Bishop Yvette Flunder Says Tear Pages From the Bible and Write a Third Testament

Bishop Yvette Flunder Calls the Bible "Problematic" and Demands a Third Testament Be Written

Yvette Flunder, the 70 year old presiding bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries and senior pastor of City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California, has ignited a firestorm of criticism after declaring that the Bible is "problematic" and calling for a "third testament" to replace portions of Scripture she finds offensive.

The remarks were made during the 2026 Samuel Dewitt Procter Conference in February, where Flunder spoke on the topic "The SACRED FIRE: Igniting, Resilience, and Resistance." A video clip of her statements went viral on social media, garnering nearly 500,000 views by April 22, 2026.

"I'm of the opinion that we need a third testament because the Bible has become problematic."

Flunder, who is married to her same sex partner Shirley Miller, specifically targeted New Testament passages including Ephesians 6:5 ("Slaves obey your masters as you do the Lord") and 1 Corinthians 14:34 35 ("Let the women keep silent in the churches"). She called these texts examples of "bad theology" and insisted that the pages containing them should be torn out.

"It's words about God. No, it is not the Word of God. We need to pull those pages out."

The backlash was swift and decisive. Conservative speaker April Chapman responded directly:

"You don't need a Third Testament. You need first rate repentance."

Southern Baptist minister Rich Bitterman called Flunder's remarks "spiritually murderous," warning that "if the Bible can be cut apart, then the sinner loses the only trustworthy witness to Christ." Multiple commentators cited Revelation 22:18 19, which warns against adding to or taking away from the words of Scripture.

Flunder describes herself as a womanist theologian and proponent of liberation theology. She has long advocated for LGBTQ inclusion in the church through her Fellowship of Affirming Ministries.

UCC Bishop Demands Bible Pages Be Torn Out, Calls Scripture "Not the Word of God"

The controversy highlights a growing divide within mainline Protestant denominations over biblical authority. The United Church of Christ, Flunder's denomination, has long been among the most theologically progressive in America, but even within its ranks, the suggestion of literally tearing pages from the Bible has drawn sharp rebuke.

The viral clip has reignited broader conversations about the authority of Scripture and the boundaries of theological reinterpretation within Christianity.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's call this what it is: a woman who rejected God's Word on human sexuality now wants to rewrite the rest of it too. This is the logical end of compromise with Scripture. You start by ignoring one passage, and before long you're standing at a podium telling people to rip pages out of the Bible. Revelation 22:19 could not be clearer: "If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life." That is not a metaphor. That is a promise. The Bible does not need a third testament. It needs people brave enough to obey the two it already has.

Take Action

• Share the original video clip with your church community and small group to discuss the importance of biblical authority.
• Contact the United Church of Christ national office at (216) 736 2100 or contactus@ucc.org to express your concern about leaders who undermine Scripture.
• Support organizations defending biblical truth: www.TheShepherdsShield.org
• Commit to daily Bible reading with your family. If a bishop says the Bible is not God's Word, prove her wrong by living it out.
• Support Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs, who serve Christians around the world who are dying for the very Bible Flunder wants to tear apart.