, stretching the truth, etc. Both men and women are s*xual sinners, and I have seen and/or heard of both of these situations, men abusing and women lying about abuse.

This of course means that the church is very worldly, rather than the world being very churchly. We are having a difficult time speaking with one voice as the Church concerning gender, s*xuality, racial issues within and outside of the Church, etc. But we have had these issues for a long time, and other issues that lead to these much bigger issues. We do not know how to worship God because we hardly know who God is. Is it any wonder, not knowing God well, that we do not know ourselves, men and women made in God's image, well?

Five years ago if you asked me if I was "part of the patriarchy" I would have said no, and that I was a complementarian. The word patriarchy, for me at that time, was largely a modern movement and had a bunch of bad apples and bad examples in it. Think Doug Phillips in Reformed circles, but in more broadly evangelical churches, there are plenty of names to choose from too. Doug Wilson would have come up as well, and I knew little about him, mostly that he promoted the serious error of Federal Vision theology, that you get in the covenant of grace by faith, but stay in by works. I did read his book Wordsmithy in Bible college, and found it very helpful, so I figured he couldn't be all bad so long as I avoided his theology.

Fast forward five years. If you asked me today if I am "part of the patriarchy" I would probably reply, "if you have to ask, does it even matter how I respond?" To be asked if you are part of the patriarchy is not much different than being asked if you are FV. It means you are already suspect, prideful, manipulative, quite possibly abusive, and probably a man.

Doug Wilson's theology is nowhere near as problematic as it is claimed. At least, not today. Whether he was different 10-15 years ago I cannot say, but it doesn't seem that he has changed that much. I think his paedocommunion is wrong, but he is no heretic. Those who are inclined to denounce him, if they can't pin him down on his orthodoxy, will turn to his orthopraxy. There were two abuse cases that I know of in his church, and many say he completely mangled them both. I've read a lot about that and talked to those involved at some level, more indirectly than directly involved but involved nonetheless. My sense is that he and his church probably could have done some things better, but nothing rises to the level of being defrocked or anything like that.

But I belabor that matter because it underscores the divide between the "Theology Gals" types and the "patriarchal" types. I've only listened to a couple of TG episodes of their podcast, but I am speaking not just of TG proper but those who gravitate toward that movement/way of thinking. We can call them thin complementarians though I realize they would likely eschew that label. I think many in this camp are women who have either been s*xually abused, or know someone who has, and it has come either directly at the hands of a minister, or they believe a minister has messed up dealing with a s*xual abuse case very badly, and probably because the pastor's theology makes him out to be something close to a misogynist and male supremacist.

Now, I'd like to say up front that such ministers, and men in the church, do exist. So do pedophiles, and homos*xuals, and racists, and abortionists. Again, the church is very worldly across the board right now, so producing examples of such isn't going to be exceedingly difficult. But I also believe that there are plenty of women in the church who are simply liars, or who perhaps had a consensual relationship with a man, and then turned the story into r**e, abuse, etc. Those examples wouldn't be hard to produce either, except that in this cultural climate, which is also pervading the church, you are simply supposed to believe all women, without seemingly examining the claims first. It may be that this is a knee-jerk reaction, an overreaction, to real abuse cases by men, preying on women. It doesn't change the fact that it is overreaction and harmful.

But let us argue this by supposing the worst case scenario. What if the church was full of ra**ng men and ministers who either joined in or turned a blind eye to the situation. What if virtually no women were lying and there really was an epidemic of physical and s*xual abuse in the church that is so one-sided that men really ought to just shut up and let women preach a little, like a Deborah ruling because Barak is too afraid, compromised, wicked, or whatever?

Well, even in such a scenario, I'd still throw my hat in with patriarchy, because it is biblical. Men ruling poorly, men ruling wickedly, does not overthrow God's rule that men must rule, that men must lead in love and righteousness. This is true in the home, in the church, and in society. It cannot be any other way. Those who cry foul saying Scripture doesn't speak about women's role in society aren't reading their Bibles carefully, not unlike some who won't accept paedobaptism because there isn't a verse that says "baptize yo babies". The word Trinity isn't in Scripture either, and though I realize this issue, again, goes all the way back up to our theology of God, ESS and all that, my point here is simply that it is a weak argument to deny a doctrine simply because you have to do a little extra work in studying Scripture to deduce it. And really, once you see it, you discover how it was staring you in the face all along.

So I have become somewhat more patriarchal, I guess you could say, over the last five years. But the seeds of that were already in me, always in me far as I know. I don't really want a woman in combat, if I see a woman struggling to carry her groceries or push something heavy, I am quite inclined to help her and take pity (of course that's true for a man as well, but the pity and sympathy is different, because men are not women, and women are not men). I do want healthy families and home-cooked meals, and women who take pride in doing what God calls them to do with the home and with the children, for their husbands and for God's glory.

