Gwallard
Puritan Board Freshman
The question itself is, "What are the consequences of unsubstantiated accusations against a pastor under Presbyterianism?"
The background to the question comes up from Westminster Seminary (East), Lane Tipton and my growing attention to unsubstantiated claims in this world of ours in general. The whole fiasco was a couple years ago by now, and Covid intervening has made it leave most of the student's minds, but I 1) was going to have him the next semester, so the wound was deeper, and 2) now that I have graduated I look back and wonder what even happened. Dr. Tipton was terminated as a professor at Westminster, and although there was widespread belief that he was terminated because of his opposition to Dr. Oliphint's Doctrine of God, WTS said it was because of an unspecified sin that Dr. Tipton had done.
Although the world often accuses simply to cast doubt on the case, I didn't know what to think about the accusation of Dr. Tipton because it came from Christians, and professors I trusted. As the proceeding years have revealed nothing against Dr. Tipton's character, I wonder if there is anything in Presbyterianism that would either 1) allow a presbyter to be exonerated of the claims against his name, 2) censure against the party coming from an unsubstantiated public accusation against a presbyter? In the case of Tipton, it seems like WTS has been vague, and less than helpful, if indeed the presbytery (the Presbytery of Philadelphia, I believe) has investigated the seminary's claims; I have heard nothing from both, but he is still a member of that presbytery in good standing, as far as I can tell. He preaches regularly at Trinity OPC in Easton (can anyone tell me why they're still doing youtube stuff? I know he preaches there just because I see him pop up on youtube with new Trinity sermon videos). [edit] On that note, can anyone help me find some of that public available information about the actions of the presbytery of Philadelphia/ WTS in this case? [edit]
WTS is, unfortunately, a para-church organization, so perhaps censure is really out of the question, but perhaps do you know any other cases within individuals that something like this happened, and the presbytery stepped in? Unsubstantiated accusations are far far too common these days, and Dr. Tipton's is just one example among many, but I ask it 1) because I am curious about the question in general, and 2) because I know enough of this case to apply the principles.
Edits: grammatical corrections and an extra clause detailing my reasoning for posting.
The background to the question comes up from Westminster Seminary (East), Lane Tipton and my growing attention to unsubstantiated claims in this world of ours in general. The whole fiasco was a couple years ago by now, and Covid intervening has made it leave most of the student's minds, but I 1) was going to have him the next semester, so the wound was deeper, and 2) now that I have graduated I look back and wonder what even happened. Dr. Tipton was terminated as a professor at Westminster, and although there was widespread belief that he was terminated because of his opposition to Dr. Oliphint's Doctrine of God, WTS said it was because of an unspecified sin that Dr. Tipton had done.
Although the world often accuses simply to cast doubt on the case, I didn't know what to think about the accusation of Dr. Tipton because it came from Christians, and professors I trusted. As the proceeding years have revealed nothing against Dr. Tipton's character, I wonder if there is anything in Presbyterianism that would either 1) allow a presbyter to be exonerated of the claims against his name, 2) censure against the party coming from an unsubstantiated public accusation against a presbyter? In the case of Tipton, it seems like WTS has been vague, and less than helpful, if indeed the presbytery (the Presbytery of Philadelphia, I believe) has investigated the seminary's claims; I have heard nothing from both, but he is still a member of that presbytery in good standing, as far as I can tell. He preaches regularly at Trinity OPC in Easton (can anyone tell me why they're still doing youtube stuff? I know he preaches there just because I see him pop up on youtube with new Trinity sermon videos). [edit] On that note, can anyone help me find some of that public available information about the actions of the presbytery of Philadelphia/ WTS in this case? [edit]
WTS is, unfortunately, a para-church organization, so perhaps censure is really out of the question, but perhaps do you know any other cases within individuals that something like this happened, and the presbytery stepped in? Unsubstantiated accusations are far far too common these days, and Dr. Tipton's is just one example among many, but I ask it 1) because I am curious about the question in general, and 2) because I know enough of this case to apply the principles.
Edits: grammatical corrections and an extra clause detailing my reasoning for posting.
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