Presbyterian Reformed Church (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Presbyterian Reformed Church (PRC) is a Presbyterian denomination in Australia
. The denomination was formed in 1967, when the leadership and majority of the members of the Sutherland, New South Wales
congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
separated from that denomination. This separation was a result of a growing trend of theological liberalism
within the Presbyterian Church of Australia
(the mainstream Presbyterian Church), prior to the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia
in 1977.
The PRC met for the first time on Sunday, December 8, 1967. Today it is made up of congregations in Queensland
, New South Wales
, the Australian Capital Territory
, Victoria
, South Australia
, New Zealand
, Vanuatu
and Fiji
.
. As early as 1891 the Westminster Confession of Faith
(the Church's official Confession of Faith) was scorned by the Editor of The Presbyterian, the major church paper of the time. The Editor's words were:
In 1901, a Declaratory Act was passed, which, while not amending the Westminster Confession of Faith, toned down the distinctive Calvinistic doctrines of the Confession. Additionally, it allowed liberty of opinion for ministers on a wide range of doctrines set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
In doing so, instead of amending the Westminster Confession of Faith, or disciplining those ministers who did not adhere to it, the Presbyterian Church of Australia made its doctrinal position ambiguous.
In 1936, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, in a private session, shelved charges levied against Dr Samuel Angus
in order to ensure "the peace of the Church". Dr Angus not only denied the deity of Christ, but also denied the inspiration and authority of Scripture as defined in Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
In 1967, Professor Lloyd Geering
, the Principal of the Presbyterian Theological College in New Zealand was brought up on charges of 'doctrinal error and disturbing the peace and unity of the (Presbyterian) church'. During his church trial he claimed that the remains of Jesus lay somewhere in Palestine, and that the resurrection had been wrongfully interpreted by churches as a resuscitation of the body of Jesus. He also rejects the notion that God is a supernatural being who created and continues to look over the world.
Despite these views, Professor Geering was acquitted of the charges by the 1967 General Assembly. This acquittal can rightfully be considered the immediate cause of the separation from the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
While there have been no other instances of an entire congregation leaving a mainstream church to join the PRC, the PRC has grown to now include congregations in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, and as a result of missionary work links have been established to congregations in New Zealand, Vanuatu and Fiji.
Being a Reformed Church, it holds to the Calvinistic system of Biblical truth and receives the Westminster Confession of Faith as it Confessional standard, with a few stated amendments. The full text of the Westminster Confession of Faith, with stated amendments, can be found here.
In summary, the PRC believes:
The Presbyterian Reformed Church practices a strict form of closed communion
and regards Roman Catholic baptism as invalid.
. Essentially, each local congregation is governed by a group of elected elders, each of equal rank (including the Minister). Additionally, a council of elders from each congregation meet bi-annually to discuss and judge the denomination's beliefs and activities in various areas.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The denomination was formed in 1967, when the leadership and majority of the members of the Sutherland, New South Wales
Sutherland, New South Wales
Sutherland is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sutherland is located 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Sutherland Shire....
congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
separated from that denomination. This separation was a result of a growing trend of theological liberalism
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
within the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
(the mainstream Presbyterian Church), prior to the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
in 1977.
The PRC met for the first time on Sunday, December 8, 1967. Today it is made up of congregations in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.
Events Leading Up To Separation in 1967
The move to separate was a result of many years of gradual decline in the Reformed Faith within the Presbyterian Church of AustraliaPresbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
. As early as 1891 the Westminster Confession of Faith
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
(the Church's official Confession of Faith) was scorned by the Editor of The Presbyterian, the major church paper of the time. The Editor's words were:
-
-
- "That venerable document will not in our opinion stand patching... it is ill fitted to represent the theological sentiment of our day as the cathedral is ill fitted for our Protestant worship"
-
In 1901, a Declaratory Act was passed, which, while not amending the Westminster Confession of Faith, toned down the distinctive Calvinistic doctrines of the Confession. Additionally, it allowed liberty of opinion for ministers on a wide range of doctrines set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
In doing so, instead of amending the Westminster Confession of Faith, or disciplining those ministers who did not adhere to it, the Presbyterian Church of Australia made its doctrinal position ambiguous.
