Mystic Chords of Memory

One week ago today, Twin Cities Presbytery became the 87th vote in favor of Amendment 10-A, thereby ensuring its adoption.

In the week since, I have been heartened by the discussion going on across the Web about what this means for us as a denomination. There have been some vitriolic comments, always to be expected because of the high emotion of this issue. But Presbyterians from all points of the spectrum have been stepping foward to talk collegially and respectfully about what this means for all of us. I'm grateful to Robert Austell for compiling a great list of the responses at http://bit.ly/10Aresponses.

About ten days ago, I started reading a wonderful new book about the Civil War. Written by Adam Goodhart, it's called 1861: The Civil War Awakening. It's astonishing to me how much I don't know about the swirling currents within the country in those first six months of 1861. Stay with the Union? Join the Confederacy? Try to ignore the whole thing?

I'm not going to equate our nation's struggle in 1861 with our struggle within the PC (USA) today.

But I have to say that these words from Lincoln's first Inaugural Address resonated with me, in this time and in this place: "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely as they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

As Presbyterians, we too are bound together by our "mystic chords of memory." We are bound together by our gratitude to those who have gone before us, proclaiming the Gospel in every corner of Christ's kingdom. We are bound together by our common understanding of our Reformed heritage. We are bound together by our appreciation and affection for our Presbyterian polity.

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies." 

Comments

[Thomas L. Fultz]

I beg to differ with your observation "We are bound together by our appreciation and affection for our Presbyterian polity." The history of American presbyterians is of continuous tension over polity with fear of subscriptionism rubbing against desire for faithful orthodoxy to Reformed theology. All you need to do is consider New/Old side and school; Cumberland denomination forced into existence; Gardiner Springs resolutions; Kenyon case, etc. Each "crisis" had some component of ordination standard argument - either "strong local option" or "connectionally framed denominational standard". While we may be friends, we do not agree so often, and certainly many do not feel any ties of appreciation and affection for Presbyterian polity. I sense your memory is too mystic to be accurate in this matter. As a PC(USA) Elder who was ordained in the PCUS, my memory is that Presbyterians are disputatious (and that notion was reinforced by Moderator Price Gwynn in a sermon he gave in Mobile); unfortunately we use and abuse our polity so often it no longer binds us together. Perhaps an Elder from the UPCUSA has a different perspective, but our recent experience as a denomination supports my view. I appreciate the opportunity to address this and for your reference to Robert Austell's resources, which are most informative. http://bit.ly/10Aresponses.

[Moncler Billig]

I love your blog very much, more more info, I will concern it again!