Main objective: The cancellation of the author by his former church. New title: When my old church canceled me: a sad day

Last week, the Presbyterian Church in America held its Annual General Meeting in Richmond, Virginia, where leaders gathered to discuss a variety of topics. As a former member of this church for over 15 years, I was shocked when they decided to cancel my participation in the event. I was scheduled to speak about the challenges of toxic polarization, a topic I’m passionate about, but was deemed too divisive to address the audience.

The invitation to speak at the event was extended to me because I have been the subject of attacks online and in real life, which makes me well equipped to discuss how to support pastors and church leaders in a politically polarized environment. However, as soon as my participation was announced, the attacks intensified. There have been negative essays, hate tweets, letters, and even a parody song created to discredit me and the denomination. The pressure to remove myself from the panel was overwhelming, leading to the entire discussion being canceled.

Our family joined the PCA denomination in 2004, when we lived in Philadelphia and attended Tenth Presbyterian Church in Center City. At that time, the denomination aligned with our beliefs because I was both politically and theologically conservative. Although I was a Republican at the time, I appreciated the apolitical nature of the Church and the diversity of the congregation which included friends from different political backgrounds.

The decision to cancel my participation in the General Assembly left me feeling disappointed and estranged from a community that was once an important part of my life. The experience highlighted the challenges of combating polarization within religious communities and the importance of fostering unity amid divergent opinions.

As I reflect on this incident, I am reminded of the evolving nature of church dynamics and the need for open dialogue and understanding when dealing with divisive issues. Moving forward, I hope that the Presbyterian Church in America and other religious institutions can find common ground to combat polarization and create inclusive spaces for meaningful discussion and debate.