What our culture needs now more than ever is a recovery of a sure-footed and metaphysically certain anthropology. Such an anthropology cannot hide that a man and a woman are veritably different from each other all the while they are equal in dignity. Monism, moreover, cannot be the goal of cultural expression any more than it can be the goal of true divine worship. We flourish not under a forlorn sameness but under a zestful complementarity. 

Way back in my undergraduate days, I recall a course with the title Images of Man in Literature. It was team taught, with one professor from the Philosophy Department and the other professor from the English Department. It was the kind of course that fit in well in a liberal arts curriculum, not having to prove its value back then according to metrics which drive the constantly escalating cost of higher education today, things like the development of skills for the marketplace and acquiring employment readiness.
What really though is the likelihood that such a course could be offered today? It probably would be shot down early on by the Gender Studies Department as misogynist. The Ethnic and Cultural Studies Department would attack it as classicist for giving insufficient attention to the perspectives of the marginalized and the oppressed. The devaluation of the liberal arts has created a situation wherein there is an extreme bias against received wisdom as it pertains to how we understand ourselves. If it isn’t new, we should be suspicious of it. What is new should be automatically accepted even if it contravenes an inherited anthropology.

Examples of what I mean abound. Indeed, hardly a day passes without the news media reporting on some incident or other of linguistic nonsense. There was, for example, the refusal of a Supreme Court nominee to answer the question: “What is a woman?” The nominee—now a sworn Justice of the Supreme Court—feared that the gender-benders on the Left would be all over her if she took note of how a woman is different from a man. She claimed that a biologist was needed to answer the question. Since she was not a biologist, the question went unanswered. Seeing and accepting anthropological difference is akin to career suicide on the noisy Left.

Or, what about the senior United States senator from Massachusetts explaining that “pregnant people” are being denied constitutional protection by the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs? She and everyone else knows that only women can conceive and bear children. Nevertheless, she refused to distinguish men from women because of the demand on the Left that equality be understood only as sameness. Anything you can do, I can do. How juvenile and immature, anthropologically speaking.

Decades ago, gender inclusive language had gained a foothold in many parishes and other places where the Catholic liturgy was celebrated. Attempts were always being made to change texts from their supposed “gender exclusivity” to a more agreeable “gender inclusivity.” Sad to say, this silliness still abides in some places. Behind this foolish preoccupation is a desire to whittle away at any linguistic difference so as to suggest that any difference factually, and especially anatomically, is arbitrary and meaningless.
The liturgy itself suffered as an artistic expression, but that was not all; indeed, it was just the beginning of the loss we endured. Doubt was introduced regarding the very structure of reality. Perhaps the created world is not what our eyes tell us it is.

