As any GA Junkie knows, the popular press just does not understand how Presbyterians work.  We have all seen that when a General Assembly decides on a Book of (Church) Order change, the press thinks it is done but we know that it still must go back to the presbyteries for approval.  Well, here are two items just today in the on-line news sources that have subtle errors in them that might rub other GA Junkies the wrong way.

1) The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick preached in Havana and the International Herald Tribune reported:

U.S. Presbyterian official helps Cubans mark 100th anniversary of first Protestant temple
HAVANA: The executive officer of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
helped Cubans celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the
capital’s first Protestant temple on Sunday, giving a sermon in which
he urged all Christians to do more to eliminate global inequality.

Well, to an international audience this might be the best description but at least within the PC(USA) there is also an Executive Director of the General Assembly Council who could also lay claim to the “executive officer” title. Technically we would think of Rev. Kirkpatrick as the top ecclesiastical officer.  One could also ask if he was there representing the PC(USA) or the World Alliance of Reformed Churches of which he is currently serving as president.

2) This next one gets to the heart of reformed theology, not just a subtle argument about titles.  The ABC news web site has a story about Michael Adee, the National Field Organizer for More Light Presbyterians.  In the article ABC says:

Adee would like to take the next step and become a pastor who performs
sacraments such as baptism and marriage, but that’s unlikely unless the
church changes its policy.

I bet you saw that one too:  In reformed theology we have two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Marriage is not a sacrament.

Thanks for playing along.  Now back to the Politics of Presbyterianism.