An Open Letter to the EPC
A message to the EPC regarding an overture from New River Presbytery to the 44th General Assembly
The New River Presbytery (NRP) has presented a unanimous overture to the 44th General Assembly that would amend chapter nine of the Book of Government to add this clause:
“Men and women who identify as homosexual, even those who identify as homosexual and claim to practice celibacy in that self-identification, are disqualified from holding office in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.”
This Open Letter is written in support of this overture. The issue before Mid-America Presbytery of receiving a same-sex attracted minister, Greg Johnson, and the congregation he serves (Memorial Church in St. Louis) into the EPC has raised severe distress throughout the EPC. Documents are beginning to work their way through the EPC, often advocating for Greg Johnson’s reception or taking a position against the NRP overture. We offer this Open Letter in the spirit of free speech and as an attempt to balance the discussion which has already begun. In fact, we believe it is imperative to offer an alternative document supporting the NRP overture, so that GA Commissioners will be able to make an informed decision on this serious issue.
We also believe adopting the NRP overture would align the EPC Book of Government with the teaching of Scripture and the Westminster Standards on homosexuality. The letter contains four sections, each providing reasons why a same-sex attracted person should be prohibited from ordination:
The Old Testament priority of sexual purity in the priesthood as a model for ministerial ordination;
The New Testament understanding of sexual ethics, temptation, and qualifications for church office;
The teaching of the Westminster Standards on the moral law, concupiscence, sanctification, and the heinous sin of homosexuality; and
Lessons from mainline Presbyterian history on the ordination of celibate homosexuals.
We earnestly plea that the EPC be discerning on this issue, which brought apostasy to the mainline church. We believe deferring the NRP overture to a committee for study would be a mistake — sending the message that the EPC is uncertain about a matter for which it has had certainty for 44 years. If the overture passes at the Assembly, it will descend to the presbyteries, and congregations will have an opportunity to express an informed opinion in their presbytery.
We believe every presbytery should weigh in on this overture now.
Nate Atwood, St. Giles Presbyterian Church (Charlotte, NC); Moderator, 29th General Assembly
Rufus Burton, First Presbyterian Church (Martinsburg, WV); Stated Clerk, New River Presbytery
Don Fortson, Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte, NC) retired; Author, Liberty in Non-Essentials: The Story of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
28 pages, printable PDF format
Sign the Letter
To add your name to the list of signatories, complete the form below.
If you do not have a Google account but want to sign the Letter, send an email with your name, TE/RE status, Presbytery, and if you are a registered Commissioner to the 44th General Assembly to epcopenletter@gmail.com
Current signatories:
TE Jeffrey Jeremiah, Pacific Northwest
TE Nate Atwood, Central Carolinas
TE Rufus Burton, New River
TE Don Fortson, Central Carolinas
RE Donald Harms, Midwest
RE James Rimmel, Alleghenies
TE William Flannagan, Southeast
TE James McGuire, Midwest
RE John M. Graham III, Southeast
TE Ron DiNunzio, East
TE William Meyer, Florida & Caribbean
RE Gordon Miller, New River
TE Andrew Brunson, Central Carolinas
TE Edward M. Cummings, Pacific Northwest
TE Scott Cheatwood, Gulf South
RE Bryan McFarland, Central Carolinas
RE John Price, Central Carolinas
TE David B. Hunsicker, New River
TE Paul Bammel, East
