2004 issue 2 - the formation of the rpcus - counsel of chalcedon
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/12/2019 2004 Issue 2 - The Formation of the RPCUS - Counsel of Chalcedon
1/2
Tbe ormation of be
RP US
The Formation o the
RPCUS
On February 20, 1983 the Chalcedon Presbyterian
Church congregation voted to withdraw from the
Presbyterian Church
in
America,
the
denomination with
which the church had been affiliated since its founding.
We would like, here,
to
present the resolution which
the congregation passed on that day in 1983.
A Resolution
I , hereas Chalcedon Presbyterian Church has been raised
up
by
God
to
glorify God
by
being faithful
to the Word
of
God,
the
Reformed Faith, and
the Great
Commission;
churches;
d ' ' ' l ' . no ,ftt\e
Westminster
,
,:> ,
,.
of Q9Wto defend, expound
its w?r.ldYiew
in
an age
,#ith/other systems and
and
b ' i ) ~ e : r v a t i v e
Presbyterian
4.
Whereas
the officers of Chalcedon have taken vows
6.
to
uphold
those
Standards
in all
their emphases and
distinctives;
ereas G
eat
Com
d discipl
~ d u c a t i o
and
insti,
all to
Chalcedon
is to
carry
out
the'
on which includes world evangelization
, church planting and nurturing, Christian
the
Christian reconstruction of
all
areas
n ~ i ~ f : ' l i U l n a n sociEttyl. / ',
:,(J ,
. Y
s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ n t
iJ'NirthIG(;)brgia
s b y t E l ~ J ~ ~
Church
in
America
mitm
i t o
and
u p h o l c \ j n ~ , o f
the.
ards system of dqqtrine of.tpe \
7. Whereas
this laxity
is
producing
an
increasing separation
of Chalcedon and its st rict confessional position from
presbytery;
8. this laxity has allowed
North
Georgia
ry,
within recent months,
to
receive ministers,
the time of their reception, would
not
affirm:
hat theistic evolution is unbiblical;
I revelation has ceased along with tongue
hat regeneration necessarily precedes faith;
at reception of Jesus as Savior and Lord may never
ivided into
two
distinct decisions
or
acts;
e. That Christians
may not
be divided into
two
categories - the carnal and
the
spiritual;
f
That
the
first day of
the
week from
the
resurrectio
of Christ
to
the
end of
the
world
is
the Christian
Sabbath;
9.
Whereas
it has become apparent to the officers of
Chalcedon
that
there
has developed
an
impasse betwee
the
presbytery and the session creating an immediate
crisis of great potential danger for Chalcedon and
her
officers:
a.
Chalcedon's session,
in
faithfulness
to
its
ordination vows requires all the elders and
deacons of Chalcedon
to
hold
to
theonomy I and
postmillennialism
2
, as taught
in
our Standards
(along with
the
many
other
historical distinctives o
Presbyterianism and Calvinism);
b. The
majority interpretation
of the
Presbyterian
Church
in
America's position on theonomy
is
that
believing theonomy may
not
be used as a
requirement
to
hold office
in
the
Presbyterian
Church
in
America;
c.
The record
of North
Georgia Presbytery
is
clearly
opposition to strict adherence
to the
Confession;
d.
The officers
of
Chalcedon are convinced
that
compromise on this issue
is
compromise
of the
Word
of God,
the
demands
of
our
vows, and
the
constitution
of
the Presbyterian Church
in
America
e. It is apparent
that
th
7
invElstigating committee from
the
presbytery,
l t h o u ~ n c b m p r i s e d
of very Christi
men,
is not in a g r e e m ~ l t w i t h our
position;
f.
Pres,ByUry has beeh
; ~ c c e s s f u l l y
maneuvered
intcithe position with Chalcedon thaJ, allows for
onlY9neoftwo
alternatives -
the
present session
mQstlbe removed from office
o ~ , c t t a l c e d o n
must
Withdraw from
North
Georgi,af';respytery and
the
i ~ r i s b y t e r i a n
Church
il l\rnEirica.j:
" . ; . ' . . .
