"Love for the church should compel us to contend against the secular culture's baser demands rather than surrendering to them." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President

Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2011 /Standard Newswire/ -- A large gathering of Presbyterians concerned about the liberal direction of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is convening this week in Minneapolis. After the 2 million-member denomination's vote to end clergy ordination standards on sexual fidelity, many traditionalists are weighing new accountability structures that would enable them to remain in the PCUSA.

Meeting August 25-26, the Fellowship Gathering of Presbyterians expects to draw over 2,000 participants.

IRD Adjunct Fellow Alan F.H. Wisdom will be on-hand in Minneapolis and is available for media interviews. Wisdom is the author of "Is Marriage Worth Defending?" available at www.TheIRD.org.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"The PCUSA decision to abandon Christian sexual ethics predictably is fueling accelerated membership decline and schism.

"Some traditionalists are struggling to stay within the PCUSA while creating new forms of accountability to compensate for the denomination's failure.

"Every denomination that has embraced sexual liberation over Christian orthodoxy has similarly faced schism and spiraling membership.

"Sexual liberationists in the churches clearly are choosing their faddish brand of social justice over the church's health. Love for the church should instead compel us to contend against the secular culture's baser demands rather than surrendering to them."