Saturday, June 30, 2007

Jen's Gems

Jen's Gems is a blog which is rather unique. It presents a discipline case in full detail including all the associated materials. Jen was a member of Doug Phillips church (Boerne Christian Assembly (BCA)). Doug is also the head of Vision Forum and son of Reconstructionist / Presidential candidate Howard Phillips. Doug (for a reconstructionist) takes a moderate position position on membership (See the August 10th 2005 Honorably Leaving a Church).

Jen holds mainstream evangelical Christian views about the role of woman in family relations and Doug specializes in teaching very traditional gender roles (well beyond the norm even for fundamentalist Christians). They are also very outspoken and so they got themselves excommunicated on what amounts to a bad attitude charge (Jen was accused of being disrespectful, unsubmissive, and rebellious. Mark was accused more along the lines of being angry and unforgiving). Theologically they appear to be mainstream evangelical reformed and so they were in a church well to the right of where they stood. The attraction to this particular church has something to do with very positive experiences in military churches but I'm unable to follow the connection (see chapter 1 of her story).

For the reader though what is interesting in the cite are the examples of real excommunication documents. Also because Jen has written such a detailed presentation of her story the website serves as a useful example of how asking for counseling can lead one to getting disciplined (which is become something of a theme).

Friday, June 22, 2007

Obligation to assume

An older editorial 2nd part by Challies in which he sets down criteria for assuming someone is actually a Christian.

When a person has made a profession of faith and is a member in good standing of a true church, as defined by these three marks: the preaching of the Gospel, the administration of the sacraments and the exercise of church discipline, I believe that we are under an obligation to assume that this person's faith is genuine. (emphasis mine)
This is a very traditional definition. The article is a good defense for the importance of discipline one considering the unity of the church.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Winter 2000 SBTS

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary dedicated their Winter 2000 issue to Church discipline.

  • Editorial: Thomas R. Schreiner Loving Discipline
  • Gregory A. Wills Southern Baptists and Church Discipline
  • R. Albert Mohler Jr. Church Discipline: The Missing Mark
  • Mark Dever Biblical Church Discipline
  • Don Cox The Forgotten Side of Church Discipline
  • Wayne House Church Discipline and the Courts
  • Sermon: Hershael York The Compassion of Confrontation
  • The SBJT Forum Perspectives on Church Discipline
  • Book Reviews

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Bradley Schmeling

Bradley Schmeling is a pastor who was removed from office for homosexual conduct. What's interesting is that the disciplinary committee while removing believed that the guidelines were unconstitutional and should be overturned:


Unconstitutional:
The committee is nearly unanimous in its concern that Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline and Vision and Expectations-Ordained Ministers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are at least bad policy, and may very well violate the constitution and bylaws of this church (
Shmeling decision (pdf))


First, this discipline hearing committee respectfully suggests that the synod assemblies memorialize the Churchwide Assembly, and the Churchwide Assembly act, to request that the Committee on Appeals and the Church Council, pursuant to the authority granted to them by provisions 20.71.11 and 20.71.12 of this church’s bylaws, reconsider and revise Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline to remove the language that specifically precludes practicing homosexuals from service as ordained ministers of this church.

Second, this discipline hearing committee respectfully suggests that the synod assemblies memorialize the Churchwide Assembly, and the Churchwide Assembly act, to request that the appropriate churchwide unit, the Conference of Bishops and the Church Council, pursuant to the authority granted to them by provision 7.31.13 of this church’s bylaws, reconsider and revise Vision and Expectations to remove the specific prohibition against homosexual sexual relationships.

Third, this disciplinary hearing committee respectfully suggests that the synod assemblies memorialize the Churchwide Assembly, and the Churchwide Assembly act, to request that the appropriate churchwide unit, the Conference of Bishops and the Church Council, pursuant to the authority granted to them by provision 7.31.15 of this church’s bylaws, reconsider and revise the policy on reinstatement to the rosters of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to permit persons who have resigned or have been removed from the rosters of this church solely because they have entered into a loving, lifelong partnership with another person of the same sex that is mutual, chaste, and faithful, to apply for reinstatement immediately, as an exception to the usual requirement of a minimum of five consecutive years without call that must elapse before an application for reinstatement may be considered. (ibid)



For more on this case Lutherans Concerned North America Page