Quote:
Originally Posted by Truthseeker
It's not so much a personal gripe with him. We met at church for morning prayer today. It's mainly the thought of our church in upc but doesn't follow the aof but signs an afs saying they will. I've been wondering how that works, brought it up here for input because I could be looking at it wrong.
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Here is how it works: I held a license with the UPCI when the affirmation statement was first imposed upon the ministry. Once the news of it began to spread amongst the rank and file, many good men began making plans to exodus the organization. As I recall, in order to quell the dissention in the ranks, headquarters mailed out a letter from Bro. Urshan giving “the consummate interpretation and explanation” of the affirmation statement. In the following excerpts you can see how many ministers, including myself, could sign the AF knowing they didn’t fully indorse every jot and tittle of the AF.
“The resolution does not give any added powers to officials. If a minister believes our message, all he must do is sign the annual statement. If he does, no official can take any action against him, except under the provisions of our Constitution and Judicial Procedure that already exist. There is no provision for contesting a signed statement.
The resolution does not allow officials to impose private interpretations of holiness standards.
The only person who interprets the statement is the minister himself. If he honestly embraces
the principles described in the two sections of the Articles of Faith,
then he can and should sign the statement. No one can challenge his signature on the basis of personal interpretations and applications.
Some people have argued that the resolution will impose controversial views on subjects such as long sleeves, wedding rings, hair arrangement, church softball games, facial hair, skating rinks, and so on. Neither the resolution nor the statement, nor the Articles of Faith mention these subjects. The Articles of Faith mention matters such as immodest dress, worldly sports, and unwholesome music, but
the specific definition and application of these principles have always been left to the individual pastor and saint.
Moreover, the methods by which a pastor seeks to convert and disciple people who attend his church is in his discretion. Nothing in the resolution changes these prerogatives.