In 1936, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, in a private session, shelved charges levied against Dr Samuel Angus
Samuel Angus
Samuel Angus was professor of New Testament and Church History at St Andrew's College in the University of Sydney from 1915 to 1943. His outspoken views of Christian theology were criticized by the Presbyterian Church of Australia, leading to formal charges of heresy...
in order to ensure "the peace of the Church". Dr Angus not only denied the deity of Christ, but also denied the inspiration and authority of Scripture as defined in Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
In 1967, Professor Lloyd Geering
Lloyd Geering
Sir Lloyd George Geering, ONZ, GNZM, CBE, born 26 February 1918, is a New Zealand theologian, who faced charges of heresy in 1967 for his controversial views. He considers Christian and Muslim fundamentalism to be "social evils"...
, the Principal of the Presbyterian Theological College in New Zealand was brought up on charges of 'doctrinal error and disturbing the peace and unity of the (Presbyterian) church'. During his church trial he claimed that the remains of Jesus lay somewhere in Palestine, and that the resurrection had been wrongfully interpreted by churches as a resuscitation of the body of Jesus. He also rejects the notion that God is a supernatural being who created and continues to look over the world.
Despite these views, Professor Geering was acquitted of the charges by the 1967 General Assembly. This acquittal can rightfully be considered the immediate cause of the separation from the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
Since Separation
For the first 6 months of its existence, the Presbyterian Reformed Church existed of the congregation at Sutherland. During the second half of 1968, congregations were established in Brisbane, Queensland, Ryde, New South Wales and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. During 1969 a youth group of over 20 people resigned from the Cronulla Presbyterian Church at Cronulla to join the PRC.While there have been no other instances of an entire congregation leaving a mainstream church to join the PRC, the PRC has grown to now include congregations in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, and as a result of missionary work links have been established to congregations in New Zealand, Vanuatu and Fiji.
Doctrine
The Presbyterian Reformed Church receives the Bible (consisting of the sixty six books of the Old and New Testament) as the inspired word of God and the only foundation for how to serve God and live as Christians.Being a Reformed Church, it holds to the Calvinistic system of Biblical truth and receives the Westminster Confession of Faith as it Confessional standard, with a few stated amendments. The full text of the Westminster Confession of Faith, with stated amendments, can be found here.
In summary, the PRC believes:
- In the Triune God consisting of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the God who created and controls the whole world according to his excellent purpose and plan.
- That salvation is only by faith in Christ Jesus, whose perfect life and sacrificial death was sufficient to atone for sin in every person who believes in him.
- God's promise to offer eternal life in heaven after death to all people who believe in the saving work of Christ Jesus and the requirement of eternal judgement in hell after death for all who reject Christ.
The Presbyterian Reformed Church practices a strict form of closed communion
Closed communion
Closed communion is the practice of restricting the serving of the elements of Holy Communion to those who are members of a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation...
and regards Roman Catholic baptism as invalid.
Government
The church is governed in the Presbyterian formPresbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
. Essentially, each local congregation is governed by a group of elected elders, each of equal rank (including the Minister). Additionally, a council of elders from each congregation meet bi-annually to discuss and judge the denomination's beliefs and activities in various areas.
Activities
The denomination's activities include:- Regular worship services,
- Sunday School classes for primary school children,
- Youth fellowship studies and activities for teens and young people,
- Missionary outreach in Australia and overseas
- Publishing ministry through Covenanter Press
- Ministry training through John Knox Theological College.
See also
- List of Presbyterian Denominations in Australia
- Presbyterian Reformed Church, Epping
- Presbyterian church governance