The Philadelphia Presbytery PCA announced on May 20, 2024, that adulterous perjurer Liam Goligher, former senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian, has been suspended indefinitely for contumacy. The latter is defined by the Presbyterian Church in America as refusing to cooperate in church disciplinary proceedings.
The Presbytery said:
Public Statement from Philadelphia Presbytery
In the name of the Presbyterian Church in America, the ad hoc Judicial Commission of the Philadelphia Presbytery in regards to TE Liam Goligher finds him contumacious:
BCO 32-6… b. When an accused person shall appear and refuse to plead, or otherwise refuse to cooperate with lawful proceedings, he shall be dealt with for his contumacy (cf. BCO 33-2; 34-4).
BCO 34-4. a. When a minister accused of an offense is found contumacious (cf. 32-6), he shall be immediately suspended from the sacraments and his office for his contumacy. Record shall be made of the fact and of the charges under which he was arraigned, and the censure shall be made public. The censure shall in no case be removed until the offender has not only repented of his contumacy, but has also given satisfaction in relation to the charges against him.
The accused objectively hindered the proceedings of this court, and acted against the peace, unity and purity of the Church, and the honor and majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the King and Head thereof.Because of TE Goligher’s refusal to comply with the lawful proceedings of this court in defiance of BCO 32-6b, these proceedings are hindered and continuing without due repentance from TE Goligher for his contumacy poses a serious risk to the wellbeing of witnesses and victims named in these proceedings.
In accord with BCO 34-4, TE Liam Goligher is:
- “Immediately suspended from the sacraments and his office for his contumacy.”
This censure:
- “Shall be made public.”
- “Shall in no case be removed until the offender has not only repented of his contumacy, but has also given satisfaction in relation to the charges against him.”
Almighty God, we humbly ask that you would follow this act of discipline with your blessing.
Executed this day, May 20, 2024
Tenth Presbyterian announced the news only today.
Sources close to the matter tell Anglican Watch that if Goligher continues his refusal to cooperate, the Presbytery will have no choice but to excommunicate him.
Earlier, an attorney for Goligher untruthfully claimed our discovery that he had engaged in sex in a public park with parishioner Susan Elzey was false, defamatory, and, laughably, “solacious.”
We can assure all involved that our assertions are not only accurate, but at no point in time have we attempted to offer comfort or support to perjuring pastor Liam Goligher.
Meanwhile, Goligher’s home, located at 109 W Euclid Ave, Haddonfield, NJ, 08033, which was sold to a third party, recently went to settlement.
Thank you for publicising this.
The PCA courts usually grind slowly, but sometimes, as in this instance, they seem to have done the right thing.
I expect Goligher will not repent. And I hope the PCA excommunicates him if he maintains his current stance.
I feel for his wife … what she may be suffering.
Barbara, I don’t think they can do anything else if he refuses to appear for trial. I could be wrong but I believe it is just contumacy.
Our inside source, someone close to the matter, says excommunication is possible if the contumacy continues.
That said, we’re far from proficient in PCA polity.
You are right. I asked around and I stand corrected.
The full statement states (correctly) that they are required to excommunicate him if he persists.
Susan Elzey’s husband is the one who sold the house, on the same day the Presbytery made this judgement (May 20, 2024).
Listed by:
Guy Elzey 856-796-0888,
Elzey E G & Son
They made a pretty penny off the house.
5/20/2024 Sold
$569,000
$364/sqft
Source: Bright MLS #NJCD2064158
8/8/2014 Sold
$355,000
+2.9%
$227/sqft
Source:
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/109-Euclid-Ave-Haddonfield-NJ-08033/38274780_zpid/
Maybe a case of—
“Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small;
Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.” (Longfellow)
I don’t even know what to say about the fact that the husband of Goligher’s adulteress girlfriend sold Goligher’s house.
Agree.
We’d otherwise be sympathetic to Susan Elzey, given the disparity of perceived power, but after we broke the news about Goligher’s affair, someone posted a comment blaming Phil Snyder for the debacle. We removed the comment, but the poster was in Haddonfield, NJ, so it was almost certainly Elzey—and she has a history of questionable remarks about Snyder.
So, we were left shaking our heads and asking ourselves the question: so Phil tied the two of them up, drove them to Lancaster, and staged the whole thing? What the heck?
Elzey really shot herself in the foot with that one, assuming she actually was the commenter.