The Uniqueness f PCA Plity L. Ry Taylr Stated Clerk, PCA Church plity, like wrship, (WCF I-6) is affected by a cmplex f several factrs: 1 Christ is the Head and King f the Church (cntra papacy and secular mnarchs) 2 The Bible Biblical cmmands We trace the beginnings f Presbyterian plity t the biblical cmmands given thrugh Mses (Numbers 11) and the Apstle Paul (Titus 1:5) fr the institutin f and the necessity f the ffice f elder. Biblical principles Fr example, the dctrine f the Church affects ne s view f the cnnectinal nature f plity. Biblical precedents We trace the ffice f deacn, nt t a biblical cmmand, but t a biblical precedent (Acts 6) when the apstles decided t appint seven t versee the care f widws in the Jerusalem Church. Evidently, this had rts in the synaggue system which had almners t distribute alms. 3 Culture natinal, reginal, ethnic, lcal. (Episcpal plity is similar in sme respects t the Rman gvernment. Cntemprary plity is mdeled t a degree after an MBA business mdel). The PCA riginated ut f Suthern Presbyterianism, which by the nature f the case had an aversin t centralized authrity and had a strng emphasis n authrity n the lwer levels f the Church. Parliamentary prcedure, as we practice it, has British rigins and American embellishments. As ur presbyteries and sessins becme less uniquely Angl, there has been less emphasis n prcedures. Anther factr is that the present generatin is mre relatinal than prir generatins. 4 Reasn (lgic, cmmn sense and sanctified pragmatism ). Use f reasn in the gd and necessary cnsequence f biblical principles (WCF I-6). Use f reasn in situatins were there are nt biblical cmmands, as lng as the general principles f scripture are bserved. 5 Histry & Experience recent r remte, psitive r negative (tend t duplicate the psitive and react against the negative, [the pendulum effect]). The experience f cnservatives in the last few decades prir t the frmatin f the PCA was t wrk thrugh para-church agencies, because f the thelgical decline f the PCUS. In a sense, the cmmittees and agencies f the PCA were structured t a resemble para-church ministries. 6 Rle f laity Participatin f laity n an autcratic-demcratic cntinuum. That is affected nt nly by the basic frm f plity, but als by culture. American church plity is usually mre demcratic. 7 Size f lcal cngregatin, area judicatries, netwrks, and highest judicatries. Small = simple rganizatin, and structure. Large = mre cmplex. 8 Missin simple r cmplex. Plity tends t reflect breadth f the missin. Para-church rganizatins tend t have a narrwer missin than churches (ex. Child Evangelism Fellwship fcuses nly n evangelizing children). Denminatins have brader missins t fulfill the multifaceted missin f the Church, nt just ding evangelism f a segment f the ppulatin. 9 Persnality f present leaders r mvement funders Calvin was nt nly a preacher, thelgian and exegete; he was a visinary leader and capable administratr. Part f the challenge the PCA faces tday is that many f the PCA funding fathers were cncerned as churchmen t develp a denminatin, but many f their successrs fcus their attentin, resurces, and time almst exclusively n lcal church r affinity grup ministries. 10 Legal cnsideratins Sme churches exist in restrictive situatins (ex. China, Saudi Arabia). In America legal liabilities need t be cnsidered. Sme states are mre hspitable t unincrprated churches than thers. Legal cnsideratins nw cme int play in church discipline.
We d nt claim that every minute detail f ur plity has, r even must have, a biblical prf text. The Essence f Presbyterian Church Gvernment. The Presbyterian system f church gvernment is a biblical, representative, and cnnectinal system. Presbyterians d nt believe that they are the nly Christians, r that Churches with ther types f Church Gvernment are nt valid Christian Churches. Presbyterians d believe, hwever, that the Presbyterian, biblical, representative and cnnectinal system is that which cnfrms mst cnsistently t the Scriptures. Presbyterian Church Gvernment is biblical because it is based n biblical directives and principles drawn frm bth the Old and New Testaments (nt just the New Testament). The histrical develpment f Church Gvernment is infrmative, but nt determinative fr us. Bth ur frm f gvernment and ur thelgy are based n the entire Bible. Presbyterian Church Gvernment is representative because the peple chse their spiritual leaders t gvern the Church (its members and fficers) n the lcal, reginal, and natinal levels. We practice mutual accuntability and discipline thrugh ur representative gvernment. Presbyterian Church Gvernment is cnnectinal; lcal churches see themselves as part f the larger Church. We hld t (1) a cmmn binding dctrinal, cnfessinal standard f the Refrmed Faith, the Westminster Standards (2) mutual accuntability and discipline, and (3) cperative ministry. Lcal churches, n matter what size they may be, d nt minister best alne, but in cperatin with the larger Church. We engage in cperative ministry as a bdy f churches t carry ut the Great Cmmissin Christ gave t the Church. The degree and manner in which these characteristics are expressed varies frm denminatin t denminatin. Denminatins with cntinental Refrmed rts have structures and prcedures different frm Presbyterians. The PCUSA is certainly mre centralized than the PCA. The strengths f any system f plity are ften the weaknesses f that system. Fr example, ne f the strengths f the Presbyterian system is cllegial leadership thrugh a plurality f elders. That prvides the wisdm in many cunselrs, but it may be time-cnsuming. One f the strengths f the Presbyterian system is the pprtunity t carry a cntrversy t a higher church curt. That is als a weakness because as lng as a case is filed in prper frm and within the prper time frame, the curt has little r n ability t deny certirari. The experience that the funders f the PCA had in the PCUS was similar t the experiences f cnservativeevangelical-rthdx believers in many mainline Prtestant denminatins. The plt line was the same; the cast f characters and place names were different. The plt line is 1. A decline in thelgical rthdxy. 2. A decline in discipline. 3. An abuse f ecclesiastical pwer. The PCA plity f the PCA was develped thrugh the applicatin f the cmplex f principles stated abve. S, the PCA shares general principles f basic Presbyterian plity, but has distinctive features. Sme f thse distinctive features are: 1. A deliberate decisin nt t have a hierarchal, cercive system. The plity f the PCA is grass-rts plity, nn-hierarchal Presbyterianism.