-
8/12/2019 2004 Issue 2 - The Formation of the RPCUS - Counsel of Chalcedon
2/2
The ormation of he RP US
~ ;
, , : ~ . ' ; ' j ~ ~ ; ~ : i A
p irfcthe Presbyterian
ontinual complaints
r stand and actions;
Whereas,
ccintlnua Involvement in these complaints and
appeals would be a
constant
drain on
our
precious
time
and limited energies;
14. Whereas, membership in North Georgia Presbytery
will subject
our
congregation to continual harassment
, ~ l I y q , ~ J ] o r a l i z i n g our people;
15. \
S
in which we
live
are of such critical
> ctionfrom
our
great c O . l 1 ) m i s ~ i ? n to
l o X ( ~ r t 1 p r i t i ~ ~ 7 w e p ~ 6 ' ~
s t ~ a r d s ~ i ~ )
of
i l i 1 d ~ e s o u r 5 P ~ ( J ~ ~ l .
. ) ~ y ;
n, d' p l i n e , j ~ \ P ( e ~ ~ t 5 J ~ r y res
s ~ n t i a l l y m a l ~ ~ t h e l ~ r s i o n un
a.
Shepherd and lead its flock;
b.
Practice discipline;
c. Preserve purity of
doctrine
and
life in
officers;
d. Maintain the distinctives of Chalcedon.
e. Carry
out
the Great C o m m i s s i ~ ? l l i j ) i f s entirety;
f. Place ministerial
students
train y Chalcedon in
pulpits
in
the Presbyterian Ch
in
America. ,
i .
~ ; ?
17. Whereas, it is
the
responsibility e session t 9 o t ec t
the congregation from false
do
e and unnet ry
disturbance; / ;i';;{
18.
Whereas, it is the r e s p o n s f b n i ~ ~ ~ ~ t h e
c ~ A g r e g ~ : i o n
to protect her officers from unnecessary hardship
or
unjust
treatment,
such as disciplinary action because
of
faithfulness to ordination vows;
19.
Whereas,
if Chalcedon were to with]
for s n
opportunitl .V ,\
/ , j f j i i i ;Y
: ~ r ~ . ~ / a ; f ; i t i c a c : j ( { ~ b \ f u e r i c a ; ' f q ; r a
t h o r o u g h I Y f ~ f ~ ~ m e d
d e n o m i n a t i ~ ~
possessed with
the Biblical vision of a
world converted to
Jesus
Christ
through the faithfulness of his church to his word,
by
His
Spirit
to
His glory;
Resolution: Therefore, by
the grace
of
God,
with grief for
our
brothers
whom we
leave and with joy because of the
door
God has
opened
for us - be it resolved that:
I.
Chalcedon Presbyterian Church withdraw from North
Georgia Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church
in
America effective this date.
7
the
COUNSEL
of CHALCEDON
2. Chalcedon Presbyterian Church continue to recognize
valid the ordination of her minister, elders and deacons
3. A new embryonic presbytery be established for
the
glory of God, called Covenant Presbytery, a seminal
Presbyterian denomination, which presbytery would
have as its constitution the Westminster Confession of
Faith, and Larger and Shorter Catechisms, requiring str
subscription
to
them
by all
church officers.
3
4. We invite
all
churches and ministers who share our vis
to join with
us
in this
great
undertaking to
the
glory of
God
in all openness, unhindered.
,/'-_::: :F::;;;';J
dnotes:
I.
For the
Westminster
Standards on theonomy, the
application of
the
Old Testament case laws see:
2.
a.
Chapter XIX, paragraph IV.
b.
Chapter
XXIII, paragraph
III,
and Scriptural
footno
(in the original).
c. Chapter XXIV, paragraph liV, and Scriptural footno
d. Scriptural
footnotes
to questions 99-148 in the
Larger Catechism.
For the
Westminster
Standards on postmillennialism se
a. Question
9 in the Larger Catechism and Scriptu
footnotes.
b. Question 45 in the Larger Catechism and Scriptur
footnotes.
c.
Question
26 in
the
Shorter Catechism and Scriptu
footnotes.
d. ChapterVIII, paragraphYlll and Scriptural footnote
The e s t m i n s ~ 7 r ( c O n f e ~ ~ j ~ ~ ; ~ f Faith is interpreted
according
to the
~ ~ ~ n t i o n
drits
original
authors
and as
inf ,,,r,,,r,,l,.,ii by < ; ~ ~ ~ n " " n t
Presbytery.