An arm of the Presbyterian Church in America, a conservative Reformed denomination, is repenting for posting guidance to help illegal immigrants elude detainment.
Last week, Mission to North America — a resource and mission arm of the PCA — received intense backlash on social media after people noticed a page on its website dedicated to assisting illegal immigrants to dodge authorities and immigration enforcement.
‘Encouraging folks to deceive the government is not something the church needs to be doing.’
In an FAQ section of the since-deleted resource page, the MNA advised illegal immigrants “not to carry documentation showing your country of origin” and, if contacted by immigration authorities, to “show an identity document that does not include your country of birth or citizenship.”
The page even coached immigrants on how to decrease their chances of being deported if detained.
“If you were granted parole or have been in the U.S. for less than two years and you fear returning to your home country, tell the officer you are afraid to go back,” the page said. “You should get a Credible Fear Interview as a result. If the officer denies your Credible Fear Interview, ask for the chance for an immigration judge to review your fear.”
The page even advised people to “report raids” — which could be viewed as obstructing justice — and declared that President Donald Trump lacks constitutional authority to end birthright citizenship, an open legal question.
Zachary Groff, a PCA pastor and a member of the committee that oversees MNA, said PCA members reacted with “alarm and outcry against what is a grave error in judgment” when made aware of the resource page.
“The rank and file of the PCA is not at all pleased or supportive of what was published. People are very, very alarmed and understandably upset,” he told the Christian Post.
How did leaders respond?
After backlash accelerated, the PCA quickly deleted the resource page and issued a full apology.
“MNA’s leadership erroneously allowed the posting of content that advised undocumented persons on ways to avoid being detained by authorities,” said MNA director Irwyn Ince.
Such guidance, Ince admitted, contracts Scripture and the Westminster Confession of Faith.
“We affirm that it is our Christian duty to obey the lawful commands of the civil magistrate and be subject to their authority (WCF 23.4; Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-14). To counsel otherwise is a sin,” Ince explained.
“We confess that we fell short of our biblical and Confessional standard. We repent and apologize,” he said. “We also apologize for causing confusion and consternation in our church. We have removed all the previously posted information from our website.”
While repentance is biblical and good, PCA Pastor Ryan Biese, host of the PCA-focused “Westminster Standard Podcast,” said the PCA needs to take more drastic action over the “reckless” actions — including leadership changes at the MNA.
“Encouraging folks to deceive the government is not something the church needs to be doing,” Biese told the Daily Wire. “That is contrary to who we are.
“The mission of the church is to make disciples by teaching them all that Christ has commanded them and baptizing them,” he added. “None of what was on that page is involved with making disciples or baptizing people.”
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Presbyterian church in america, Pca, Mission to north america, Bible, Repentence, Illegal immigration, Immigration, Christianity, Christians, Faith