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At its October 18, 2022 stated meeting, Tennessee Valley Presbytery (TVP) approved an overture from the Session of First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., requesting that Missouri Presbytery investigate the Session of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Saint Louis, Mo. The overture based this request on BCO 40-5, where a higher court can be asked to investigate a lower court if a credible report has been made. TVP approved the overture by voice vote.
The overture alleges that “the St. Louis Magazine reported Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA) hosted an event in ‘The Chapel (Sanctuary for the Arts)’ on September 2, 2022 entitled, ‘Celestial Bodies.’” It further claims that “the poster for this event featured scandalous depictions of people;” and that “one of the headliners for this event who calls himself eldraco, has performed as a transvestite, and boasts of headlining at the St. Charles Pride Festival.” The overture also highlighted that Missouri Presbytery had previously adopted certain actions to redress and remove previous scandal associated with The Chapel, which is on the Memorial PCA property.
TVP adopted the following to be sent to Missouri Presbytery:
Tennessee Valley Presbytery to request Missouri Presbytery, in accordance with BCO 40-5, to investigate the Session of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Saint Louis, Mo. to determine whether hosting the event reported to have taken place on September 2, 2022 violated the vows of the elders of MPC or otherwise reflects grossly unconstitutional or delinquent action by “promoting uncleanness,” failure to keep “chaste company,” failure to preserve “the chastity of others,” and the failure to “shun all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.”
The Overture Considered by Tennessee Valley Presbytery
WHEREAS, the Lord Jesus Christ is the King and Head of the church and has entrusted the care of His flock, the Church He purchased with His own blood, to faithful overseers, and
WHEREAS, the Presbyterian Church in America requires overseers to swear vows and agree to the following (BCO 24-6, 21-4):
“Do you accept the office of ruling elder … in this church, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof, and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your life, and to set a worthy example before the Church of which God has made you an officer?”
“Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures; and do you further promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the fundamentals of this system of doctrine, you will on your own initiative, make known to your Presbytery the change which has taken place in your views since the assumption of this ordination vow?”
“Do you engage to be faithful and diligent in the exercise of all your duties as a Christian and a minister of the Gospel, whether personal or relational, private or public; and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your manner of life, and to walk with exemplary piety before the flock of which God shall make you overseer?” and
WHEREAS, the Westminster Standards of the PCA summarize the moral and ethical duty of Christians to include the following (WLC 138):
“chastity in body, mind, affections, words, and behavior; and the preservation of it in ourselves and others…keeping of chaste company, modesty in apparel… shunning all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.” and
WHEREAS, the St. Louis Magazine reported Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA) hosted an event in “The Chapel (Sanctuary for the Arts)” on September 2, 2022 entitled, “Celestial Bodies,” and described it in the following way:
Celestial Bodies is a uniquely bombastic concert event presented by The Chapel (Sanctuary For the Arts) and hosted by Eldraco+FreeNation. Enjoy 2 complimentary beverages provided by the house whilst grooving and moving to jamming performances from four amazing music acts!
Dream-pop/Alt-Soul diva Elle Patterson and her eclectic band The Focus will bring thought-provoking vibes and undulating grooves that will set the atmosphere. Brother Francis will be testifying funktastically soulful noise with his ensemble The Soultones that will bring you to your knees. Eldraco+FreeNation will tear the roof of the building with their usual high-octane musical madness! The evening will culminate in a euphoric dance party led by the party monster D.J. Rico Steez!
Beloved come revel in sonic splendor with the sounds of some of STL’s finest artists! Come clad in celestial whites, silvers, and golds draped across your person so we may experience unity across the senses and party the night away!
Source: https://www.stlmag.com/events/celestial-bodies/?fbclid=IwAR08my26QU7j7UFJxuIY_v1AJUEfhz-7xKs7S3w-1QujkeInfkE1jLy0XD4; and
WHEREAS the poster for this event featured scandalous depictions of people, and
WHEREAS, one of the headliners for this event who calls himself eldraco, has performed as a transvestite, and boasts of headlining at the St. Charles Pride Festival, and
WHEREAS, The Chapel (Sanctuary for the Arts) is a ministry under the control of Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA), which it describes in the following manner:
We host The Chapel, a volunteer-led not-for-profit arts venue. The Chapel provides all services including drinks free of charge to artists, theatre companies and their guests. This is a practical, real-life way that we can support local artists and manifest the Welcome of Jesus through our hospitality and through our service. Now seeking volunteers to serve people free drinks. (http://www.memorialpca.org/chapel.html) and
WHEREAS, media have previously reported on lewd and scandalous events taking place at the chapel including those featuring “eldraco,” and
WHEREAS, Missouri Presbytery has adopted the following actions to redress and remove previous scandal associated with The Chapel (Sanctuary for the Arts):

Establish greater accountability for the ministry of The Chapel;
Create clearer processes and policies in order to more intentionally curate the art platformed at The Chapel;
Strengthen the leadership of the ministry by developing a more robustadvisory board for The Chapel to report back to the session;
Rearticulate the vision and mission of The Chapel with greater clarity; and