2. Return t Eight Preliminary Principles instituted in the 18 th Century frmatin f the Presbyterian Church in this cuntry, which principles cntrl interpretatin f the entire BCO. The Presbyterian Church in America, in setting frth the frm f gvernment funded upn and agreeable t the Wrd f Gd, reiterates the fllwing great principles which have gverned the frmatin f the plan. See the Preface t the BCO. The Preliminary Principles are nt merely an histrical intrductin t the BCO but are part f the cnstitutin, 3. A nn-cmprehensive Bk f Church Order -- The PCA BCO is nt written in exhaustive detail t cver virtually every pssible situatin, but is, primarily a set f principles, t be applied by the lwer church curts (Sessins and Presbyteries) using their wn gd judgment and wisdm. There are specific prcedures t be fllwed in administering the sacraments, and exercising discipline. But in areas where there are n detailed requirements, lwer curts are free t use their wisdm and discretin within the bunds f biblical and cnstitutinal principles. The assertin that a particular practice r prcedure must be explicitly stated in the BCO in rder t be allwed is cntrary t the nature f the PCA s BCO. 4. The Supremacy f the Cnstitutin a. The jurisdictin f these church curts is limited by the express prvisins f the Cnstitutin. (BCO 11-4). b. The PCA des nt have the authritative interpretatin f the cnstitutin prvisin the PCUSA has. The PCA General Assembly may nt make a de fact change in the cnstitutin. c. Judicial decisins f the Standing Judicial Cmmissin d nt have the same effect f legal precedent that wuld btain in the civil curts f the USA (BCO 14-7). d. General Assembly study cmmittee reprts d nt change the cnstitutin (BCO 14-7). An ffice bearer may be cnvicted f heresy fr hlding t thelgical views that are cntrary t the Westminster Standards and inimical t the system f dctrine, but he may disagree with a study cmmittee reprt. e. Lcal Church Bylaws, and Standing Rules and Presbytery Bylaws and Standing Rules may add t the BCO t include details nt specified in the BCO. Lcal Church Bylaws and Presbytery Bylaws may nt, hwever, cntradict the BCO. 5. The parity f elders The rle f the Ruling Elder was restred t a tw-ffice view ( 1] Elders; Teaching and Ruling, 2] Deacns). The PCA was started primarily thrugh the effrts f Ruling Elders. Fr the first several General Assemblies RE s utnumbered TE s but sn thereafter TE s utnumbered RE s tw-t-ne. There were a cuple f attempts early in the life f the PCA t change t a delegated Assembly t have an equal number f TE s and RE s. The TE majrity cnsistently vted dwn that change. The Pastr is, by virtue f his ffice, the mderatr f the Sessin and Cngregatinal Meetings. Only Ministers may administer the sacraments. The Pastr, hwever, is nt the sle ruler f the church. He shares gvernance f the church with the entire Sessin. 6. A dynamic tensin between vluntary assciatin and mutual submissin. f. The vluntary nature f the PCA is explicitly stated in BCO 25-9; 25-10 regarding church prperty and in BCO 25-11 regarding the prcess f a lcal church s withdrawing frm the denminatin. Bth f these statements are cnsistent with the Preliminary Principles. When a persn jins a cngregatin he vluntarily takes a vw t submit himself t the gvernment and discipline f the church (BCO 57-5.5). When a ruling elder r deacn is rdained he vws t submit himself unt his brethren in the Lrd (BCO 24-5.5) and affirms that he believes that the frm f gvernment and discipline f the PCA cnfrm t general principles f biblical plity (BCO 24-5.3). Ministers take similar vws upn rdinatin (BCO 21-5.3, 4). When a lcal church is cnstituted as a church the cngregatin as a whle prmises t perate n the principles f the faith and rder [dctrine and church gvernance] f the PCA (BCO 5-8.3). When an existing cngregatin transfers int a PCA presbytery, the elders f the church, as representatives f the cngregatin, vw t uphld the dctrine and plity f the PCA (BCO 13-8). g. Thse wh have taken such vws have a mral respnsibility (thugh nt a legal bligatin) t abide
