Documents concerning the
censure and shunning The documents linked here are PDF files. The most reliable way to read them is to download them to your computer (right-click on the link, then choose "Save as ..." from the menu and specify a filename and location) and then read them using Adobe Acrobat Reader. In the spring of 2005, John and Julie Austin notified the session of St. Peter Presbyterian Church that they would be leaving. The session of the church responded on May 14, 2005 by censuring them: suspending them from the Lord's Table, instructing the congregation of St. Peter to shun the Austin family, and threatening the Austins with excommunication should they not repent and submit. Austin censure letter (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Austins) On Friday, November 25, 2005, St. Peter parishioner Peter Kershaw sent a sixteen page letter to Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. and the session of St. Peter Presbyterian Church, detailing the many ways in which the treatment of the Austins by the session was unbiblical and contrary to the denomination's constitution, and demanding that the session repent and lift the censure. Peter Kershaw letter (PDF) (Word document) (posted with the permission of Peter Kershaw) On Wednesday, December 7, 2005, the Austin family received three letters. One was from the session of St. Peter, releasing them from membership in the church. Letter of release from session (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Austins) A second was also from the session of St. Peter, repenting of their treatment of and behavior towards the Austin family. Letter of repentance from session (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Austins) The third was a personal letter from Dr. Sproul, repenting of his treatment of and behavior towards the Austin family. Letter of repentance from Dr. Sproul (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Austins) On Wednesday, December 7, 2005, I sent an email to John and Julie Austin, asking them to forgive me for not standing up for them when their censure was announced, and for not pursuing the matter diligently in the months that followed. Letter of apology from Rick Saenz (PDF) The Austins have sent a letter of reply to the St. Peter session, with a copy sent to the Westminster Presbytery of the RPCGA. Austin's response to session (PDF) (Word document) (posted with the permission of the Austins) The Peter Kershaw family has also been released from membership in St. Peter Presbyterian church. Letter of release from session (Kershaws) (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Kershaws) The Austins have emailed a letter to the Westminster Presbytery of the RPCGA, via the moderator (Dr. Kenneth Talbot) and stated clerk (Rev. Reed Best) of the presbytery, thanking them for their help and counsel in this matter. Letter to the Westminster Presbytery (PDF) (posted with the permission of the Austins) NEW. Brent Fontenot, who had recently moved his family from Texas to join St. Peter, decided to return to Texas after attending the meeting where the Austins' censure was announced. He wrote a letter to the Westminster Presbytery describing what happened at the meeting. Fontenot letter to the Westminster Presbytery (PDF) (Word document) (posted with the permission of Brent Fontenot) |