By Brad Isbell | May 31, 2023 Dozens of congregations of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) communicate to the church and to the world that ordination is not essential to the holding of church office or to bearing the titles thereof. The two-office polity of the PCA is simple and clear; its on-the-ground manifestation … More PCA Officers & Their Pronouns
By Brad Isbell | April 27, 2023 The Presbyterian Church in America’s (PCA) Book of Church Order (BCO) contains no glossary, but maybe it needs one. This is not to fault the BCO’s early-70’s authors — no previous generation of Presbyterians had trouble figuring out what most of the words meant, including those words that … More An Overture on Titles & Ordination
By Brad Isbell | February 28, 2023 In the Presbyterian Church in America, there are but two offices: elder and deacon. All officers in the PCA are ordained; both offices (by definition) are filled by (and only by) ordained persons. Officers are essential in many kinds of organizations inasmuch as they are legally required or … More The Church’s Two Laws