by the decisin, judgment r rder f a church curt f riginal jurisdictin, r they may carry the matter frward until a higher curt decides it (BCO 43 details the cmplaint prcess; BCO 42 details the appeals prcess). h. By taking the vws f membership r rdinatin ne agrees t abide by the authrity f the curt f riginal jurisdictin and higher curts as well because f the spiritual cnnectinalism f the Church (BCO 11-3, 11-4). Once the higher curt has handled the matter finally, there is, because f the vws they have taken and thelgical beliefs they have espused, a mral respnsibility (thugh nt a legal bligatin) t abide by the final dispsitin f the matter as lng as they are members f the PCA. A persn may think that he cannt in gd cnscience accept the final dispsitin f the matter after the cmplaint r appellate prcess is cmplete, in which case he may leave the PCA withut cercin. It shuld be nted that all members, sessins, Presbyteries and the General Assembly f the PCA are mrally bligated t fllw the cnstitutin f the PCA. Blind bedience, hwever, may nt be required by any church fficer r church curt (WCF XX-2). Church curts that vilate the cnstitutin f the PCA may themselves be subject t ecclesiastical trial (BCO 40-6). 7. Gd Faith Subscriptin The issue f dctrinal subscriptin was addressed by the General Assembly s adpting an amendment t the BCO 21-4 and the Rules f Assembly Operatin 16-3, e., 5 (the s-called Gd Faith Subscriptin amendments). In the PCA an ffice bearer need nt agree with every prpsitin in the Westminster Standards. It is nt up t the individual t determine if his differences with the Standards are majr r minr. He must state each f his dctrinal differences with the Westminster Standards and it is the rle f the church curt t determine the acceptability f his thelgical views. Nte that this requirement and prcedure apply t the Westminster Standards, the thelgy f the Church, nt t the BCO. 8. The supremacy f thelgy ver plity i. Nt all f the BCO has full cnstitutinal status (prtins f the Directry f Wrship), but all f the Westminster Standards are fully cnstitutinal; j. the rdinatin vw regarding plity is very general (BCO 21-5, q. 3, 24-6, q. 3) but the rdinatin vw regarding thelgy is much strnger (BCO 21:5, q. 2, 24-6, q.2); k. there is n specified prcedure fr dealing with stated differences with the BCO, but there is a detailed prcedure fr dealing with stated differences with the Westminster Standards (RAO 16-3, e. 5, c.); l. there is n detailed explanatin f what affirming a belief in the general principles f biblical plity is, but there is a detailed explanatin f the meaning f subscriptin t the Westminster Standards (BCO 21-4); m. the requirements fr amending the BCO (BCO 26-2) are lwer than the requirements fr amending the Westminster Standards (BCO 26-3), and we almst annually amend the BCO thugh we have never amended the Westminster Standards. In any system f plity, the system wrks fr thse wh wrk the system. 1 As a representative system the PCA system is susceptible t being manipulated by a minrity that knws the system, is willing t participate in the system, capitalizes n the mst influential aspects f the system, and is willing t be invlved fr the lng term. After thirty-seven years f peratins, in retrspect sme funding fathers as well as yunger men realize that in the frmulatin and develpment f ur plity There are sme instances in which the pendulum effect may have been t strng as we reacted against the excesses f ur frmer denminatinal cnnectin. Our system was designed in several respects mre t prevent the accumulatin f influence than t accmplish missin effectively. Fr example, the PCA is unique in that we have made funding f essential supprt services (Administrative Cmmittee) a ttally separate vluntary cntributin request. Our system fsters cmpetitin amng cmmittees and agencies in fundraising and
cmmunicatins. Our system increases the csts f peratins. It tk years fr cmmittee crdinatrs and bard presidents t be allwed t have cmmunicatin and rudimentary attempts at crdinatin f effrts. The law f unintended cnsequences in sme respects has cme int play. We have created a system in which churches may have the rights f membership in the PCA withut any f the respnsibilities. In an effrt t insure that aggrieved parties have access t the judicial system, we have a system in which there is n methd f dismissing frivlus judicial cases. 2 In rder fr grass-rts Presbyterianism t wrk best, churchmen are needed. Pastrs need t mdel churchmanship. Pastrs need t train fficers t be churchmen. Bth REs and TEs need t participate in Presbytery and General Assembly n an nging basis. Presbyteries need t nminate men t General Assembly Cmmittees and Agencies. Presbyteries need t send representatives t the Nminating Cmmittee. Men must be willing t serve n Presbytery and General Assembly cmmittees and agency bards. Presbyteries need t send representatives t Review f Presbytery Recrds Cmmittee. Cmmissiners need t serve n Cmmittees f Cmmissiners. Presbyteries need t have representatives (bth RE & TE) serve n the Overtures Cmmittee.