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Free Presbyterian Church condemns the visit to the Pope by Presbyterian minister

A BIBLICAL AND CONFESSIONAL RESPONSE TO REV. STEVEN STOCKMAN

Presbyterian minister Rev. Steven Stockman is minister of Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, a church that has for many years been in the forefront of promoting a ‘peace process collaboration’ with Clonard Monastery in West Belfast. Stockman and local priest, Martin Magill, have been organisers of an annual cross-community festival for the past ten years. In January this year the Pope sent a video message praising Magill and Stockman for their ecumenical activity. Subsequently, the two men were part of a delegation from Belfast which travelled to Rome to meet the Pope at the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.

Concerning the meeting at the Vatican, Stockman wrote, “I have no doubts that many in my denomination and other Protestants will call me a heretic.” He further stated, “From what I have read and heard about Pope Francis, I see him as a fellow follower of Jesus.” This telling statement reveals that Steve Stockman regards the present Pope as a “follower of Jesus”. However, he would do well to ascertain which ‘Jesus’ it is to whom he refers.

Pope Francis is the head of a religious system, which continues to reject the Jesus of the New Testament. In statement 969 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994, Mary is presented as a mediatrix, in direct contradiction of 1 Timothy 2:5 which teaches that there is, “…one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, the Pope claims to be the Vicar of Christ and the head of the church, however Scripture declares, that Christ alone is the Head of His Church (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18).

Thus, in the light of the dogmas of Rome, Pope Francis is a blasphemer of the Lord Jesus Christ and is the promoter of another gospel. Steve Stockman has abandoned the Scriptures and the confessional teaching of his own denomination, which states, “There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.” (Westminster Confession of Faith 1646, Chapter 25). Therefore, since Steve Stockman openly declares that he and the Pope are fellow followers of Jesus – but not the Jesus of Scripture – he has set up the platform upon which he is to be rightly charged with heresy.

Rev John Armstrong, Moderator of Presbytery, Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
Rev. Colin Mercer, Deputy Moderator
Rev John Greer, Clerk of Presbytery

Letter to ‘Belfast Newsletter’ regarding visit to pope

Dear Sir,

It is my sincere hope that the Protestant people belonging to the three main Protestant churches here will have carefully considered the recent reports of the visit by the minister of Fitzroy Presbyterian Church one, Rev Steve Stockman, to see the Pope and what it was he said of the head of the Roman Catholic organisation.

The reported incident illustrates clearly what the outworkings of the doctrines of ecumenism within the main Protestant denominations over the last 70 years have been. The PCI is but representative of the trend within all three Protestant denominations.

Rev Stockman is quoted as saying of the Pope that “he has a Christlikeness”. Nothing sets forth more clearly the utter about-face of Irish Presbyterianism than this statement.

Until comparatively recently, the PCI believed for centuries that to the popes of Rome belonged the title: “That Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.” (Westminster Confession of Faith 1646, Chapter 25).

Now we are told that “he has a Christlikeness”. Both definitions cannot be true!

If Rev Stockman is not speaking on behalf of the majority in his denomination then we can expect that he will be tried on a charge of heresy, of which he himself has said some Presbyterians will consider him guilty.

Another lesson to be learned from this incident is that it tells us why Ulster Unionism is in the fragmented state that it is. There has been, as illustrated by Rev Stockman, an utter forsaking of “‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭the old‭ paths‭, where ‭is‭ the good‭ way‭,” (‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Jeremiah 6:16), with the consequential forsaking of Ulster by the Lord.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Kilskeery
‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬27th April 2022.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