WHEREAS, Missouri Presbytery is responsible to ensure the actions of the Sessions under its care are “in accordance with the Constitution” and “wise, equitable and suited to promote the welfare of the church” (BCO 40-2), and
WHEREAS, the report from St Louis Magazine referenced above seem to suggest some “important delinquency” or “grossly unconstitutional” activity taking place in “The Chapel (Sanctuary for the Arts)” at Memorial Presbyterian Church (BCO 40-5), which warrant investigation.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Session of First Presbyterian Church overtures Tennessee Valley Presbytery to request Missouri Presbytery, in accordance with BCO 40-5, to investigate the Session of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Saint Louis, Mo. to determine whether hosting the event reported to have taken place on September 2, 2022 violated the vows of the elders of MPC or otherwise reflects grossly unconstitutional or delinquent action by “promoting uncleanness,” failure to keep “chaste company,” failure to preserve “the chastity of others,” and the failure to “shun all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.”
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This is not just true of Joe Pagan. It is true of those claiming to be Christians yet absolutely deny God, his truth, and what his Word clearly teaches. No wonder the Bible repeatedly warns about how easy it is to be deceived, how active the devil is, and how we must all be on guard against the lies of the enemy. Consider the recent story of some guy who claims to be a Christian, who now claims to be a woman, and who dumped his wife and three kids in order to be “true to himself.” Worse yet, he is an Anglican vicar of all things.

Satan is real. Sin is real. The fall is real. And deception is real. But too many folks do not believe in any of these realities. As a result, they end up fully falling victim to them. They are bound by diabolical deception, and they do not even know it is happening.
And this is not just true of Joe Pagan. It is true of those claiming to be Christians yet absolutely deny God, his truth, and what his Word clearly teaches. No wonder the Bible repeatedly warns about how easy it is to be deceived, how active the devil is, and how we must all be on guard against the lies of the enemy.
Consider the recent story of some guy who claims to be a Christian, who now claims to be a woman, and who dumped his wife and three kids in order to be ‘true to himself.’ Worse yet, he is an Anglican vicar of all things. As one write-up puts it:
The Church of England’s ‘first’ non-binary vicar said it was ‘difficult’ when they came out to their wife and three children after having a ‘moment of revelation’ while reading the story of Adam and Eve. Bingo Allison, 36, who defines as gender-queer and uses the pronouns ‘they/them’, experienced an epiphany seven years ago while reading Genesis 1-3 in the Old Testament.
The vicar, who works in Liverpool, said they came to terms with their gender identity while reading the story and realised: ‘There’s space in God’s creation for change and transformation, just because you’re created one way doesn’t mean that you can’t live another’. Bingo also said their wife found things ‘difficult’ when they first came out because ‘obviously you marry what you think it a straight guy and obviously things are more complicated than that’. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11591517/Britains-non-binary-CofE-priest-says-God-guided-truth.html
Oh dear. Which is worse: someone living in complete delusion or idiots in the media who go along with it? You will have to ignore these dingbats for using the word “they” when speaking about him. Lying to oneself is bad enough, but when others go along with this, we really are headed for civilisational collapse.
But ‘Bingo’ (which sorta tells us all we need to know about the guy) is a real piece of work here. The amount of absolute lunacy coming from his lips is quite something to behold. The article goes on to say this:
In a speech to a panel on making churches more inclusive, Bingo said Christianity had historically been guilty of prioritising the views of ‘rich, white, straight, cisgender, able-bodied, neurotypical men’. Explaining that they are also autistic and dyspraxic, Bingo wrote: ‘I am passionate about fully including neurodivergent people in the life and faith of the Church, particularly in our telling and retelling of stories from the Bible.
Bingo, who previously trained to become a priest in Durham, said the Church of England was ‘open to me coming out’ but added that it was ‘difficult’ for some people they had worked with ‘because for them I was the first transgender person they had worked with closely’. They have since moved to the Liverpool Diocese ‘which does so much to support and empower LGBT people’ and they have found their new congregation ‘wonderful’….
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