Removing and premillennial from the C&MA USA Statement of Faith, Article 11

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1 Removing and premillennial from the C&MA USA Statement of Faith, Article 11 In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas* Changing or modifying doctrine is a weighty matter and we propose such with humility, charity, and respect for the deliberative process required. With patience, we ask that the Alliance Northwest approve at its April 2018 official gathering [following a year of study, discussion, and debate] a resolution to forward to the Board of Directors of the C&MA for their thoughtful and prayerful consideration, as follows: We propose that the C&MA-USA modify, at an upcoming General Council, our 11th Article of Faith by deleting the phrase, and premillennial, in a manner similar to what the C&MA Canada did in Current reading of USA Statement of the C&MA: #11: The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. Proposed new reading: [Remove and premillennial ]: #11: The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible. This is the believer s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. Canadian Statement, for comparison: [Note the expanded ending, adopted 2000] #11: The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible. As the believer s blessed hope, this vital truth is an incentive for holy living and sacrificial service toward the completion of Christ's commission.

2 WHY THE CHANGE? Reason #1: BIG PICTURE: THE C&MA IS ABOUT [1] CHRIST-LIKE LIVING AND [2] WORLDWIDE EVANGELISM: These are the resounding themes of Simpson and the C&MA: the sanctified life and a passion to reach the lost here and abroad. These emphases propelled Simpson s two original founding (broadly evangelical) organizations (The Christian Alliance, The Evangelical Missionary Alliance) into the united C&MA of today. Charity in how we view the details of our hope in His return would not diminish these overriding commitments. Is there evidence locally or globally that absence or removal of the premillennial distinctive lessens commitment to these big themes by the C&MA or any other group? Reason #2: BIG TENT AND GRACIOUS CHARITY: The C&MA was founded [attracting membership from various churches] and has existed as a big tent denomination within the evangelical tradition of Christianity. Inclusion of premillennial conveys to many an unnecessary restriction within Christianity that is at odds with our inclusionary philosophy and heritage. Though A.B. Simpson taught the premillennial view (as it was popular at the time) it is uncertain whether he would have included it as a doctrinal statement of orthodoxy today. He sought a more inclusive evangelical membership. Reason #3: TO DIE FOR: THE ESSENTIALS: A doctrinal statement should include those timeless and absolutely essential doctrines that believers would die for as necessary to their faith. Are we prepared to say this about the premillennial distinctive? Reason #4: TIMELESS DOCTRINES: Although we appreciate that historic premillennialism has a church heritage going back to the days of Irenaeus and Justin, and has had an enthusiastic following at times, it is nonetheless a doctrine that does not appear to have continuous and

3 universal enthusiasm throughout the centuries of church history as have other key doctrines. We are uncertain and doubtful if new evangelical organizations are including the premillennial distinctive as part of their doctrinal package. There seems to be a narrow historical window when the premillennial distinctive was codified into doctrinal statements. Reason #5: THE DOCTRINE OF PREMILLENNIALISM WILL STILL BE TAUGHT: This proposed change does not discourage or prohibit teaching of any of the various expressions of premillennialism (historic, dispensational) in the C&MA. Pastors are still encouraged to preach and teach premillennialism according to their own understanding and interpretation of scripture if they desire. This is also not an endorsement of other expressions of millennial thought. Reason #6: NO OTHER CHANGES ARE PROPOSED TO OUR STATEMENT OR POLITY: This proposed change does not affect any of the other ten articles of faith which would stay the same, as would most of the 11th article [which would retain it s clear and robust second-coming distinctive]. Our desire is that consideration and discussion focus solely on Article 11. The proposed change does not remove the unambiguous language affirming the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ which shall and must remain a central tenant of Alliance teaching. No other change of church doctrine or polity is proposed. Reason #7: THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL BUT ARE WE EXCLUDING QUALIFIED WORKERS? There are sincere, evangelical, and mission-minded believers who have considered membership, ministry, service, or academic participation within the C&MA who have found the premillennial position incompatible with their own understanding of scripture but still embrace our main objectives. Our view is we would benefit from their service and should welcome them. We wish to remove a barrier to fellowship and participation.

4 Reason #8: UNITY WITH OUR CANADIAN BRETHREN: This proposed change promotes unity with our Canadian brethren (who serve hand-in-hand with us overseas) who do not include the and premillennial phrase without any discernible detriment to their primary mission of preaching the gospel, planting churches, discipling believers, and advancing the worldwide work of Jesus. There is no evidence from the Canadian C&MA experience (without a premillennialism emphasis, since it modified Article 11 in 2000) that any compromise of biblical orthodoxy or loss of evangelical and missionary zeal follows a change. Reason #9: RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA IS POSSIBLE: Proposed change would make it possible for Canadian workers (pastors, professors, missionaries, etc.) who embrace the Canadian statement (but do not support the premillennial distinctive) to serve with a clear conscience in the USA. Licensing and ordination could be problematic today for capable Canadian workers wishing to come to the USA who do not adhere to the premillennial view. Do we prefer this barrier and limitation? What if a church in Oregon wishes to call and hire a pastor from British Columbia or Manitoba who completely supports all of the Canadian statement, but in good conscience cannot support the and premillennial phrase required by the USA statement? Should that local church be denied that pastor? Reason #10: WE SHARE THE CANADIAN C&MA S RATIONALE FOR CHANGE: Quote: Our Statement of Faith was produced in a particular era of evangelicalism in which a premillennial position on eschatology became nearly synonymous with the evangelical cause. In a post-fundamentalist era the zeal to defend premillennialism as a core value of the evangelical faith seems to have subsided. There appear to be some indications this may be the time to allow for room within the denomination for those who simply interpret this hope to be limited to the fact that Christ will return and that alone is a sufficient incentive for holy living and faithful service [Minutes, 2000 Biennial Assembly, Canadian C&MA, page 101] We agree.

