Thread by @theAcerbicMonk

🧵I have waited a few days to post after the Central Indiana Presbytery's meeting last week and I have some thoughts. Mainly, this is a wicked group of men who approve of bullying and sexual abuse. /1

I do not say this lightly, but we have been in process for 3 years and this should have gone to trial YEARS ago at this point. Also, during the first year (maybe year and a half) of process, Dan Herron has been allowed to vote and put forth motions on his case. /2

The original commission assigned to investigate Dan Herron told 5 witnesses that they believed the accusations of spiritual and sexual abuse as well as bullying, they just didn't think that Herron should lose his job. /3

After Dan's lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to 3 of the witnesses in the case, Dan was told by the CIP to not sue the witnesses. He did anyway.
Dan was told to remove CIP documents from from the lawsuit. He did not. /4

Dan was then told to withdraw the lawsuit for bullying witnesses. Dan was then ruled contumacious. The following presbytery, Dan and his buddies pushed for the removal of the contumacy (a violation of the BCO). They succeeded. /5

This ruling was reversed at a called meeting. Dan then partially removed CIP documents from the lawsuit, but not all. On Friday, (almost 8 months after his original contumacy) Dan submitted a letter saying something to the effect of, "I have not sinned." /6

The CIP just voted to again remove contumacy, again violating the BCO (Book of Church Order). Let's look at that, shall we? /7

BCO 33-2: "When an accused person is found contumacious (cf. 32-6), he shall be immediately suspended from the sacraments (and if an officer from his office) for his contumacy. /8

Record shall be made of the fact and of the charges under which he was arraigned, and the censure may be made public, should this be deemed expedient by the Session. /9

The censure shall in no case be removed until the offender has not only repented of his contumacy, but has also given satisfaction in relation to the charges against him." /10

Did you catch it? Keep in mind, the PCA doesn't go into these proceedings unless they have already found a strong presumption of guilt. There are mountains of evidence of the abuse. /11

Twice now the CIP has violated the BCO for removing contumacy because, Dan claims he has nothing of which to repent. They find the BCO inconvenient, so they ignore it. /12

So, how can we have an equitable process here while 1. Dan is suing witnesses and 2. the CIP blatantly disregards procedure? /13

The victims of Herron are weary. We have endured abuse and process and the CIP as a whole does not care. There are more than 20 of us. Process is exhausting. /14

If you are an elder in another presbytery, your presbytery can step in. Please talk to your stated clerk and put forth a motion to take this case from the CIP.
#pcaga please step in. /end