So, if you refer to the Comparison Chart (https://www.hebronchurchpittsburgh.org/wp-content/uploads/Denominational-Comparison.pdf), block 4 regarding officer vows at ordination, you will quickly discern that the issue here is conviction regarding the authority of Scripture.
If you first examine the EPC’s vows, you will quickly see the conviction that the Scriptures be viewed as God’s Word written, carrying the weight or authority of God revealing truth that is absolute, preserved by God over the ages without error. This is authority, the authority of the Creator and Preserver of all things without exception.
Compare this to the PCUSA’s vow. Scripture is ‘the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ’. The PCUSA’s view of the ‘authority’ of Scripture would be more like ‘influential’ than ‘authoritative’ in our view. The denomination is very accepting of views of Scripture that range from the EPC’s view of ‘inerrancy’ to “a point of view that may respect Scripture as one of the revered documents of the church but does not seriously expect it to be illuminating or determining for important issues of either faith or life in the present day”1, and many varied views as well. So, an officer would only agree that the Scripture is the unique and influential witness to Jesus Christ.
More illuminating as to the PCUSA’s conviction about Scripture is the last phrase in the vow, to accept the Scripture as ‘God’s Word to you’. This subjects the Scripture to the relativity of the individual rather than subjecting the individual to the Word of God. Do you see how this turns discipleship upside down?
Please review the notes at the end of the comparison chart document to see some ways that the PCUSA’s view of the Scripture and the Confessions as ‘guides’ without what we would consider ‘authority’ has played out in the course of the PCUSA’s actions and decisions.
1 The above quote is from the PCUSA document, PRESBYTERIAN UNDERSTANDING AND USE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE I. Introduction B. Issues of Authority and Interpretation on page 2 which you can find at: https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/_resolutions/scripture-use.pdf
by Dave Mulock