Reformed Presbyterian Church
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Reformed Presbyterian congregations exist all over the world in numerous countries, namely Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, France, United States of America, Canada, Japan, Hungary and Australia. The Reformed Presbyterian Church could be described as a Reformed, or an Evangelical Church.
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[edit] Beliefs
Reformed Presbyterians believe that the supreme standard for belief and practice is the Bible, received as the inspired and inerrant Word of God.
Reformed Presbyterian theology is apostolic, Protestant, Reformed (or [{Calvinism|Calvinistic]]) and evangelical. There is a desire to maintain in its depth and purity the Christian faith handed down from the beginning. The basic principles of the denomination are not different from those held by many other churches. Such distinctives as there are lie in the application and implementation of these truths.
In particular, Reformed Presbyterians give prominence to the kingship of Christ. This has implications for human life in all its spheres. Areas which have received special attention (and where Reformed Presbyterian practice is, in this century, somewhat unusual) are worship and politics. The worship of the King must be governed in every detail by what he has required in his Word. They also believe that the nation is under obligation, once admitted but now repudiated, to recognise Christ as her king and to govern all her affairs in accordance with his will. Words from Colossians 1:18 express the core of Covenanting theology: 'that in everything he (Christ) might have the supremacy'.
[edit] Government
The Reformed Presbyterian uses a Presbyterian form of Church government - members of each congreation elect elders (who must be male, as this is believed to be commanded in the Bible, and who must also be members of the congregation). These elders, along with the minister or pastor of the congregation make up the "Session" of a congregation. Ministers are known as "teaching elders", others are known as "ruling elders". The teaching elder is not in authority over the ruling elders, neither are the ruling elders in authority over the teaching elder.
[edit] Covenanters
The Reformed Presbyterian Church has its roots in the Covenanters of the 17th century who endured great hardship and persecution in order to worship God in the way set out in the Bible.
[edit] Present
Reformed Presbyterians can be characterised by having a steadfast belief in the Bible as the literal Word of God, which is clearly demonstrated in many individual member's stances on moral issues such as abortion, homosexuality and gambling laws. The various Reformed Presbyterian denominations worship God using Psalms only, unaccompanied by music, as set forth in the New Testament, a practice that is followed by few denominations throughout the world today.
