I am not suggesting that American Presbyterians of the eighteenth century would approve of the political arrangement of the twenty-first century. Surely, in many respects they would not. They assumed an overwhelmingly Protestant nation where Catholics and (more so) Jews could be tolerated, but without all the rights of Protestants. I would argue that the principles of 1788 regarding the rights of conscience and liberty of worship should be extended to non-Christians in our day, but I grant that they did not conceive of the religious pluralism we now have in America.” Read more»
Kevin DeYoung | “‘Of the Civil Magistrate’: How Presbyterians Shifted on Church-State Relations” | June 16, 2025 (HT: @Presbycast on X)
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We had the wrong article linked to this quotation, which comes from Kevin’s June, 2025 article, not his July, 2024 article. Apologies. The link and date are now correct.
Does anyone know which denominations within NAPARC ascribe to the American edited version of the WCF? Reading DeYoung’s article, I understand it includes the PCA and OPC. What of the others?
Greg,
To the best of my knowledge they all, with the exception of the RPCNA, subscribe the American edition.
Here’s the ARP version.
Check with Rev. Ives of the Presbyterian Reformed Church. I do not want to speak for them, but given their history, I would not be surprised if they also use a version of the Westminster Confession that differs from the American revisions.
Thanks!