RPCGA

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Reformer: Page Creation

The '''Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly''' is a [[Presbyterian]] denomination in the [[United States]].
[[Category:Presbyterianism]]

== History and Heritage ==

The historical origin of the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly begins at the founding of the [[New Testament]] [[Church]] in [[Jesus Christ]] our Lord and Savior. The early church was based upon a pattern of representative government. The word [[Presbyterian]] comes from the Greek term presbuteros meaning elder. It refers to the [[Apostolic]] system of choosing leaders from among those who are the wisest members of the church, based upon biblical qualifications. It literally means ruling by elders, based upon a representative system of government, that is, government by the consent of the people. As time passed, the church began to divert its government from a representative system to an [[Episcopal]] hierarchy in ecclesiastical authority. With the onslaught of degenerating morality and leadership in the government of the Church, there came an outcry for reform. [[Reformation]] was a demand for the Bible to be translated into the language of the common people and a return to "[[Gospel]] simplicity," i.e., a representative system of government and a biblical form of worship.

In the sixteenth century, there came a divine working of God in the reforming movement of the church. However, the [[Roman Catholic Church]] was not about to give up its administrative system of centralized government. Nor was the Roman Church about to return to the [[Augustinian]] theology of the early church. As God continued to bless the pure preaching of His Word, there came into existence the establishment of what were called "Reformed Churches." The great reformer of the church, and its greatest systematician was the French reformer of [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]] [[John Calvin]].

John Calvin was born in Nayon, [[France]] in 1509 and was a student of [[Latin]], [[logic]] and [[philosophy]] at the [[University of Paris]]. Later he studied law and classical literature. About 1533, Calvin changed his theological views to those of the Reformation. After being involved in the French reformed movement, Calvin was forced to flee from Paris for His life. From 1534-1536 Calvin wrote the first edition of his [[Institutes of the Christian Religion]]. It was a [[systematic theology]] on the [[doctrinal]] teaching of the Reformation. God's providence lead Calvin to Geneva where he ministered from 1536-1538, was exiled for three years and returned in 1541 where he remained pastor of St. Peters Church until his death in 1564. It was this church at Geneva that became the model of Presbyterian Churches. It was here at Geneva the Scottish Reformer, [[John Knox]], advanced his understanding of systematic and ecclesiastical theology under the instruction of John Calvin.

John Knox began to preach in [[Scotland]] at the [[St. Andrews]] Castle Church. Having spent time imprisoned on a French galley, Knox was eventually freed and returned to northern [[England]]. Knox then became the Chaplain to the Reformer [[King Edward VI]], and soon after King Edward's death, was required to flee to [[Europe]] for his life. Knox was invited to pastor an English congregation in [[Frankfurt]], [[Germany]], the first independent church established outside the [[Church of England]]. However, a dispute soon erupted after Dr. Cox, a minister of the Church of England, arrived at Frankfurt. Knox was falsely accused by Cox of undermining the Emperor. However, the dissension was over which prayer book the church would use in worship. Knox was desirous of using the [[Book of Common Worship]] developed in Geneva by Calvin and himself. Yet, Knox was forced to leave the church at Frankfurt and flee to Geneva, where another English Church, which had been part of the Frankfurt church, was established as independent of the Church of England. Upon his return to Scotland in 1559, Knox organized the Presbyterian Church as the official [[Church of Scotland]]. In 1560, John Knox lead the Church of Scotland in developing a Confession and Covenants as its official religion and the Presbyterian Church as the official Church in Scotland. From Scotland the Presbyterian movement moved westward to Ireland among the Scottish settlers and native Irish.

In the meantime, the Presbyterian movement was developing in England. From 1643 through 1647, there was assembled a group of 100 ministers at [[Westminster Abbey]] in [[London]]. Here they formed a new confession the [[Westminster Confession of Faith]] of 1647 that was followed by the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. The Church of Scotland was well represented at this assembly by five of its leading theologians.

Soon the Presbyterian Church found itself in [[North America]]. Finally in 1706, the First American Presbytery was formed in Philadelphia, and in 1716, it became the [[Synod of Philadelphia]]. In 1729, the Synod of Philadelphia adopted the Westminster Confession and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as its confession of faith. In 1788, the Synod adopted the official name of their church as "The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America" and held its first meeting in 1789. In 1857, the [[New School]] movement became divided over the issue of slavery and formed the United Synod of the Presbyterian Church. In 1861, the [[Old School]] movement of the South withdrew from the national church and formed the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America a continuing church of the former body. Near the end of the War Between the States, the Presbyterian Church in the [[Confederate States of America]] and a few smaller synods formed the [[Presbyterian Church in the United States]]. In 1972, a conservative movement removed itself from the Presbyterian Church in the United States to form the [[Presbyterian Church in America]] a continuing church. In 1982, the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod]] merged with the Presbyterian Church in America. In 1983, a few churches in the North Georgia Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America withdrew from the denomination over purity of doctrine and ecclesiastical practices. There upon was formed Covenant Presbytery. In 1985, Covenant Presbytery formed the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States]] as a continuing church. In 1990, the Reformed Presbyterian Church divided into four presbyteries and changed its name to the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Americas]].

The following year, as a result of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America's failure to establish and maintain a system of church discipline and the inability (after nine years) to finalize on a constitution, three of the four presbyteries chose to depart.

