great australian presbyterians
Dr Peter Barnes
What were the positive contributions made by the Presbyterian Church to this nation?
If Presbyterianism has contributed anything to Australia, it has been in the proclamation and outworking of the gospel. To the extent that it has been faithful to that, we ought to be grateful, and to the extent that it has not, we ought to grieve.
What were the highs and lows of Presbyterianism in Australia? Which decades in particular?
The highs of Presbyterianism were surely the 1870s and 1880s, although even then the danger signals were obvious. The 1950s were a phoney high - the appearance of some strength without much reality.
Who were the most notable male and female Presbyterian pioneers in Australia and what was significant about their work?
I agree with Malcolm Prentis with reference to John Dunmore Lang - compulsory but annoying. John Flynn might be another candidate.
How much do you regret that the whole Presbyterian Church did not "unite"? Or is the continuing Presbyterian presence in this country a good thing?
Again with reference to Malcolm Prentis, I can't for the life of me follow why it is better to be a conservative in a liberal church than a liberal in a conservative church. That implies that the debate between conservatives and liberals is just some kind of family squabble. Not so. As J. Gresham Machen pointed out so graphically, liberalism is another religion.
What do you make of the continuing Presbyterian ambivalence regarding women's ordination?
For 1,950 years the Church rejected women presbyters. Rightly so. To capitulate on this issue is to be left with a fallible Bible and at the mercy of the latest whim from the world. Churches which have allowed women presbyters (that is, the sexes can interchange functions) ought not to be surprised if homosexual presbyters are next on the agenda. Historically that is exactly what has happened.
Is there any hope for full union between the Uniting and Presbyterian churches in Australia?
If the PCA unites with any body, I would think the RCA and other Reformed bodies would be the way to go.
What is the future for the Presbyterian Church?
Regarding the future, Malcolm Prentis put it splendidly, and I shall defer to his answer. Our task is not to concentrate on our survival but to proclaim and live out the gospel.