Christian Seminary Associated With PCUSA Praises, Awards Planned Parenthood CEO & Board Member
- Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:31pm by
Billy Hallowell
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The Presbyterian Church (USA) is no stranger to controversy. The denomination, which is consistently accused of having a liberal streak, is comprised of 2.3 million American Christians. Earlier this year, the denomination caught fire for a document that some members had proposed calling for condemnation of Israel’s “apartheid against the Palestinian people.” Now, conservative activists are appalled over awards that Auburn Seminary, a New York City-based seminary associated with the denomination, gave to Planned Parenthood staffers.
Now, it‘s important to note that these employees aren’t just random individuals working in the lower rungs of the controversial organization’s structure. They are higher-ups who have the very literal power to dictate Planned Parenthood’s services and direction.
Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards (AP)
Auburn Seminary honored Cecile Richards, CEO of Planned Parenthood and Cecilia Guthrie Boone, chair of the board of Planned Parenthood at its annual benefit breakfast. The two women were given the “Lives of Commitment” award. The event, according to the school’s web site, is devoted to “honoring women who bridge religious divides, build community, and pursue justice.”
Considering Planned Parenthood’s activities and services, Live Action News’ Joy Miladin reacted strongly to the choice of award recipients:
Planned Parenthood’s actions in the political realm lately have hardly been amiable towards religious institutions or promoted solidarity among families. And I won’t even get started on the heinous, twisted idea than an abortion industry is promoting “justice” through the murder of innocent children. Rather, Planned Parenthood advocates the violation of Americans’ religious liberties, attacks women’s health organizations, and continues to denounce as “anti-choice” ordinances legislation increasing safety regulations on abortion. [...]
The presentation of this Christian award to Planned Parenthood officials is nauseating. Scripture undeniably refers to the unborn as human beings, formed in the womb and covered with the fingerprints of the Almighty.
Psalms 139: 13, 15-16 says, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.”
Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards (AP)
But while the pro-life group has harsh words for the award recipients, Auburn seems fully aware of the reproductive positions these individuals have taken. In fact, Richard and Boone seem to gain praise as a result of their stances — or at least connection — to progressivism and abortion. Take, for instance, these biographical elements from the Auburn site:
The daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards, Ms. Richards was raised in a family committed to social justice and public service. She worked side by side with her mother on her very first campaign — the election to the state legislature of Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who successfully argued the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide. [...]
Ms. Boone is the past chair of the Dallas Women’s Foundation (where she led a successful $30 million campaign), Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, Planned Parenthood of North Texas Action Fund, and Annie’s List, a PAC that recruits, trains, and funds progressive women candidates running for statewide office in Texas.
In a recap video of the event posted by the seminary, The Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, president of Auburn, touted the school’s efforts to create a “progressive religious movement.”
Watch the recap, below:
The issue here truly comes down to political perspective. While conservative Christians view Planned Parenthood as an organization that violates liberal truths, progressive believers see the organization as a beacon helping the underprivileged.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section, below.
Editor’s Note: It is important to note the difference between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbyterian Church in America. The former is the larger, more liberal of the two, with 2.3 million members and 11,000 congregations. PC(USA) has taken other leftist positions on issues such as gay marriage) The latter is much smaller, but is regarded as the more conservative denomination. As of 2000, it had 1,450 congregations and more than 306,000 members. There are also other denominations within the larger Presbyterian Church.
(H/T: Live Action News)
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Comments (61)
Goldenyears22
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:58amThere are some Presbyterian churches that have maintained the Bible and the beliefs of the Bible, but mostly they have gone very liberal and I wonder why people go as they are not fed the Word of God. When churches cease to preach the Gospel of Jesus, they will fade away and eventually be nothing. There was a time when the were a strong missionary church. One cannot trade what the world thinks with the Bible and have any credibillity..
Report Post »OneTermPresident
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:09pmExcellent comment.. couldn’t agree more.
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:44pmI listened to the whole clip and not once did any of these “leaders” mention Jesus Christ, let alone acknowledge His lordship. That alone is disturbing, but even more so is the apparent embracing of “progressive” ideas. To me to incorporate godless ideology into the ‘church’ so-called and to teach it in a seminary (some call them cemetaries..) is the willful intention to subvert the teachings of Christ and of the hearts of those seeking the christian ministry.It should be called for what it is: blasphemy and idolatry. Ah yes! the good ol’ mystery of iniquity at work and in plain sight too.
Report Post »I have many many ancestors who were presbyterian clergy, two of which were chaplains in the Revolutionary army. They would turn over in their graves if they were to hear and see how far the Presbyterians have fallen. Another of my ancestors got in very hot water in the late 1850′s when he taught that the indians (native americans to some) and blacks should be treated the same as whites because God saw no difference in them. He was rewarded for his boldness…he left Oklahoma territory shortly thereafter and returned to New Jersey. I want to shake his hand when we ‘all get to heaven’ as the song goes.
I am certain there are good God fearing people left in the Presbyterian churches of this country, but they need to carefully discern what their leaders are teaching and saying and RUN if it is the garbage that was spewed at this pathetic self agrandizing assembly.
drkmagneto
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:04pmBeing a member of the Presbyterian Church USA, I personally have not seen this “Liberal streak” at my church, but if I do, I won’t be there for very long.
Report Post »HeavyMetalDaze
Posted on May 13, 2012 at 12:53pmThe bible doesn’t have any credibility. It sure isn’t the word of god. God would never for instance demand people kill a woman because she had sex before she was married like it says in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. God would never say it’s alright for armies to rape women when they conquer a city or to kill all the women and children like the bible does when the Hebrews storm Jericho.
Report Post »HokieAirman
Posted on May 16, 2012 at 12:51pmThere are many relatively conservative PCUSA congregations, whose members are active in Pro-life and conservative Christian causes; however, the General Assembly (National Convention and ruling body…kind of like our Congress) has passed numerous liberal agendas and supported causes like the one in the article. Many members of the PCUSA, like DRKMAGNETO think that because their local congregation is fine, everything must be fine, but the fact is that if you tithe, your money is going to support liberal causes, corrupting to the gospel. This is why many people leave the PCUSA and it’s shrinking. There are many congregations that would like to leave the PCUSA, but because of the way the congregation is set up, if a congregation switches to another Denomination, they will lose the building they meet in, since it’s technically owned by the PCUSA, not the local congregation. Other denominations (OPC, PCA) that have split from the PCUSA in the past, do not do this.
Report Post »SouthernPresbyterian
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:29pmThere are MUCH more conservative Presbyterian denominations. http://www.rpcga dot US, for instance. We don’t even incorporate. Remember that the only Pastor to sign the constitution was a Presbyterian. The true Presbyterians don’t stand for this.
Report Post »Cymry
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:43pmIs there a schism in pcusa and if not how can you be a member of a church that is divesting itself from Israel? (I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you.)
ICanComment
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 3:13pm@CYMRY
I’m not sure you understood the comment. PCUSA is just one of many denominations that calls itself Presbyterian. It is definitely not an all inclusive group of all American Presbyterian denominations. PCUSA just happens to be (probably?) the most liberal. PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) is much more conservative (Biblical, that is – I won’t sugar coat it), and OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian) is still more conservative. My point is that “Presbyterian” can now mean pretty much anything, as can any denomination, really. Denominations are meaning less and less these days. For instance, I used to be a member of a PCA church. (Actually, several over the years) They are largely Bible believing, devout Christians, as far as I can discern. However, we recently uncovered serious corruption in the leadership of our local PCA church. I won’t tell you which one, but it was so subtle that most of the congregants still have no idea. You can’t take anything for granted anymore. You have to be discerning as a Christian and appeal to God for wisdom. Let’s not kid ourselves: -there are serious problems beneath the facade of the American Church – even in the churches we think are among the best. No church is immune from spiritual attack. We have to stop compromising and stop being complacent. Unless we continually appeal to God Himself for unwavering steadfastness, we are in serious trouble as a nation.
Report Post »SouthernPresbyterian
Posted on May 25, 2012 at 12:27pmThe Children of God in Christ ARE ISRAEL. The Church is ISRAEL!
Report Post »DiamondDog
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:19pmThe PCA church has been losing members for years. They should change their name to the Politically Correct Church USA. They give all of the other Prebyterians a bad name.
Report Post »DiamondDog
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:22pmThat should have been the PCUSA Church.
Report Post »SouthernPresbyterian
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:29pmAgree.
Report Post »mydh12
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:56pmAnd the ELCA Lutherans and many of the United Methodist churches in the northern USA are similarly unbiblical. Sad. They want the praise of men more than the praise of God. And they want to be able to define God in their own terms, ie. they want to be their own god (the original sin).
Report Post »Cymry
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:18pmok, here’s my presbyterian joke.
the presbyterians have hope because it says in the bible that the dead in Christ shall rise first.
ICanComment
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 3:15pmYou can’t just lump all Presbyterians into one basket. Not all denominations are the same. Far from it.
Report Post »Cymry
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:16pmWoodrow Wilson was a Presbyterian. I so quit the (P)olitically (C)orrect USA church a long time ago when they first mentioned divestment in Israel. You can never be too dumb to find Jesus but you can be too smart.
Report Post »TheCoffinMaker
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:43pmShe won the award for reaching more than her share of the quota.
They’re addicted to killing in a way similar to those who desire elephant tusks.
Or those who mount antlers on their wall.
Just trophy collectors.
Report Post »gbfreak
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:41pmsatanic cult….hijacked by the commie farkers!
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:20pmRev 3 15-16
Report Post »‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
These are not christians they are pretenders. They go for the social aspect but have no love for GOD.
dealer@678
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:09pmIn the last days people will declare right is wrong and wrong is right. Dont fall for it folks
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:32pmLet my Glenn Beck go…
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:01pmwe ‘love’ Planned Parenthood, sarcastistically; they are murdering all of their unborn for their latest god, obama, and America does not have to fire a shot……. another generation of this massive democrat genocide and America will be cleansed, there will be only good decent clean America Christian and pro-Israel children entering kindergarden. Nope, Pro-America does not have to fire a shot, obama is actively killing all of his followers’ children.
