Diet of Worms

Well, I made it to Birmingham, which is about as hot as Lake Jackson, but without the bugs, so far at least. Toby, our dachshund (sort of) really didn't want me to leave. He rather fancied getting in my suitcase as I was packing last night, but I'm not sure I could have coped with our ultra-protective attack dog at General Assembly. Every time someone visits our home (even when it's someone he knows) he goes into kill mode. On second thoughts, maybe I should have brought him...
However, I'm not sure that we really need him. We have a rottweiler of our own. Rob Gagnon is the most self-effacing of men, but underneath that calm exterior is a terrier with a bone. I've ploughed my way through his excellent book on homosexuality and the Bible and have enjoyed reading his comments on Presbyweb. Rob is a professor at Pittsburgh Seminary. He is also, amazingly, a commissioner. (Yes, there must be a God). His is the definitive defense of orthodox belief and practice in matters of sexual ethics. I'm glad he's here. Just as an aside, I learned that the denominational publishing house (PPC) wasn't terribly interested in publishing his book. So he sent it to Abingdon instead, where it's doing very well, thank you. But a couple of months ago, PPC published a book by former moderator Jack Rodgers, which is in favor of removing ordination standards. It has been very heavily publicised in the denomination as the book that will "explode he myths and heal the church. " It's funny how healing the church requires the complete capitulation of those who hold traditional beliefs, but that's another story. Incidentally, every commissioner was sent a free copy of this book by some well-meaning church, in California, if I remember correctly.
Over the last few weeks, somehow, Rob Gagnon has found time to write a lengthy review of Jack Rodgers' book. Read it, and you'll know why I think he is a rottweiler. He just doesn't let go. By the time he's finished, Rodgers' scholarship is thoroughly discredited. I just hope he hasn't gone too far. There are those (including some commissioners, I imagine) who vote on the basis of whether a person is being "nice" or not. In this last debate, Rob has taken the gloves off (to mix metaphors). He may get a backlash from those who think that Christians must always be nice to one another. The trouble is, that it's hard to be nice when you are defending something so dear to your heart.
On a different matter, Stuart, our associate pastor in Lake Jackson, surprised me in worship on Sunday with a book of good wishes from folks in the congregation. I've brought many of them with me (but not the book, which was as heavy as a brick). I'm charmed and humbled by the thoughts expressed, and I'm honored beyond words to be the recipient of so much trust. Some of the letters came from children, and a good number of them included candy (that's why the book was so heavy). One comment has to be made public. "Good luck. Be safe. Eat responsibly." It had a Tootsie Roll attached.
"Eat responsibly." Is that the advice Luther received as he set out for the Diet of Worms? Presbuteros