By Gordon Miller
Moderator, 34th EPC General Assembly
“Meanderings” definition: Rambling or passing from one topic to another.
I hope you find the following collection of articles, quotes, quips, and Scripture to be informative, edifying, and thought-provoking. This information is not as thorough or detailed as the other articles in the Plumb Line. But I hope to stimulate honest and open debate on a variety of topics and challenges facing the church — especially the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. With cultural changes coming at ever-increasing speed, all of us on the Plumb Line Editorial Board desire that believers will stand firm, rooted in Scripture. I pray that you read this content in the spirit intended: love for Christ and for each other.
Note: The views and opinions expressed here are mine alone, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the full Editorial Board of the Plumb Line.
Books You Might Enjoy
Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion by Allie Beth Stuckey. Penguin Random House, 2024.
Christians, led by Scripture, exercise compassion. Recognizing our own sins we easily empathize with those caught in sin’s misery. Can our compassion be misplaced or abused? Our author suggests that in today’s political climate many, especially believers, have come to believe compassion is the litmus test by which all moral issues are judged. Abortion, gender, sexuality, immigration, and social justice are examples the author highlights. Is truth being run over by emotion? The author answers in the affirmative.
For a detailed review, see https://www.realclearbooks.com/articles/2024/11/08/the_exploitation_of_compassion_1070788.html
NOTE: The lapel pin EPC Moderators receive states, “Truth in Love”
Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley. Crossway, 2024.
Santa Claus was good this past year! I can now add this four-volume set to my collection of systematic theology books. Will it be worth the cost to my wife? I’ve only read portions of each volume and do not foresee taking weeks at the beach to claim I have read even a modest portion of the over 5,000 pages.
Some online reviews suggest it will be an excellent starting point for serious research and study. It’s easy to read, and full of historical references and interesting quotes from old and new theologians alike. Even critical reviews have pointed out how readable it is, while pointing out what they perceive as a wordy or preachy writing style. If you’re a fan of the Puritans and don’t think Bavinck will mind, the four-volume set would be a great addition to your library.
Articles of Interest
AI and the Unhappy Society
James Hankins
“First Things” February 2025 Issue
Have you ever been frustrated when contacting a major corporation or government agency that you can’t reach an actual person for an answer to your inquiry? Then this article is for you! Hankins walks you through the maddening number of steps necessary to get to talk to a human being only to find out they will be transferring you to the first in a long line of additional persons, all the while praying one of them will be able to help. While Hankins has an obvious sense of humor, he makes a serious point about our culture’s idea of progress. Read this article!
With All Our Minds
Burk Parsons
“TableTalk” November 2024 Issue
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind …” —Romans 12:2.
Dr. Parsons warns us that the world’s influence will conform us to its worldly thought, words, and works. Sadly, this is often done through our confused ideas about love, freedom, and peace. We have come to believe that disagreement indicates the absence of all three. As believers we are required to exercise discernment, recognizing conflict is sometimes unavoidable. (See Toxic Empathy above.)
Rebranding the EPC & The PCA’s Unfinished Business
Peter Larson
“The Westminster Standard” podcast episode 217, January 2025
In the first issue of the Presbyterian Plumb Line, TE Peter Larson contributed an article entitled Rebranding the EPC. Larson was subsequently interviewed on The Westminster Standard podcast. This engaging interview is sure to expand your understanding of issues currently going on in the EPC. I highly recommend it! Watch it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/nNcgNF2733g?si=4piN7k1vCu_50o94
Pastoral Sexual Orientation and the EPC
Helen Louise Herndon
“The Aquila Report” February 1, 2025
Helen Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa. In this article, Herndon explains how church members in some EPC congregations are stunned about why it would take so long for the shepherds of Christ’s flock to deliberate on the subject of sexual identity for church officers.
Presbyterians, Celibate Gay Ordination, and the Westminster Standards
S. Donald Fortson III
“Reformed Faith & Practice” Fall 2024 Issue
In this article, TE Don Fortson explains how the discussion of celibate gay ordination has been new territory for both the PCA and the EPC. He reviews the history of this question in the old northern Presbyterian Church in the 1970s and how the Westminster Standards provide a clear answer for confessional Presbyterians.
Quotes
“You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place.”
—Jonathan Swift
“Our faith may be feeble. Our courage may be small. Our grasp of the gospel and its promises may be weak and trembling. But, after all, the grand question is do we really trust Christ? Do we look to Jesus and only to Jesus for pardon and peace?”
—J.C. Ryle
“As Christians we are tempted to make unnecessary concessions to those outside the Faith. We give in too much. Now, I don’t mean that we should run the risk of making a nuisance of ourselves by witnessing at improper times, but there comes a time when we must show that we disagree. We must show our Christian colors, if we are to be true to Jesus Christ. We cannot remain silent conceding everything away.”
—C.S. Lewis
Humor
How do you milk sheep? Bring out a new iPhone and charge $1,200 for it.
Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn’t fit any of your containers.
When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.
Point of Personal Privilege
Recently I have had an opportunity to speak to and hear from friends and colleagues about issues facing the EPC. Some strongly disagree with positions I hold. What important lessons have I learned? First and foremost, honest and open communication does not guarantee agreement. What it does do is clear up misunderstandings, clarify areas of disagreement and agreement, knock down rumors, and help restore healthy fellowship. Sometimes conflict is unavoidable. What is avoidable is the many ways we wrongly handle conflict. I have found myself making unwarranted assumptions, failing to give my brother the benefit of the doubt, and forgetting that the person on the other side is a brother or sister in Christ.
In the Minutes of the 35th GA, Attachment ICME-A (page 268 of the PDF) you will find the “Ethical Affirmation for EPC Leaders.” I wish to follow its directives. I wish to communicate directly with those who I find myself in disagreement. By doing so, I wish to listen first, honor their right to disagree, and hopefully respond in love. May I demonstrate forgiveness knowing I need to be forgiven. When I engage in criticism may it be with the goal of challenging the hearts and minds of others while promoting reconciliation, peace, and the unity of God’s church.
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