<br><br><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/WAYNEF%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpg" alt=""><br><h2 class="date-header">Sunday, October 28, 2007</h2>
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<a href="http://federal-vision.blogspot.com/2007/10/worst-lot-of-all.html">The Worst Lot of All</a>
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<blockquote><i>Then
the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy;
what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his
blasphemy.</i> — Matthew 26:65</blockquote><br>No one knows how to wax
indignant better than a self-righteous Pharisee, and the greater the
audience, the greater the show. Take Caiaphas, for example, who put on
a real-life show before the Lord Jesus Christ and actually tore asunder
his priestly garments in righteous indignation when he witnessed the
Son of God's good confession.<br><br>Or take Douglas Wilson, for
another example, who recently put on an indignant rhetorical spectacle,
waxing furious at the PCA for its treatment of Federal Visionist Steve
Wilkins:<br><br><blockquote>In the old days, defenders of the faith
used proclamation, argumentation, and apologetics. These days, the
defenders of the faith use all the bureaucratic levers they have hidden
under the desk. If the SJC goes the way I suspect it might, that would
mean that Wilkins would be condemned in the PCA despite two
vindications by his own presbytery, despite the fact that no charges
were ever brought, despite the fact that no trial was ever held, and
despite the fact that he was never given an opportunity to defend
himself in open court. Don't talk to me about proof. We don't need no
stinking <i>proof.</i><br><br>In the old days, the prophets of God
would thunder the word. These days, they resort to Machinations and
Back Room Deals. You don't think so? Then look at what happens to
Wilkins. Look <i>closely.</i> Look at the procedures. Look at what was done, and what was <i>not</i>
done. And imagine yourself trying to explain the polity ramifications
of all of that to Samuel Miller. The whole thing would be a joke if it
were only funny. (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.dougwils.com/index.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=4664">"We Don't Need No Stinking Proof"</a>)</blockquote><br>Setting aside Wilson's <a target="_blank" href="http://federal-vision.blogspot.com/2007/10/important-clarification.html">
obvious ignorance</a> of the issue pending before the SJC, this was not the only time that time he raged furious at the PCA. Consider this one:<br><br><blockquote>To
call the determinations of an unpresbyterian entity like the SJC —
"where the PCA GA outsources its justice!" — a "final court of appeal"
is overstating it a bit. It is certainly a necessary part of the
process because the PCA did decide to abandon historic presbyterian
polity at this point, and it was all entered into the minutes and
everything. (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.dougwils.com/index.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=4359">"I Love Analogies"</a>)</blockquote><br>Of
course, these quotations from the Prince of Blog and Mablog leave the
impression that the very thought of dirty back-room deals designed to
circumvent presbyterian polity horrifies him. Indeed, these quotes
leave the impression that Beelzeblog longs for the old days and that he
esteems the historic presbyterianism taught by Samuel Miller so much
that he would never violate its principles in such a way that he could
not justify it to the Princeton hero.<br><br>Unfortunately, Pastor
Wilson isn't as scrupulous as he would have us believe because if you
compare his outrage at the PCA in the matter of Steve Wilkins with his
treatment of deposed PCA minister Burke Shade, you'll see exactly where
Wilson's scruples lie.<br><br>On April 17, 1999, Illiana Presbytery
(PCA) deposed Burke Shade from the ministry after declaring him guilty
on three of four charges against him, in a trial that began on November
9, 1998, and lasted six sessions. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.presbyteriannews.org/volumes/v5/1/SecretTrial.html"><i>P & R News</i></a> covered the whole story.<br><br>But
while Illiana Presbytery conducted itself pursuant to the PCA's BCO,
which contains a good measure of presbyterian polity, Burke Shade and
Douglas Wilson busied themselves working the Machinations of a Back
Room Deal. We know this because <i>"it was all entered into the minutes and everything."</i> Accordingly, the Christ Church Elders' Minutes state,<br><br><blockquote>Doug
described the situation with Cornerstone Reformed Church and Burke
Shade. Motion (DW/PB) [Doug Wilson/Patch Blakey] to authorize Doug to
make a motion at CRE to receive Cornerstone as a fraternal delegate.
All approved. (April 17, 1999)</blockquote><br>Admittedly, this doesn't say much but it shows that Shade made his case to Wilson <i>before</i>
the PCA deposed him, and it lays the foundation for this revelation
taken from the Christ Church Elders' Meeting minutes dated July 13,
2000:<br><br><blockquote>Doug Jones reported that the ad hoc committee
concerning Burke Shade recommends that we should not send out the
current letter, and that we should wait while Chris Schlect and Doug
Jones continue to work through the trial materials, before they make a
further recommendation. <i>Doug Wilson reminded the elders that we
have already agreed this situation is not a barrier to Burke Shade and
his church being accepted into the CRE, and that he has communicated
this to Burke.</i> The elders agreed that, further review of the
material, the burden of proof is on the committee to overturn our
previous decisions, which would only happen if new, clear information
against Burke appears. The elders would like a report from the
committee by July 27. This recommendation considered as a motion
passed. (emphasis added)</blockquote><br>Now, I know these minutes are
legitimate because I know my sources. But don't take my word for it,
take Wilson's who confirmed it a few months ago at <a target="_blank" href="http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/the-triumph-of-the-gospel/#comment-15984">Green Baggins</a> (<a target="_blank" href="http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/the-triumph-of-the-gospel/#comment-15735">
cf. this comment</a>). The point here, however, is not the minutes' legitimacy. The point is Wilson's <i>illegitimacy.</i><br><br>Here
is a man who, for all intents and purposes, wants us to believe that he
reveres presbyterianism proper and that he abhors back-room deals. But
"Look <i>closely.</i> Look at the procedures. Look at what was done, and what was <i>not</i>
done. And imagine yourself trying to explain the polity ramifications
of all of that to Samuel Miller," because here is also a man who, like
Caiaphas, tears his garments at the PCA for their handling of Steve
Wilkins and, just like Caiaphas, thwarts church polity by pulling the
levers under his desk with Judas, the covenant breaker.<br><br>Yes, indeed, Wilson was right when he wrote, "Don't talk to me about proof. We don't need no stinking <i>proof,"</i>
because this event took place in the visible church, or as the Federal
Visionists would say, in the Covenant. To be sure, this event could be
photographed or fingerprinted, for as noted, <i>"it was all entered into the minutes and everything."</i> Sadly, "The whole thing would be a joke if it were only funny." But it's not.<br><br>So
how do we account for Pastor Wilson's staggering hypocrisy? How do we
reconcile his righteous indignation in one instance with his cunning
conniving in the other? — <i>We don't.</i> Rather, we let his words speak for themselves, because by his own testimony he has the worst lot of all:<br><br><blockquote>The
opposing error is that of straight hypocrisy. This is the idea that
mere covenant membership can replace covenant faithfulness as the one
thing needful. The lips draw near while the heart is far removed from
God. But such snakes within the covenant have the worst lot of all.
(Douglas Wilson, <i>"Reformed" Is Not Enough</i>, "Judas Was A Christian?" [Moscow: Canon Press, 2003] 21)</blockquote>
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Posted by
<span class="fn">Mark T.</span>
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