Report Post »321481
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:59pmChristian means “Christ Like”, PCUSA, either change your name or change your ways!
Report Post »CafeConservative
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:28pmHow many Christians will face God on judgment day and be forced to admit that given the opportunity to defend God’s Word against the likes of the non-Christian PCUSA they chose to say “who was I to judge, Father?”
His response will be simply, “You were given the mind of Christ” and “‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” 1 Corinthians 2 and Matthew 7.
Report Post »poetopoet
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 8:12amThey cannot even pass a mirror test, they see no evil.
Report Post »Porchview
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:56pmSadly, we belonged to PCUSA for many years until Glenn Beck told his viewers to look into their churchs for social justice, eco justice, racial justice, etc.; signs that they had been infiltrated by the Progressives. Much to our surprise, we found that our church believed in everything this administration was advocating – the opposite of our beliefs. Too many people don’t know that the church does not represent them any longer but have become a political entity. We have left our church.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:52pmHas anyone yet formed… a Christian WarLock sect… for the “fluking” of Liberal Christian Women?
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:49pmThese people may call themselves CHRISTIANS but they’re not—-GOD knows! Go ahead and continue to fool yourselves!
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:26pmMany will say Lord Lord did’nt do many things in your name and He( Jesus) will say I never knew you. First who do we say Jesus is? This is the question he put to his followers, if you say he is God then you will obey his word but if you do not believe he is God you will not. Many claim to be but few are.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:41pmMany of them do not and never will have understanding of the Truth. They have been turned over to reprobate minds. They never ask for forgiveness or for the Spirit of Christ into their hearts. They are hell bound and the Truth rolls off their backs like water on a duck.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:38pmSuffer little children to come unto to me for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Anyone who offends one of these little ones it is worse than if a mill stone is tied to his neck and he is cast into the sea. The Bible speaks of this. These are the words or close to what is said without me looking this up for exactness.
Christ does not kill babies. These are not followers of Christ. They can claim all they want to that they are Christians and deceive themselves and others, but they are murderers and hedonists who are murdering babies to satisfy the lusts of their flesh. Even animals try to protect themselves when they are pregnant.
Report Post »VoteRightDammit
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:38pmOh, come on.
The Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in America are toast. Gay activists took over TEC 5 years ago (starting at the top, where rank and file parishioners are blind). It was a 35 year assault. All but one Seminary went gay (i.e., non-christian) a decade ago.
Gays did the same to the Presbyterian church several years ago. The fact their seminaries are teaching non-christianity is HARDLY a shock ……
Virginia Rebel
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:21pmThousands of members and whole churches are leaving PCUSA in droves. Give it another year and it will be a fraction of what it is today, which is already a fraction of what it was 30 years ago. PCUSA is a travesty. I am one who has left, and I know that things will get even worse. Trust me. PCUSA is dying, and it should.
Temporal
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:13pmMany seminaries fell victims to the 60′s liberalism. (You see their graduates dressed in clerical garb on the History Channel disavowing traditional Christian teachings.)
Thanks to these apostate institutions, most “mainline” denominations are today little more than social clubs with a religious veneer.
Fortunately there’s a few seminaries that remain true to Biblical teachings. Here’s an example of just one:
http://www.dts.edu/about/doctrinalstatement/
Report Post »65Mustang
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:59pmThe Presbyterian Church is apparently a religion in name only as it doesn’t resemble anything connected to the Word of God.
ReallyAUnionGuy
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:11pmWhat we need to do is recognize what is a Christian? Just because they say they are does not mean its true……the answer is in your Bible, think on it, pray on it, the truth will find you.
http://www.firefightersforfreedom.blogspot.com
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:57pmThe Presbyt. Church can do whatever they want. I will never be a member; and I suspect many members will be leaving soon as this wonderful friendship of libs and seminary honchos becomes common knowledge. And Planned Parenthood? Well, Satan is alive and well, isn’t he?
Report Post »DR4SOUL
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:56pmSad to see how far the PCUSA has descended into the depths of political correctness. This action by the Auburn Seminary by Biblical standards is unjustifiable. Anyone who bothers to honestly research the history of Planned Parenthood, the beliefs and philosophy of Margaret Sanger, the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood and their current deceptive, deceiving method of operation would be hard pressed to explain how they are deserving of such an award. This is a classic illustration of the liberal, secular humanistic theological drift in the Presbyterian Church USA.
Report Post »Too bad they never listened to Dr. D. James Kennedy, who so eloquently articulated Biblcal and theological truth during his lifetime.
mils
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:55pmIf the congregation of the “The Presbyterian Church USA)” want to support this..fine..
Report Post »IF Not..they will show their displeasure and leave or withhold donations and support.
I would worry more about Georgetown and it’s spitting in the eye of the entire catholic church than this..
SheriS
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:46pmAs a member of a PCA church, this article is not what I expected to see coming from the General Assembly since “gays” has been the big controversy for years. They ended last year when the changes were made and many members left the church. It will be intersting to see where this goes!
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