Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!uunet!bellcore!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tas@pegasus.com (Len Howard) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: A pastoral letter to the members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Message-ID: Date: 27 Jun 91 07:00:27 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Pegasus, Honolulu Lines: 22 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Since one of the keys of this discussion seems to be 'who' makes the decision as to what is 'false belief', I would like to insert something that I have not noted in anyone's belief system. (Maybe I just have not been around long enough.) The Doctrine of the Supremacy of the Informed Conscience will make the decision for a believer, if there is doubt after spiritual direction, reading and prayer. When we have met the tests of the informed conscience, then we are able to discern right from wrong. This doctrine understands an honest attempt at discernment, and a full investigation of the problem. It accepts individual decision as supreme when all the criteria are met. It is much like the Baptist view put forth by the last writer, except requires more meditation, direction, prayer and study. In other words, you don't just say "OK, God, tell me what the answer is by revelation" and not pursue the quest for revelation through traditional means. To comment on the thread, I hold that the Pauline epistles, excluding the basic core Christology, are specific answers about specific questions asked by the specific church, and are not a general thesaurus of Chrsitian doctrine to be applied across the board to everyone in every situation. The seeming inconsistancies of Paul then become clear, as the problems of the Christians in Rome were much different that the problems of the Christian in Corinth. Grace and Peace... /Len Howard a confessing Episcopalian