Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
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| The seal of the ARPC. | |
| Classification | Protestant |
|---|---|
| Theology | Reformed Evangelical |
| Governance | Presbyterian |
| Origin | 1782 Philadelphia |
| Merge of | Associate Presbyterian Church (Seceder) and almost all of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America |
| Congregations | 200+ |
| Members | 30,000 |
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is a small denomination, formed from the merger of the Associate (Seceder) and most of the Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) churches in Philadelphia in 1782. It is a theologically and socially conservative denomination and one of the oldest in the United States.
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[edit] History
In 1739, Presbyterian pastor Ebenezer Erskine led a group of Christians in leaving the Church of Scotland and being formed into a separate Associate Presbytery. Other similar offshoots had formed the Reformed Presbytery. These emigrated to Ireland, and later to the United States, establishing congregations from around 1750 to 1770, mostly in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Some churches of the two movements came together officially in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1782. Another synod was formed of churches in South Carolina and Georgia in 1803 and still another in Texas. The northern Synod merged with the Associate Presbyterians in 1858 to form the United Presbyterian Church of North America. The modern ARP Church descends from the southern Synod.
[edit] The ARPC today
In 2004, the ARPC had 41,019 members in 256 churches.[1] The denominational office is located in Greenville, S.C. Also, the denomination operates a conference center, Bonclarken, in Flat Rock, N.C. Membership is concentrated in the Southeastern United States, especially North Carolina and South Carolina.[2] There are also numerous congregations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia.[2] The ARPC has churches in Canada and in most states of the United States. Separate synods exist in Mexico and Pakistan. The ARP Church sponsors missionaries internationally through World Witness.
The ARP Church is affiliated with the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council and shares a common theology with conservative Presbyterian denominations. It holds to the infallibility of the Bible and does not ordain women as ministers or elders, though it does permit women deacons. Having been originally formed by a merger of two denominations holding to exclusive psalmody, this was the practice of the ARP Church until 1946, when its synod allowed for the use of hymns other than the Psalms; each congregational session has right of discretion concerning the matter of music in worship.
In 1835 the church established in Due West, S.C., an academy for men, which in 1839 became Erskine College, the first four-year church-related college in that state. The small liberal arts college is highly ranked for academic quality [1].
Erskine Theological Seminary, established in 1837, is the professional school of Erskine College; it was incorporated into Erskine College when the latter was founded two years later. The Seminary became a separate but associated school in 1858, and was reincorporated into the College in 1925. Today, the it provides training for students of the ARPC as well as other denominations.
[edit] Basic Beliefs
Along with other presbyterian churches, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church uses the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism as subordinate standards.[2] In its 1990 Purpose Statement, the church declared that "we express our desire to continue to be a Presbyterian and Reformed church, committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to the Bible as the Word of God." It listed some of its core commitments as:
- The worship of the Triune God.
- The Holy Scriptures as the basis for our faith and activity.
- Unity with other believers in Christ.
- Total Stewardship of life - time, talents, and money - including tithing through the local church.
- Excellence in education and equipping leaders for tomorrow.
- Loving and caring for one another and for other people.
- Spreading the Gospel to all parts of the world.
- Evaluating and changing church structures and priorities in order to meet the challenges of the future while preserving the best of the past.[3]
The ARPC takes a conservative view of the Bible, officially stating that "the Bible alone, being God-breathed, is the Word of God written, infallible in all that it teaches, and inerrant in the original manuscripts." The Holy Spirit reveals through the text that "God the Father gave His Son to save us from our sins."
[edit] Stance regarding abortion
The ARPC designates the Sunday nearest to January 22 as "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday," encouraging non-violent opposition to legalized abortion.[4] In addition, the denomination officially calls homosexuals "to repentance, cleansing, and deliverance in the saving power of Jesus Christ."[5]
[edit] Notable Members and Ministers
Evangelist Billy Graham attended the Chalmers Memorial ARP Church in Charlotte as a child as his parents were members of the congregation.
Noted Southern writer Erskine Caldwell was the son of an ARP minister in Georgia.
Noted ARP Ministers: Dr. Jay E. Adams, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, Dr. John R. de Witt, Dr. Mark Ross, Rev. Frank Reich
[edit] References
- ^ "2008 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches". The National Council of Churches. http://www.thearda.com/Denoms/D_1460.asp. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
- ^ a b "2000 Religious Congregations and Membership Study". Glenmary Research Center. http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/map.asp?variable=64&state=101&variable2=. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
[edit] Further reading
- The History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, by Ray King. [6].
- The History of Erskine Theological Seminary 1837-1976, by Maynard Pittendreigh. [7]
[edit] External links
- ARP Synod Official Site
- ARP Magazine
- Outreach North America
- World Witness
- Christian Education Ministry
- Erskine College
- Bonclarken
- ARP Church in Bartow, Florida, USA
- ARP Church in Irvine, California, USA
- Boyce Memorial ARP Church, Kings Mountain, NC, USA
- Ballston Center ARP Church, Ballston Spa, NY, USA
