Guest Post By Melanie Allman Muzio: A Cinnamon Roll By Any Other Name

I LOVE cinnamon rolls.  Without a shadow of a doubt there will be a Cinnabon franchise right at the entrance of the pearly gates that lists the words “All you can eat” and “calorie and fat free” on the sign.  It will be the second indication (gates of pearl being the first) that I am indeed in the right place!  I have tried “Cindy’s Cinnamon Rolls” in malls, I have had cinnamon rolls and buns in various bakeries all over the country but none compare to the Cinnabon!  Just because something has the same name does not mean it is the same.  That holds true for my chosen denomination.  I was not born a Presbyterian.  I became one through my defiant discovery and study of the Scriptures.  A decade or so before my own spiritual wrestling match there was an even greater and more monumental struggle when the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) broke away from the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church in the United States of America).  Make no mistake...they may both have the word “Presbyterian” in their name but that is about where the similarities end.

Without getting too bogged down in history the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was formed as they broke away from the Presbyterian church in the United States of America (PCUSA) in 1973 in response to major theological differences such as the authority of Scripture, Inerrancy of Scripture and the deity of Christ.  The term “presbyterian” is in reference to our form of church government ruled with elders and deacons.  Churches in a certain region are divided into “presbyteries” which deal with matters on a local level and then those presbyteries are represented on a national level at our annual General Assembly.  That may be where the commonality ends with these two denominations.  Over the decades the differences have grown as the PCUSA has ordained women elders and pastors, denied miracles, allowed for abortion in some cases and allowed divorce for irreconcilable differences (the PCA believes that ALL life at ALL times must be preserved and divorce is only acceptable (biblical) in case of abandonment and adultery).  The PCUSA’s recent General Assembly approved the ordination of homosexual elders and pastors and will perform wedding ceremonies for same sex partners.  They also made an anti-Semitic statement removing support of any company that did business with Israel.  When a denomination denies the truth of Scripture the slippery slope of liberalism becomes steep and treacherous.

My husband is the pastor of a PCA church and in certain areas of the country we must preface introductions with explanations of what “brand” of Presbyterian with which we are affiliated.  Depending on the audience it is either, “we are the more conservative denomination” or “we believe the Bible to be the inerrant, infallible, only authoritative rule of faith and practice.”  It is easy to be misunderstood and misdefined by masses outside of the knowledge of our history.  Perhaps we should have changed our name from the beginning so as to totally separate ourselves from the PCUSA or maybe our church fathers understood that our job here on this planet is to reach the lost and brands and names are only distractions.  If the PCUSA’s denial of Scripture affords me the opportunity to, in contrast, shout from the rooftop that God’s Word is as true and relevant as the day it was written then allow me to continue to contrast the differences! 

Just because I see something that is called a cinnamon roll and looks like a cinnamon roll or even smells like a cinnamon roll it doesn’t mean it is the REAL DEAL.  When you hear that the Presbyterian Church now believes...perhaps you need to understand which Presbyterian Church that would be.  We may bear the same name but we are most assuredly are not.

If you wish for more easy to read explanations of these two denominations please read this article published by the Gospel Coalition.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-the-pca-and-pcusa