After the departure, the Western Presbytery dissolved itself with several churches electing to join with the Westminster Presbytery. One member church left the Hanover Presbytery (which chose to stand alone to this day) and also joined the Westminster Presbytery. During this time, the Westminster Presbytery sought counsel with representatives of several other denominations, some of who requested that the presbytery join with their denomination.

The conclusion of the matter was that we should seek to be confessional Christians who adhere to and practice our confession in every area of life. This was no longer possible without increasing and unresolvable strife within the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Americas that was believed would harm the peace of the church. Every other denomination that was considered as a possible place to go had confessional difference or was facing varying struggles over such issues as [[theistic evolution]], [[inerrancy]], [[charismaticism]], [[Arminianism]], [[dispensationalism]], and women in church office. We did not believe these were battles that needed to be joined since they were battles with modernism and liberalism that had already been allowed into the denominations. Therefore, we opted to continue the Presbyterian Church with fresh vigor based upon time-tested principles while seeking to learn from the past and continue the Reformation into the future.

Our first General Assembly adopted a Book of Church Order utilizing large parts of the original from the Westminster Assembly. Our Standards are those of the original Westminster Assembly. Boundaries for four presbyteries were laid out, with churches established in each. We have sought to guard against the extremes of administrative errors in the denominations from which we had separated, though confessing our great dependence upon the Lord to avoid them and others in the future. We are still learning and seek guidance from other denominations around the globe of like precious faith. We also pray that the many battles over biblical, confessional and organizational matters within other denominations will result in victory for the cause of Christ so as to enable us to seriously consider joining with them for the unity of the Church of Jesus Christ, for which we both work and pray.

(Approved by the 2nd General Assembly, July 27-29, 1993, Motion #36.)

== External links ==

*[http://www.whitefieldcollege.org Whitefield College]
*[http://www.whitefield.edu Whitefield Seminary]
*[http://www.rpcga.org Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Assembly]

Whitefield College

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Reformer: Added new page

'''Whitefield College''' functions under the auspices of Whitefield Theological Seminary, [[Lakeland, Florida]], as its undergraduate degree program. The college was established in 1980 to provide educational opportunities for students who desire a self-consciously Christian distance learning education in preparation for a Christian vocation. The school has no accreditation from any agency recognized by the [[US Department of Education]], although some of its students and graduates have been accepted by regionally accredited institutions.

== History ==

The college and seminary derive their name from the great eighteenth-century English revivalist, Rev. [[George Whitefield]], a man of true compassion, who quite literally expended his life preaching the gospel of the Lord he loved so passionately. [[Reformed]] in his theology, he was one of the major influences of his time, as he traveled throughout [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]], [[Ireland]], and [[colonial America]].

In an era when crossing the [[Atlantic Ocean]] was undertaken cautiously, and at great risk, Whitefield traversed the ocean thirteen times. On his seven trips to colonial America during the “[[Great Awakening]],” he was greatly used by God to counter many of the extremes of that movement, as well as to bring thousands to a saving knowledge of Christ. While in America, he labored diligently, often [[preaching]] three or more times a day. It is estimated that during his fifty-six years of life, George Whitefield probably preached over thirty thousand times! He had a special ministry for children, and saved his income to bring [[Christian]] school teachers to the southern colonies, where he also started an orphanage.

== Biblical and Theological Foundation ==
Whitefield College was established to train students in a Christian or biblical world and life view. Christians are people of the Book; God’s Word is Truth and, therefore, it is the foundation of true education. Mankind is not to imbibe the relativistic standards of the day, but is to be transformed by the renewing of their minds as they study, understand, and meditate upon the Scriptures [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rom12.2&version=31 (Romans 12:2)]. Thus, the center of the curriculum at Whitefield College is the Bible. It is the standard for every discipline and the touchstone of truth for every subject.

== Recognition and Accreditation ==

Whitefield College is a member of the [[American Federation of Colleges and Seminaries]] (AmFed), and is an [[Association of Christian Schools International]](ACSI) recognized college. Neither organization is recognized by the [[US Department of Education]]. Whitefield has never sought recognition or accreditation by the [[Council on Higher Education Accreditation]] or the [[US Department of Education]].[http://www.chea.org]

Whitefield College was authorized to grant degrees by The State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities in the State of Florida and continues as a registered degree granting institution with the Florida [http://www.fldoe.org/cie Commission for Independent Education]. The College has also been approved by the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly]] as a post-secondary institution for the training of individuals for Christian vocations or service within the Church or family. Whitefield is recommended and supported by the Christian Liberty Academy School System (CLASS), of [[Arlington Heights, Illinois]].

Since these accrediting bodies are not recognised by the U.S. Department of Education, degrees granted by Whitefield College may not be acceptable to other institutions or secular employers.

==See also==
* [[George Whitefield]]
* [[Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.whitefieldcollege.org Whitefield College]
*[http://www.whitefield.edu Whitefield Seminary]
*[http://www.rpcga.org Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Assembly]
*[http://www.am-fed.org American Federation of Colleges and Seminaries]
*[http://www.acsi.org Association of Christian Schools International]
*[http://www.homeschools.org Christian Liberty Academy School System]
*[http://www.chea.org U.S. Department of Education]

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Whitefield College