This message had a problem being sent, so I am resending it.
Apologies
if you get it twice.
On Tue, 18 Jun 1996 14:53:50 -0400, Terry M. Gray wrote:
>Some have expressed interest in the outcome of my appeal before the OPC
>General Assembly. So here's the word.
>
>The 63rd General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church,
>meeting at Geneva College June 6-13, DENIED my appeal.
[...]
TG>And now,
this thirteenth day of September, A.D. 1995, comes Terry M. Gray,
>Ph.D. and appeals from the judgment of the Session of Harvest Orthodox
>Presbyterian Church in the case of Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., and in support of
>said appeal sets forth the following specifications of error:
>
>The Session of Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church erred in:
>
> 1. Denying the request of the Defense to dismiss Charge 1 (That
>Dr. Terry Gray has committed the public offense of stating that Adam had
>primate ancestors, contrary to the Word of God (Genesis 2:7, 1:26, 27) and
>the doctrinal standards of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (WCF IV.2, WLC
>17)) on the grounds that said charge is not an offense serious enough to
>warrant a trial.
[...]
Despite our disagreements, I sympathise with Terry in believing that
Adam had primate ancestors. I cannot see that Genesis 2:7, 1:26, 27
forbids that view. Indeed, I would have thought that Genesis 2:7:
"the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became
a living being"
leaves the *means* by which God did the forming an open question.
The real problem, IMHO, is Terry's claim that this was *Evolution*,
rather than *Mediate Creation*. I can well see why an Orthodox
Presbyterian Church would object to the former (with its secular,
atheistic overtones), but may not object to the latter, since the
very same term was used by Hodge:
"But while it has ever been the doctrine of the Church that God
created the universe out of nothing by the word of his power, which
creation was instantaneous and immediate, i. e., without the
intervention of any second causes; yet it has generally been admitted
that this is to be understood only of the original call of matter
into existence. Theologians have, therefore, distinguished between a
first and second, or immediate and mediate creation. The one was
instantaneous, the other gradual; the one precludes the idea of any
preexisting substance, and of cooperation, the other admits and
implies both. " (Hodge C., "Systematic Theology", Vol. I, 1892,
James Clark & Co: London, 1960 reprint, p556).
God bless.
Steve
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