RE Jeff Wong, Central Carolinas
TE Joseph Yerger, Alleghenies
TE G. Carl Moore, Alleghenies
TE Chuck Estes, New River
RE Jon Stacey Miller, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Fred Hope, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Ed Pettus, New River
RE Steve Curtis, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Jimmy G. Richardson, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE S.S. Oliver, New River
RE Robert (Reggie) Wood, Central Carolinas
RE Philip Stump, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Ruth McDonald, Central Carolinas
RE Wilber Jones, New River
RE Jesse C. McDonald, Central Carolinas
TE Peter Larson, Midwest
RE Zane Lawhorn, New River
TE Andy Schuster, Central Carolinas
TE Robert Barnett, New River
RE Butch Hill, Central Carolinas
RE Ralph H. Jensen, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Karen Cummings, Pacific Northwest
RE John Ruble, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Aaron Beaty, Pacific Northwest
TE Sterling David Brown, Jr., Alleghenies
RE Rod Robinson, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Cliff S. Newbury, Central Carolinas
RE Kathy Todd, Pacific Northwest
TE Gerald Dodds, Alleghenies
TE Kevin Cauley, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Angelo Sun, Alleghenies
RE Roby Wallin, Central Carolinas
RE Warren Dumford, Central Carolinas
RE Karl Ohlandt, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Michael Wood, Central Carolinas
RE Ryan Hamrick, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Tom Pitman, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Joshua Hurd, Pacific Northwest
RE Steven Peterson, Pacific Northwest
RE Thomas E. Davis, Jr., Central Carolinas
RE Anne M. Turner, New River
RE David Clinton. Pacific Northwest
TE Phil Thrash, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE John Goin, New River
RE David Price, Central Carolinas
RE Hugh Laughner, Alleghenies
TE John T. Mabray, Gulf South
RE Lawrence D. Emerson, New River
RE Hans Coon, Pacific Northwest
RE Adair McKoy, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE David M. Lamb, Pacific Northwest
RE Glenn Leslie, Alleghenies
TE Douglas Kortyna, Pacific Northwest
TE Eric Bartel, Central Carolinas
RE Phil Brooks, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Grady Davidson, Southeast
TE Jonathan Wagner, Gulf South
RE John Freese, Pacific Northwest
RE Sherri Jones, Mid-Atlantic
RE Randy Swartz, New River
RE Scott Bush, Pacific Northwest
RE John Douglas Agnew, Central Carolinas
RE John Paul Harmon, Pacific Northwest
RE Michael Johnson, Pacific Northwest
RE Anthony Earl Current, Central Carolinas
RE Brad Tedrow, Pacific Northwest
RE Mitchell A. Greene, Central Carolinas
RE David Hartness, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Scott Bisson, Pacific Northwest
RE Bill Stewart, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Andy Koesters, New River
RE Debra Lynn Louk, Alleghenies
RE Clyde White, Gulf South
RE Kyle Bruyninckx, Gulf South
TE Donald Vandeborne
TE David Weber, New River
TE John Carpenter, Pacific Northwest
RE Gary Bramer, Pacific Northwest
RE Mark Jenkins, Central Carolinas
RE Cindy McCullough, Alleghenies
TE John B. Crimmins III, Gulf South
RE John Franklin, Central Carolinas
RE Gene King, Gulf South
TE Jeremy McNeill, West
RE Gerry Edwards, Central Carolinas
RE Scott Pettus, West
RE Larry Hopkins, New River
RE Clay Alexander, Gulf South
RE Donald Christie, West
RE Anne Hollinger, West
RE Rickie Fulcher, New River
RE Randy Pope, West
RE Bud Carrier, Central Carolinas
RE Marie E. Bryant, New River
RE Tim Wilkinson, West
RE Joan Van Brunt, New River
TE Hector Reynoso, Gulf South
TE Danny Redman, New River
RE Anita Hill, Central Carolinas
RE Jane Gambos, Alleghenies
RE Lemont Bryant, New River
RE Dave Daisey, New River
RE Terry McDaniel, New River
