Membership Class: Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church RPCNA History: Church of Scotland to RPCNA February 15, 2009 First Scottish Reformation: The Gospel 1504 – 1523 Patrick Hamilton teaches justification by faith. He was martyred in 1523, in St. Andrews. 1546 George Wishart preached the Gospel and was martyred on March 1, 1546, in St. Andrews. 1546 • John Leslie, Peter Carmichael, and James Melville broke into St. Andrews Castle and assassinated Cardinal David Beaton, who held Scotland under tyranny under the RCC. 1547 - 1557 • 1547-1553 – John Knox takes refuge in St. Andrews Castle, and he is imprisoned as French galley slave for 19 months. Then, he served as a pastor in England. • 1554-1557 – While in Geneva, Switzerland, Knox interacted with Calvin and others. 1557-1560 • 1557 – Knox returned to Scotland to lead the First Scottish Reformation. • 1560 – The Reformation Parliament decreed Protestantism would be the religion of Scotland, and The Scots Confession was written as the confession of faith. The Church of Scotland (CoS) was established as a reformed and protestant church. • 1581 – Covenant of 1581 established a qualified promise to support the King, rejected Roman Catholicism, and it was signed by King James VI of Scotland. Second Scottish Reformation: Presbyterian Form of Church Government 1560-1567 The CoS and Scottish Parliament struggled to determine their proper relationship. 1567-1638 Parliament established the CoS as the “State Church.” The CoS derived its power from Christ and not Parliament, but the CoS battled the Parliament over lay patronage and episcopal church government (rule of the Church by bishops). 1636 Charles I (king of both England and Scotland) had the English Archbishop Laud prepare a Scottish Book of Canons or church law. It established high-church, semi-Catholicism in worship and episcopal government, and forbid private meetings and extemporaneous prayer. Excommunication was threatened for any who criticized the Book of Canons. The common people of the CoS viewed it as a return to Roman Catholicism. 1637 • All ministers were required to purchase 2 copies, but they were not required to use it. • Turning Point of the Reformation: July 23, 1637, the minister at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh attempted to use the prayer book. The people responded in rebellion. The legend is that an old woman (Ginny Geddies) stood up and tossed her stool at the pastor. • Charles I required the use of the prayer book, and Presbyterians protested in Edinburgh. • Charles I asked the protestors to prepare a solution, but he rejected the suggestions. 1638-1641 • On Feb. 28, 1638, the National Covenant was publically sworn and signed at Greyfriars Church in Edinburgh. General Assembly of the CoS under the National Covenant met to reform the church • 1641 – Parliament required subscription to the National Covenant to serve in gov’t. Scotland becomes a Christian nation. Parliament restored the Great Charter of Presbytery. CoS* adopts a new Confession of Faith: Westminster Confession of Faith(WCF), WLC, and WSC 1643-1649 Scotland and the English Parliament entered into the Solemn League and Covenant. Scotland would help fight Charles I in the English Civil War. In return, the English Parliament agreed establishment of covenanted unity in the Church of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The English Parliament called the Westminster Assembly (WA) to write a confession of faith. 1647 The CoS adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith and other documents as the confession of the Church. (* The RPCNA has held to the WCF since its roots in the CoS.) Scottish Covenanters (Reformed Presbyterians) 1661 400 ministers were ejected from the CoS after King Charles II revoked presbyterianism. The Covenanters or Reformed Presbyterians were part of these 400 ministers. 1660-1690 About 18,000 Covenanters were murdered because they would not swear allegiance to King James II, who tried to usurp Christ’s headship over the Church. 1690-1692 • William and Mary conquered England’s King James II and established a Presbyterian CoS Page 1 of 2 Membership Class: Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church RPCNA History: Church of Scotland to RPCNA February 15, 2009 • The Covenanters refused to join this new CoS because of the conviction to the doctrine of the “Mediatorial Kingship of Jesus Christ.” 1743 • The Covenanter Societies finally had two pastors and organized the first Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. In 1747, John Cuthbertson was ordained in the RPCS. Origin of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 17th Cent. Many Scottish Presbyterians immigrated to Ulster, NI, to receive free RCC land from James I. 1729 • ~5600 Scotch-Irish immigration to Penn’s colony in America to avoid persecution. • The Covenanters settled in South-central and Western PA, SC, NY, & VT. • The infant RPCNA existed in “Covenanter Societies.” Due to the lack of pastors, the Covenanters established a system for private, informal worship called the societies. 1740-1750 Alexander Craighead was the only minister of the Societies from 1742-1750 until he returned to the mainline Presbyterian church in 1751. 1751-1782 John Cuthbertson was ordained in the RPCS in 1747 and served NA Societies in 1751. He administered communion for the first time on August 23, 1752, at Middle Octorara, PA. 1774 The RPCI sent Matthew Lind and Alexander Dobbin to America. Lind, Dobbin, and Cuthbertson organized the first Reformed Presbytery in America (RPA) in 1774. 1782 The RPA dissolved when they merged with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP). The Seceders (ARP) and RPA agreed in almost 98% of their doctrine, and since Britain no longer ruled over the colonies, the RPA comprised and united with the ARP. 1790 - 1792 James McGarragh (RPCI) and William King (RPCS) were sent to pastor the societies, but King died. McGarragh was suspended for intemperance. 1798 James McKinney and William Gibson (RPCI) constituted a permanent Reformed Presbytery. 1802 The church grew into the Northern, Middle, and Southern Presbyteries. 1807 The RPCNA Testimony to the Westminster Confession of Faith was approved and published. 1809 The first RPCNA Synod met with three presbyteries and seven ministers. Important Points in RPCNA History 1782 - 1967 1782 – James McKinney established the basis of political dissent to the U.S. Constitution. 1967 – The requirement of political dissent was changed to a matter of Christian Liberty 1810 Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary established in 1810 – later settled in Pittsburgh. 1848 Geneva College was founded at Geneva Hall in Northwood, Ohio – later in Beaver Falls. 1800ff Slavery • 1800 – Slave-holders barred from membership. • 1816 – RPCNA participates in American Colonization Society – involvement in the Underground Railroad and establishment of the nation of Liberia. • 1862 – Mission to freed slaves. The Selma, AL, church was part of this work. • 1866 – “Negro” students in Geneva Collegiate Institute in Ohio. 1856 - Foreign • 1856 to 1962 – Mission station to Syria present Missions • 1896 to present – Mission to Cyprus • 1895 – ~1951 – Mission to China and Manchuria • 1951 – Mission to Japan, now an indigenous Presbytery 1836 - 1998 Alcohol • 1857 Abstinence from alcoholic beverages required of members • 1980 RP Testimony changed to say, “it is altogether wise and prudent to abstain from alcohol.” • 1998 Revision of Vow #8 approved, removing abstinence requirement for elders Lesson from RPCNA History: The WCF 25.5 says “The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth to worship God according to His will.” The RPCNA is not a perfect church, but we strive to worship God according to His will. Page 2 of 2 .