For a Continuing Church

“For a Continuing Church: The Roots of the Presbyterian Church in America”

 Sean Michael Lucas, P & R Publishing (December 11, 2015)

It is now over 40 years since the formation of the Presbyterian Church in America.  It is the largest biblically orthodox and Reformed church in the USA, with a self-proclaimed commitment to be “faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission.” Since its formation in 1973 it has grown to number over 1500 congregations throughout the USA and even in Canada. 

Initially it grew out of secession from the liberal PCUSA, as conservative congregations came together to maintain a biblical witness in the new denomination.  Lucas tells the story of the birth and growth of the PCA and of its theological and social development.

It is interesting to reflect on the fact that some leading PCUSA evangelicals were antagonistic to forming a new denomination.  Indeed in 1972 the PCUSA choose a professed evangelical as Moderator in an attempt to prevent the impending disruption.  He immediately repudiated his former associates and with others tried to persuade them to remain within the liberal PCUSA.  The remain-within evangelicals formed a Covenant Fellowship committed to remaining within the PCUSA and reforming the liberal denomination. (They failed utterly; most of them left the PCUSA 9 years later and joined the EPC) The PCUSA continued in its increasingly progressive liberal direction, haemorrhaging members and congregations, and stands today as the ultimate example of Presbyterian apostasy embracing doctrinal and moral heresy. In contrast, the PCA has grown and flourished showing that a conservative, evangelical, Reformed denomination can succeed; separation from error proved the catalyst for growth.

As Kevin DeYoung says in his commendation:

"This is about far more than the PCA. This book is nothing less than a history of Presbyterianism in the twentieth century—with all its theological wrangling, all its political manoeuvring, all its failings, and all its faithfulness. This is certainly a story worth telling, and Sean tells it very well."

There are of course no parallels with the situation in Scotland, or are there?

I look forward to reading in full Lucas’ excellent study.