Conservative Presbyterians launched a new denomination yesterday (January 19, 2012), saying that the Presbyterian Church (USA) is too consumed by internal conflicts and bureaucracy to nurture healthy congregations, according to the Washington Post website.
"This 'new Reformed body' is intended to foster a new way of being the church, just as traditional, mainline denominations rose to serve in their day," wrote leaders of the new Evangelical Covenant Order (ECO) of Presbyterians.
The creation of the ECO follows the PC (USA's) church-wide vote last year to lift its longtime ban on gay clergy.
The PC (USA) lost more than 500,000 members between 1998 and 2009 -- according to its church statistics -- and now has about two million members.
