Keeping a Promise

Why is the covenant between an officer in the PC(USA) binding on the officer but not the inclusive body of the PC(USA) or the "larger church?" The denomination, through its presbytery, may end the covenant I made with them on the day of my ordination and reaffirmed during every installation service in the four pastorates I have begun. However, I may not severe that covenantal relationship with the presbytery. Sure I may denounce their jurisdiction over me and “peacefully withdraw, thereby vacating my membership as a teaching elder and even as a member of the denomination. Still, there remains, in my mind, an obligation toward the presbytery of my former membership. Why?

More often than not a pastor whose congregation is choosing to affiliate with a different denomination will leave with that congregation remaining their pastor. Naturally, he or she will renounce their membership in their presbytery and thereby vacate their ordination. I ask myself, “Is that right?” Is it not violating the commandment not to lie?  When a minister applies for membership in a presbytery, which is required to be installed in a congregation within that presbytery, he or she makes a set of promises. In the Larger Catechism, under its exposition of the duties implied in the  ninth commandment, it simply says, “keeping of lawful promises.”

There is a paragraph in our Form of Government that was part of the original founding document of the Presbyterian Church in America – 1789; the language was first coined in 1758 as part of a plan of union agreement between old side and new side division. It is found under the section regarding a freedom of conscience. Should an action of the Church ever give serious offense to the conscience of one of its ministers, that minister has two choices, after trying to rectify the error through an orderly process, he may passively submit or peacefully withdraw. Here is the precise wording;

‘That when any matter is determined by a majority vote, every member shall either actively concur with or passively submit to such determination; or if his conscience permit him to do neither, he shall, after sufficient liberty modestly to reason and remonstrate, peaceable withdraw from our communion without attempting to make any schism. Provided always that this shall be understood to extend only to such determination as the body shall judge indispensable in doctrine or Presbyterian government.’ (Hist. Dig. (P) p. 1310.) (Plan of Union of 1758, par. II.)     

Now I certainly hold that the action of our 2010 General Assembly, a decision ratified by the majority of our presbyteries, constitutes a grave error. Further, I am convinced that this error does raise the status of touching on a set of indispensable doctrines. (The commandment against adultery, the authority of Scripture, and purity of Christ's Bride, the Church.) It made homosexual conduct a question of moral and spiritual indifference. I am sure that, with time, this position will change for the worse. Homosexual conduct will soon be consider a moral and spirit good and not merely a conduct that is indifferent – that is, every minister must interpret Scriptures to justify it and never to deem it as wrong. Just as in the case of the ordination of women and divorced persons, homosexual conduct will become a protected category. Failure to ordain or install such a person will be considered a violation of our order. Under the same exposition of the ninth commandment in the Westminster Larger Catechism it is a violation of that commandment to proclaim what is clearly false to be decidedly true. To give my reputation to a denomination that is propagating a lie is as much a sin as promulgating a spirit of schism. 

My inward voice is screaming for me to leave this wayward part of the visible church. I am beginning to question if the PC(USA) is still a part of the Body of Christ. I sympathize with the prophet Hosea who is inspired by the God to call Israel “not my people.”

If I choose to remain in this wayward movement, under what conditions may I do so? If I choose to withdraw how peaceably must I do so? Should the congregation I currently serve vote to petition the presbytery for dismissal, is it right for me to remain their pastor? By doing so, would I violate an implied promise I made to the presbytery I currently hold membership in?