Federal Vision's Dangers & Distortions
Veteran missionaries, elders, and pastors gather to reflect on the dreadful impact of Federal Vision on their churches and the flock of God
The impact of the Federal Vision heresy reaches far beyond the shores of this country and the siren song from its bearded mascot is enticing disaffected European men with its message of a distorted patriarchy and anti-establishment rhetoric.
Two veteran church planters with Mission to the Military & Internationals (MMi) tell us about the toll it has taken on the church plants in Europe.
MMi seeks to plant confessional, Reformed churches around the world to serve American military personnel abroad and also international communities in those locations. It is a ministry of Southeast Alabama Presbytery.
On the program this week Major Pastor Todd Pruitt joins TE Nick Bullock, late of Covenant Fellowship Church in Stuttgart Germany (and currently pastoring in Texas), TE Matt Stanghelle, of the First Presbyterian Church of Norway, and RE Steve Dowling a board member of MMi; he served until 2023 as its chairman and is currently the Vice-Chair.
Each of the men on the panel have had seen first hand the damage done by those committed to or experimenting with the Federal Vision heresy.
Instead of embracing the theological novelty represented by the Federal Vision and the antagonistic tone represented by its Moscow Faction, this week’s all-star panel exhorts us to remain committed to historic, biblical Christianity and the costly work of churchmanship and discipleship.
Some have wondered why spend an episode highlighting the dangers of the Federal Vision Heresy rather than battling the forces of Progressivism in the PCA and the remnants of the now defunct “National Partnership.”
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The short answer is this: while we certainly have disagreements with those who were affiliated with the National Partnership (and you can read about their endeavors here), we do not disagree with them on the definition of justification.
The Federal Vision, however, distorts the fundamentals of the gospel and the Reformed Faith to the grave detriment of souls. RC Sproul succinctly highlighted this point more than a decade ago at the 35th General Assembly.
The Federal Vision distorts the gospel, distorts the covenant of grace, and distorts justification itself by its confused hermeneutic and tortured logic with the result of a confused ecclesiology and medieval sacramentology.
Not only is the theology of the Federal Vision anti-gospel and anti-historical, its theology has disastrous practical impact on families and churches; Federal Vision’s theology is anti-social as well.
On the podcast, the panelists recount how they personally have ministered to those whose families and churches have been wrecked and torn apart by Federal Vision’s proponents. Additionally, Louisiana Presbytery of the PCA no longer exists because of the shipwreck made by Federal Visionists.
Federal Vision Theology is not something to be taken lightly or ignored, but represents a clear danger to the health, happiness, holiness, and harmony of the PCA.
Listen to this week’s episode of the Westminster Standard Podcast and pray that God will grant Truth a victory over error yet again and peace to His Church.