The Apology, in addition to questioning the extent and nature of the authority exercised by church judicatories, also questioned the authority of Synod over presbyteries. The disagreement that precipitated their objection was whether Synod had the jurisdiction to regulate the examination of . . . Continue reading →
The Presbytery of New Brunswick’s Apology in 1739 addressed two proposals made to Synod the previous year. While these acts had limited itinerant preaching and required the examination of candidates for ministry by a committee of Synod, the Presbytery of New Brunswick disregarded these acts . . . Continue reading →
The Roman soldier handled Perpetua roughly. There was no question who was in charge. He took her before the Captain to be questioned and then to the Procurator. The procedure was simple. He asked her one question three times: “Are you a . . . Continue reading →
In 1739, the Presbytery of New Brunswick, which consisted of Gilbert Tennent, Eleazer Wales, William Tennent and Samuel Blair, submitted a document titled The Apology. It consisted of objections to the previous two acts of the Synod of 1738 and a polemical . . . Continue reading →
In 2020, Dr. Clark interviewed me about my unconventional route to becoming a Presbyterian pastor and how I ended up receiving a call to the congregation I serve. It is strange to consider how much change can take place in only a . . . Continue reading →
In continuity with orthodox Christians since the third century, Reformed Protestants of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries confessed the centrality of the church: “Outside the church there is no salvation.”1 Despite this lofty view, Reformed churches never reached a common consensus on . . . Continue reading →
Much of the scholarship of the period focuses on the ethnic divisions and ecclesiastical backgrounds of each of the members of the church. Scholars attribute the various conflicts to the diversity of convictions that each group of ministers brought to the table.19 . . . Continue reading →
The footnote at the beginning of the Minutes of the Presbyterian Church in America states, “Unfortunately, the first leaf of the minutes of this presbytery is missing… The date of organization is generally accepted as 1706, in Philadelphia.”1 The absence of the . . . Continue reading →
A few days ago I made an appeal to those who left their congregations over disagreements with church leadership about how the visible church responded to Covid. I asked for understanding and forgiveness. I also argued that, in most cases, those who . . . Continue reading →
In 2009, at the PCA General Assembly, Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller each gave talks about the biblical, historical, and practical questions Continue reading
The terms, tropes, and tactics of secular politics certainly influence ecclesial politics, so it’s no surprise to hear one of the Presbyterian Church in America’s most prominent and influential pastors sounding very much like a pundit on a cable news show: Conspiracy! . . . Continue reading →
As a follow up to the recent post about the intersection between Acts 29, Mars Hill, and the PCA, someone sent a link to the application to be filled in/out on for the Spanish River Church Planting program. One of the questions on . . . Continue reading →
In our survey of the rule of faith we have reached the ninth article, “A Holy Catholic Church, the communion of the saints.” Over the years I have received several questions about this phrase, “holy catholic church.” When American Christians, particularly American . . . Continue reading →
The recent e-mail dump containing nine years’ worth of confidential National Partnership business has been dubbed #PresbyLeaks, which hilariously sounds like a terrible geriatric condition. A very well-organized clandestine political wing of our denomination has been exposed for being exactly what it . . . Continue reading →