By Alex Mark | April 17, 2024 Please note that the Editorial Board of Presbyterian Polity does not necessarily endorse all views expressed on the blog of this site, but the editors are pleased to present well-crafted position papers on issues facing Presbyterian churches and denominations. What follows is one such paper for our readers’ … More In Favor of Requiring Exit Interviews
By Brad Isbell | March 26, 2024 An overture from a PCA session (meaning it failed to receive a majority at presbytery) would make the presbyterian judicial system more horizontal and lateral. The rationale (in part): For small Presbyteries and Sessions, it can be particularly difficult to perform an investigation properly, let alone to execute a trial. … More An Overture that Doesn’t Make the “Grade”: The Presbyterian Judicial System is Necessarily “Vertically Inclined”
By Brant Bosserman | January 12, 2024 Please note that the Editorial Board of Presbyterian Polity does not necessarily endorse all views expressed on the blog of this site, but the editors are pleased to present well-crafted position papers on issues facing Presbyterian churches and denominations. What follows is one such paper for our readers’ … More Cretans Are Always Liars: The Necessity of Divine Oaths in Church Courts
By Jared Nelson | September 21, 2023 While all of the proposed amendments to the Book of Church Order (BCO) received about three-fourths (or more) support at the 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCAGA50), Item 1 (i.e., Overture 26), is most likely to receive a measure of debate and discussion in … More Hammering Out Item 1
By Jared Nelson | September 5, 2023 There are many potential motivations for studying the Book of Church Order (BCO): for personal growth and edification, to understand presbytery or General Assembly meetings better, to work through a difficult church matter, or to pass your BCO/polity exams for officer training. No matter the motivation, early in … More Studying the Book of Church Order: Some Resources
by The Editors | June 21, 2023 With the 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) behind us, the denomination’s elders who attended have been or will be reporting on the actions and events of the Assembly to their congregations, as required by the Book of Church Order (BCO) 12-5.f. Teaching Elder … More Charting the Votes of PCAGA50
By Jared Nelson | June 19, 2023 One potentially confusing part of the deliberations at the 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was the consideration of Overture 7. You can see the substance of that overture in a previous Presbyterian Polity article here. While there was some confusion as to substance … More The Route for Amending the RAO: Explaining How the 50th GA Handled Overture 7
by Zachary Groff | June 13, 2023 The 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) formally opens with a worship service, Stated Clerk’s address, and the election of a moderator this evening (Tuesday the 13th). However, the important business of the Committees of Commissioners (CoCs) commenced yesterday and will continue throughout the … More Action & Accountability at PCAGA50
by Reed DePace | June 8, 2023 Please note that the Editorial Board of Presbyterian Polity does not necessarily endorse all views expressed on the blog of this site, but the editors are pleased to present well-crafted position papers on issues facing Presbyterian churches and denominations. What follows is one such paper for our readers’ … More Seeking to Strengthen the SJC at PCAGA50
by Joshua Torrey | June 8, 2023 Please note that the Editorial Board of Presbyterian Polity does not necessarily endorse all views expressed on the blog of this site, but the editors are pleased to present well-crafted position papers on issues facing Presbyterian churches and denominations. What follows is one such paper for our readers’ … More Should the PCA Require Background Checks