Following close on the heels of the actions of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery, Central Carolina Presbytery has passed the following motion:

Whereas on September 26, 2002 the Session of Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church (hereafter AAPC), of Monroe Louisiana approved a “Summary Statement of AAPC’s Position on the Covenant, Baptism, and Salvation” and published it on their official church website as the official church position on these matters; and

Whereas a study committee of Mississippi Valley Presbytery formed to study and report on “the teachings of Norman Shepherd, N.T. Wright, and the related systems known variously as the New Perspectives on Paul, which redefines Paul’s teaching on justification, and the Federal Vision, which redefines the traditional Reformed interpretation of the covenant concept” has extensively studied the AAPC Summary Statement and identified several places where that document deviates from or contradicts the Westminster Standards particularly in their teachings on the critical subjects of salvation and perseverance; and

Whereas AAPC has hosted several Pastor’s conferences advocating a theology at odds with Westminster Calvinism called Federal Vision theology and recently hosted another one of these conferences on January 3-5, 2005 which featured Anglican Bishop and New Perspective on Paul proponent N.T. Wright as a guest Speaker; and

Whereas AAPC Senior Pastor Steve Wilkins has recently authored a work entitled “The Federal Vision” which further promulgates this Federal Vision theology; and

Whereas the Federal Vision theology as it is taught and promoted by AAPC appears to be a heresy which strikes at the vitals of religion that is being industriously spread in public; and

Whereas numerous attempts have been made by PCA elders and pastors to reason with the elders of AAPC and to show them where the Federal Vision theology contradicts our standards and the teaching of Scripture; and

Whereas AAPC has refused to stop actively promulgating this Federal Vision theology, and has instead actively worked to spread it as far and wide as they are able;

Therefore be it resolved that the Central Carolina Presbytery requests that Louisiana Presbytery begin an official investigation into the teachings of AAPC in order to determine whether charges ought to be brought against her senior pastor (BCO 31-2) and whether any advice ought to be given to the session.