TE Jonathan Sharpe, West
RE Christopher J. Smith, New River
RE Brian Nash, New River
RE Andrew Shields, New River
RE Clay Atkins, New River
RE James Freese, Pacific Northwest
RE Wilson K. Gay, New River
TE Kevin Hartley, Central Carolinas
RE Bert Murphy, New River
RE Earl Weaver, New River
RE Jim Linstrum, Pacific Northwest
RE Tom Chaffin, New River
RE Frances Sparks, New River
TE Gary McGhee, New River
RE Harry Bailey, West
RE Randall Davy, New River
TE James Howe, Pacific Northwest
TE Paul Saleeby, Central Carolinas
RE Gary L. Wickham, Alleghenies
RE Carey M. Roberts, New River
RE John M. Perry, New River
RE Donna Q. Perry, New River
RE Michael Paris, Alleghenies
RE Hermann Ulrich, New River
TE George Paulson, New River
TE Sherwood Day, New River
RE Alexander F. Kummerow, Central Carolinas
TE Nick Welch, Pacific Northwest
TE Lawrence Jung, Pacific Northwest
TE Darwin Johnson, Coastal Carolinas
RE Peter Tidwell, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Michael King, Central Carolinas
RE Matt Franklin, Central Carolinas
RE John Parkinson, Alleghenies
RE William B. Andrews, Central Carolines
RE Dave Raymond, Gulf South
RE David Dinsmore, New River
RE Douglas Wright, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Steve Seward, Central Carolinas
TE Tim Carey, Central Carolinas
RE Sue McCandless, Pacific Northwest
RE David Young, New River
RE Robert Poole, Central Carolinas
RE Frank Merryman, Alleghenies
TE Brad Milks, New River
TE Tom Clymer, New River
TE Scott Matson, Pacific Northwest
TE David Milroy, Alleghenies
RE Charles E. Driscoll, M.D., New River
RE Matt Olson, East
RE Everett Purrington, Pacific Northwest
TE Chris Parnell, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Dustin Jernigan, Pacific Northwest
RE George Huber, Jr., Alleghenies
TE Bryan Rhodes, Gulf South
TE Richard Burnette, New River
RE Greg Rotzell, East
RE Everall Peele, New River
RE Dan Martell, Pacific Northwest
RE David Duval, Pacific Northwest
RE Larry Burton, East
TE Christopher Carpenter, Alleghenies
TE BJ Newman, Midwest
RE Jim Lester, Pacific Northwest
TE Nathan R. Moser, Pacific Northwest
RE Adam Collins, Central Carolinas
RE Christian Koethke, Pacific Northwest
RE Paul Denham, New River
RE Jerry Dunning, Central Carolinas
RE Clemen Viola, Gulf South
RE Gary Helm, New River
RE Jarrett Dodd, New River
RE Tom Bullock, Gulf South
RE Tony Anderson, Gulf South
TE Joseph Rearick, Alleghenies
TE Wayne Traylor, Central South
RE Collin Rose, Midwest
RE Mike McCandless, Pacific Northwest
TE Jason Scott Stelle, Midwest
RE Jess Holmes, West
RE Norbert McCaw, West
RE William Smith, Gulf South
TE Jason Steele, Midwest
RE Rod Pankey, Pacific Northwest
RE Frank Majer, Pacific Northwest
RE Joseph Humble, Gulf South
RE Russell Matney, New River
RE Alan Morrison, New River
TE Zeb Long, Coastal-Mid-Atlantic
RE Michael Ridenhour, New River
RE Ronald J. DeHaas, Midwest
TE Andrew Flowers, New River
RE Nick Waddell, New River
TE Terry Hagen
TE Steven Seng, Pacific Northwest
RE Banjamin Moomaw, New River
RE Guy Barr, Gulf South
RE Michael M. Volpe, Central Carolinas
TE Rhett Payne, Gulf South
RE Larkin Kennedy, Gulf South
RE Earl Collins, New River
RE Caroline Paris, New River
RE John Aldridge, Gulf South
TE Scott Cress, MIdwest
RE Michael Bost, New River
TE Robert Olszewski, Florida & Caribbean
TE Adam Snow, New River
RE Benjamin Kober, New River
RE Bruce Kavanaugh, New River
RE Clint Cline, Florida & Caribbean
RE Dale T. Phillips, New River
RE Robert Blevins, New River
RE James Fager, New River
TE Robert Smith. New River
RE William Rhodes, New River
TE Shawn Carafa, Alleghenies
RE Neil Lam, New River
RE Thomas Musselman, Jr., New River
RE Scott Dinkel, New River
RE Robert L. Smith, Jr., Gulf South
RE Grey Cobb, Gulf South
RE Michael Khuri, New River
RE William Robertson, New River
RE Steve Gladden, Mid-Atlantic