I don't agree with everything that flies under the banner of "patriarchy". Hyper-homeschoolerism where the girls wear jean skirts down below their heels, and where boys and girls are always segregated, is a great way to lead to s*xual abuse and s*xual rebellion. Men can seize leadership in such a way that they think of it just as that, a seizure, rather than a solemn responsibility entrusted to them by God for the good of others, and for their own good and the glory of God. Such men may be quite vocal, and put on quite the front, but in time their wicked fruit will manifest. Those men should be soundly and roundly condemned, driven out of the pulpit, and never allowed to return if the sin is severe enough (let's not debate what that line is right now). There can be a general bully-ness or alpha-male personality that is pushy and not, you know, southern, but just cranky and frankly selfish. So yes, sometimes that personality is prone to certain strands of wickedness, but sometimes the pushiness is necessary, raising your voice is necessary, persevering and being urged to persevere and toughen up is necessary. Again, let's not debate where the line is, sometimes it is less a line than it is wisdom, skill, and mingling firmness with encouragement and not just rebuke.

But when I begin to hear women, seemingly unawares, indirectly or even sometimes directly indicate that men get to have all the fun, that washing dishes and taking care of the home, being a homemaker, is just a fabrication of the fifties, I really have to scratch my head. Doesn't Scripture command women to be homemakers, working at home and submitting to their husbands and loving their children (Tit. 2:4-5)? Is there a symmetrical command for men to do the same? Of course not, because men and women are not symmetrical. They are asymmetrical.

That's why God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve. Hey wait a minute, isn't that a cutesy argument against homos*xuality, why are you bring it up in this context Booher? Ah, because they are connected, because the fundamental issue here is what it means to be a man, and what it means to be a woman. Blur those distinctions enough, and you lose not just biblical gender roles, but biblical genders, or s*xes, male and female, whatever you want to call it. Lose that, and transgenderism, not to mention LGB, is fair game.

I know it is hard for someone who has been s*xually abused, or been around that, and has seen or suspected coverups from clergy, to hear this. When your vision is colored, when you have skin in the game, it is difficult to think clearly for anyone, male or female. But we still must do so. We still must hold fast to Scripture. Men are always going to fail us, except for Jesus, and yet Jesus has still chosen to work through fallible, sinful, bumbling men. Women are supposed to help these men, not hinder them. Men are supposed to love and cherish these women, valuing their help, recognize they are helping them to lead their families, and lead in the world, and are indispensable and necessary to the cause of Christ and His kingdom AS WOMEN, WIVES, and MOTHERS.

If Doug Wilson recorded a video in a pink tutu and announced he has embraced cross-dressing and is thinking about transitioning into a woman, that would be disturbing on several levels. But at the end of the day, it doesn't change what Scripture says. Pastors perverting the Word of God is terrible, but it doesn't change the truth of God, it doesn't change the Word of God. Hypocritical Christians and Christianity does not change Christianity's truthiness, and that Christ's kingdom cannot fail and will prevail, that righteousness will reign in the end as the waters cover the seas. We, here too, must walk by faith and not by sight.

As many know, R.C. Sproul Jr. has had many failings lately in his life. I would be more sympathetic if he wasn't writing the things he is still writing and recording videos of him teaching. If he seemed genuinely repentant and was bearing fruit of repentance rather than rubbing elbows with Tchividjian, I wouldn't even say this. But it illustrates my point. From what I have heard, even privately, this man has some serious sin issues and has greatly harmed his family. That is awful. Just the same, it doesn't change the fact that the vast majority of what he taught me and others at Reformation Bible College was, as we might have put it in class, "pure gold".

Gold is good. And many will try to imitate it in cheap and perhaps dangerous and harmful ways. Patriarchy is good, is biblical and natural, and because it is so good and valuable it too will try to be imitated by unworthy scoundrels. But that cannot allow us to, in response perhaps to real abuse and pain, from men, turn around and handle the situation in such a way that it is almost worse than the crime by men. After all, to go and change what God has decreed, even unintentionally, about what it means to be an image bearer of God, male and female, is no small sin. To put it into practice is unthinkable, it is to side with the world, the flesh, and the devil. To find a false cure that is really a darker poison.

Our Father, who is in heaven, reigns. He made man first, to rule and reign, to teach and instruct by word and the example of a godly life. He made women after, to help men in this glorious endeavor, to follow man's lead insofar as men lead in righteousness (2 Tim. 2:12-14). When men fail to do this, the solution is to point to the Word of God and urge men to lead down that path, not to usurp patriarchy and shrug off God's rule.

Obedience is the way forward, and it always is. Repentance and returning to the true path is always the way forward, rather than trying to beat a new one and introduce revisionist (church) history which will only lead to darkness further snuffing out the light, where the s*xual chaos and s*xual abuse of women at the hands of men that we currently see will only intensify and mutate into something even more grotesque. You can read about it in the Bible when it talks about S***m and Gomorrah, and you can see it in the public reading hours in our libraries.

The Theology Gals crowd needs to hear and recognize this, that their train leads to destruction, but the patriarchal crowd, those who wear that label in one shade or another, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, also need to sharpen and examine their own views in all the crossfire, to remember we are far better at preaching than practicing, and recognize that we got to where we are in large measure due to weak men not leading well, by abdicating duty, being abusive, or simply not standing up to pushy women and instead enabling them to do their bidding, be their mouthpiece, clean up their own mess.

And what effect should this have on the two sides? Simply that the patriarchalists would speak the truth, with love, and the Theology Gals would listen, with gladness.