Mr. Moderator, Brad Isbell, ruling elder, Tennessee Valley Presbytery. At the risk of sounding like a politician—or Mel Duncan, for that matter—I was against the study committee before I was for the study committee, but this is a speech in favor. Last summer, when presbyters first began talking about the need for a study committee, I was against it. I didn’t think it would pass. I didn’t think the problem was so widespread, and I didn’t think anyone understood it. And I was wrong—I’ll get to that.
I just didn’t think it was much of a problem in the PCA. I knew it was in some smaller denominations. There were no issues in my church or in the churches of nearly anyone that I knew. Also, I could not define Christian Nationalism. So, again, to evoke a politician from my native state of Arkansas, it depends on what the definition of Christian Nationalism is…is. I couldn’t define it, although I thought I knew a lot about it. I’m now convinced that this shifting, multifarious thing that Christian Nationalism is is a good reason for the study committee to help us figure out what Christian Nationalism is, to help define it, and to be a service to our pastors, sessions, and churches. I’m also quite confident that our moderator will appoint a committee that is fair and that is competent, and which will do good and helpful work. Read more»
Brad Isbell | “I Was Wrong” | June 28, 2025
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Brad Isbell
Brad Isbell is a ruling elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, board member of More In The PCA, co-host of the Presbycast podcast, editorial member of Presbyterian Polity, and treasurer of the Heidelberg Reformation Association.
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