Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea
The AS secondary intent was holiness ... although the official rhetoric coming out of HQ was that the 1992 conference was mainly about it ...
Urshan's letter gave that impression to most of us not in the loop ... My dad died thinking that the AS and the 1992 conference was about TV and standards ...
anyone who was there and even prior to ... in the private GB meetings attests to the fact that main issue was the New Birth ...
Our Elders know this Josh ... men like Elder Strange and others can testify to this ...
No one can't deny standards did not play a role but it was not the thrust.
I think our Elders did not get into the matter w/ us as not to confuse us with the complexities and shades that exist in describing the PCI and PAJC positions ... so they told us it was a 'black and white" issue ... keeping our heritage ... standards ... holiness ... etc.
And yes ... the PCI was dying a slow death ... and perhaps not viewed as a major threat ... but the AS was framed to provide the final blow. Sign or leave.
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You know, Dan, I have no facts to refute what you say here. Like I said, I wasn't privy to the inner workings...although I could very easily have found out.
I just know what the worries of Bro Westberg were. I felt, and still feel, that his angst wasn't over the PCI.
In the aftermath his focus wasn't on the PCI men who stepped out over the Affirmation statement either. It was over those who signed and kept on doing the things he felt was bringing the UPC down.
My dad has been preaching and pastoring 58 years. He is still UPC. My grandfather and Bro S. L. Wise drove to the merger meetings together. I know my Bible Belt UPC history....but I can't speak for other areas of the country. My dad knew all the PCI men of Mississippi and surrounding areas. One of his closest friends taught at PBI in Tupelo, home of many PCI men.
The PCI influence was a worry in their minds many decades ago. However, I can tell you I grew up never hearing one thing or one worry about the PCI. The men my dad fellowshiped (same as Bro Westberg) considered that battle won long ago.
Their main concerns over new birth softness stemmed from the "tearing down" of walls between the UPC and other "Pentecostals" or "charismatics".
Again, I speak mainly from the circle where Bro Westberg was operating and collecting his thoughts and worries. And...I speak mainly from my opinion. Since the PCI wasn't on our radar at that time I didn't ask him specifically whether that was on his mind. It just wasn't ever discussed.
Anyway...I didn't mean to cast aspersions on Sam. I just wanted to clarify where I thought he was wrong.
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