5 Reason #11: LACK OF BIBLICAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE C&MA: On the home page of the C&MA (CMAlliance.org) one can find a link to our statement of faith with ample biblical support for most of our beliefs. However, there is no biblical documentation for the premillennial emphasis, limited only to Luke 21:27 which doesn t do much to establish this distinctive (oddly, no reference is included to Revelation 20). See In a similar way, the official We Believe: The C&MA Statement of Faith brochure, distributed by the C&MA for local church use, lacks biblical support for the premillennial position and includes only these references: Hebrews 10:37; Luke 21:2; Titus 2: Again, lacking Revelation 20 or other premillennial support. Reason #12: DENOMINATIONAL INTEGRITY AND DISCIPLINE: If an Alliance worker deviated from other key doctrines of the C&MA (say, the Trinity, belief in the inspiration of scripture, the personhood of the Holy Spirit, or general belief in the Second Coming) he could be corrected or even disciplined by the C&MA. But are we prepared to discipline a pastor/professor/missionary who is unwilling to support the and premillennial" phrase in Article 11? Reason #13: LACK OF UNITY AMONG ADHERENTS OF PREMILLENNIALISM. Within the C&MA itself there is significant lack of agreement which version of premillennialism should be taught, whether historical premillennialism [George Eldon Ladd] or the dispensational view [Dwight Pentecost]. Reason #14: LACK OF EMPHASIS TODAY IN THE C&MA: Although the doctrine of Christ s return is taught in C&MA churches it appears unlikely that the premillennialism view receives the same emphasis. When

6 is the last time we heard premillennialism taught at a district or national conference? How often do we see A-Life or Alliance Video messages about it? Yes, we affirm and are confident in His glorious return. We wait, expect, and hasten its day (Matthew 24:14; 2 Peter 3:12). It is our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and it impacts our lives (Titus 2:11ff). We proclaim that. But premillennial? In a practical sense the C&MA USA has already abandoned the premillennial view and it is difficult to see any movement to change that. The Canadian statement is likely more descriptive of the USA church than our statement in this regard. Reason #15: ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT THE OTHER 10 ARTICLES? If we concede that there are pastors, missionaries, and professors who do not believe or teach the premillennial position, and do so without consequence or discipline, how can we enforce adherence to the other doctrines? Might a pastor argue, I know that Rev. So-and-So at First Alliance Church is an amillennialist, but not disciplined or corrected. How can you discipline me then for questioning the trinity, inerrancy, or biblical marriage? Can we argue that the premillennial position is as important as inerrancy or the Trinity? Reason #16: GRACE: HONORING THE CONSCIENCES OF OUR COLLEAGUES: For those pastors, seminary and college teachers, leaders in the C&MA who have doubts about the premillennial doctrine, having to annually sign a doctrinal statement [where required] affirming the doctrine may be a challenging matter. Some of these men and women believed the doctrine when they first entered the C&MA but have altered their views. Making the proposed modification would be an act of grace and generosity to those brothers and sisters in C&MA ministry with no demonstrable corresponding harm done to those who still wish to teach the doctrine. We know godly colleagues who would admit this struggle. * "unity in necessary things; liberty in doubtful things; charity in all things Recommended Reading:

7 Living in the Shadow of the Second Coming (Timothy P. Weber) The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (Robert G. Clouse with George Eldon Ladd, Herman A. Hoyt, Loraine, Boettner, Anthony A. Hoekema) Christ s Coming and His Kingdom (Keith M. Bailey) The Millennial Maze: Sorting Out Evangelical Options (Stanley Genz) Things to Come (Dwight Pentecost) Commentary on Revelation (George E. Ladd) Thanks to the following for their support, encouragement, and editorial help: Rev. Monty Wright, Rev. Dennis Pust, Dr. Bernie Van De Walle, Rev. Terry Gugger, Rev. Phil Nelson, Rev. Charles Gibson, Rev. Bryan Halferty Rev. Jon R. Mutchler BALLOT QUESTION & RESOLUTION Shall the C&MA remove the two words, and premillennial from Article 11 of our Statement of Faith? For April 2018 Field Forum (District Conference), Portland, OR The Alliance Northwest District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance is being asked by some of its ordained and licensed members to adopt a resolution of support to be forwarded to the National Board of Directors of the Christian and Missionary Alliance for consideration at a future General Council. The resolution, which would modify Article 11 of the Statement of Faith, would read as follows: Shall the C&MA (USA) remove the words and premillennial from the 11th Article of Faith as the Canadian C&MA has similarly done. Thus, the current reading: #11: The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.

8 Would become #11: The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible. This is the believer s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. No other change is proposed. My vote is: YES: I support the resolution NO: I do not support the resolution NAME: CHURCH: