Difference between revisions of "Orthodox Presbyterian Church"

Revision as of 17:31, January 18, 2009

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church is a conservative American Reformed Denomination. It was founded in 1936 by conservative members (e.g., John Gresham Machen) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) who were strongly opposed to the pervasive Modernist theology during the 1930s. The Church attempts to preserve historic Calvinism within a Presbyterian structure. It is, however, more liberal than the Bible Presbyterian Church, who left the OPC in 1937. It was originally called the Presbyterian Church of America, but a legal issue with Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A caused them to change their name.

It is not opposed to members consuming alcoholic beverages. It has disciplined its members for breaking rules that prohibit participation in organized sports on their Sabbath observance. It remains highly skeptical of the Charismatic movement, going so far as to discipline one of its ministers who spoke tongues in private.