Huntingdon Valley Presbyterian Church (HVPC) is bound by, and committed to, the gospel of Jesus Christ. As such, we affirm our unity as members of the Body of Christ, what injures any of our members injures all of our members. In light of the recent outrages highlighting the evils of racism in this country, the Session of HVPC affirms emphatically and in no uncertain terms its rejection of racism and its love of our African-American brothers and sisters (John 13:34-35, John 15:13.
Genesis 1:27 declares God created man in His own image. As bearers of God’s image, all people share in divine dignity and are equal before Him. Racism is an abomination to God. It distorts, diminishes, defames, and destroys those whom God in His goodness created in His image.
The idea or ideology that one race is superior to another is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s love in Jesus Christ casts out the fear that generates hatred (1 John 4:18). Christ’s work on the cross has torn down the dividing wall of hostility and hatred so that we are no longer enemies of God and no longer enemies of one another (Ephesians 2:14-18). A key calling of the church of Jesus Christ is the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-20), and we commit to continue to prayerfully seek God’s wisdom in how to work towards that reconciliation.
-- Adopted July 2020