RE Robert Pearson, Central Carolinas
RE Paula K. Wilkerson, New River
RE Amaury Hernandez, New River
RE Don Hurray, Alleghenies
RE Christine Fairbanks, Pacific Northwest
RE Fred Schreffler, Florida & Caribbean
RE Kevin Faught, Pacific Northwest
RE Sarah Waddell, New River
TE Luther Tate, East
RE Janice Hawley, New River
RE Curtis Eshleman, New River
RE Wesley Lee, New River
RE Anne Wilkins, New River
RE Tim Stewart, New River
RE David Hoback, New River
TE Gregory Anthony, Gulf South
RE Kent Guelich, Pacific Northwest
RE Ken Fryar, Southeast
RE Robert Collis, New River
TE Percy Burns, Central Carolinas
RE Barry Ream, New River
RE Thomas Heffeman, New River
RE Susan Fryar, Southeast
RE Ronald Reyburn, New River
RE Robert Broyles, New River
RE Jeanne Crawford, Southeast
RE Rusty Russell, New River
TE Col. Marty Fields, New River
RE David Fairbanks, Pacific Northwest
RE Adam Birkett, New River
RE Sherrie Ford
TE Alan Conrow, Midwest
RE David Smith, New River
RE Samuel Burton, New River
RE Edward Bennett, New River
RE Dennis Darville, Southeast
RE Matt Merfeld, Pacific Northwest
RE Benjamin Hill, Gulf South
RE Charles Williams, Southeast
RE Toby S. Morgan, Southeast
RE David Fennell, Pacific Northwest
TE Bill Pardue, Southeast
RE Thomas Horn
RE Jim Brown, New River
RE Larry Phinney, New River
RE Daniel Talbot, New River
RE Robert Wallace, Central Carolinas
RE Chuck Reece, Gulf South
RE Peter E. Yeager, Pacific Northwest
TE Cameron Smith, New River
TE Ken Chivers, Southeast
RE Charlie Queen, New River
RE Jonathan Johnson, Southeast
TE Jonathan Schwartz, Southeast
TE Horace Flowers, New River
RE William Snow, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Daniel H. Patterson, Southeast
RE Jeffrey Holt, New River
TE Tyson Taylor, Gulf South
TE Jim Blaha, Gulf South
RE Lawrence Roberts, New River
RE Mark Stucky, Gulf South
RE Mark Gates, Pacific Northwest
RE Edward Brewster, Southeast
RE Doug Hanson, Pacific Northwest
TE Don Hardman, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Gary Smith, Gulf South
RE Bill Draper, New River
RE David Sosin, New River
RE John Esterhai, East
RE James C. Collins, Gulf South
RE Steve Mathis, Gulf South
RE Timothy J. Mickel, Gulf South
RE Wally Klee, Florida & Caribbean
RE Mike Henderson, New River
RE Andrew L. Martin, Southeast
RE Jeff Arnold, Florida & Caribbean
TE Robert M. Howard, Central Carolinas
TE Charles Caldwell, New River
RE Basil Smith, Gulf South
RE Phillip Prior, Florida & Caribbean
RE Ann Greer, New River
RE Kerry Beard, Florida & Caribbean
TE Tom Musselman
RE Linda H. Helms, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
TE Scott Lawry, Southeast
RE Donald-Williams Dawes, East
RE Robert Barron, Alleghenies
RE Kim Gravely, New River
RE Gregg Coniglio, Southeast
TE John Cleveland, Southeast
RE Stephen Norton, Southeast
RE Gavin Clark, Gulf South
RE Connie Badgley, Pacific Southwest
RE Patrick Pendleton, Alleghenies
RE Bob Clawson, Central Carolinas
TE Richard Ehresman, New River
TE Scott Jackson, Southeast
RE Pamela Van Tassel, Central Carolinas
RE Robert Bird, Southeast
TE Mark Groen, Rivers & Lakes
RE Austin Lance, Southeast
RE Constance Brady, Coastal Mid-Atlantic
RE Kenneth Trivette, New River
RE Greg Molen, Gulf South
RE Mark Barnthouse, Gulf South
RE Sheri Daisey, New River
RE Henry Messenger, New River
RE Ronnie Webb, New River
RE Mark Cannaday, New River
RE Jack Milliron, New River
RE Anne Jamison, New River
RE Dorothy Webb, New River
RE Ed Greer, New River
RE Byron Hicks, New River
RE Rodney Gilliam, Central Carolinas
RE Jager Smith, Gulf South
RE Carol Jessup, New River
RE Tony Pemerton, Southeast
RE Homer Brannan, Southeast
RE Dan Barry, Central Carolinas
RE Massie Ware, New River
TE Ed Bowman, Midwest
RE Scott Layne, Gulf South
RE John Stoke, New River
RE Kristi Tuor, Pacfific Northwest
TE William Reisenweaver, Florida & Caribbean