Our Heritage
Reformers William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox
As with all evangelical churches, our heritage is that of God's gracious gathering of sinners to himself through the person and work of the Lord Jesus. We, as God's people, have been "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Ephesians 2:20)
From this common heritage which all true believers share, we rejoice in a particular story of God's grace. Although we do not contend that we are the only true church of Christ in this world, nor do we claim to descend in a direct line of ordination from the apostles, we do contend that the faith, practice, worship, and government we hold is apostolic. This means that these are in accordance to the apostles' teachings as found in the Holy Bible.
Although there were faithful men and women in all ages of the history of the church, we find it irrefutable that a great spiritual darkness covered the visible face of the church prior to the Reformation. Beliefs ranging from the gaining of forgiveness of sins through actions of penance, purchases of indulgences, and prayers to saints or Mary riddled the church and veiled the light of the Gospel. God's authority as expressed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments was overthrown and placed into the hands of outwardly exalted, but inwardly polluted men, even trained and learned men in the church. The knowledge of man's duty and God's gracious way of deliverance was all but eclipsed through the superstitious and powerless way of salvation by man's own works.
Yet, the knowledge of God's way of salvation was not vanquished. He maintained a witness to the saving truths of Christ Jesus, and eventually raised up mighty witnesses to the same through such men as Martin Luther, Martin Bucer, William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox. These men, though themselves imperfect and in need of God's grace, were used of God to reassert the Scripture's unique and exclusive authority over man's faith and practice. Pointing out that the ultimate rule of faith resides in God's word, the Scriptures were placed above all else when answering questions as to what we should believe, how we should worship God, and how the Lord desires our lives to be lived. They contended earnestly for a faith, practice, worship, and government which went back to the sources, namely the 66 books of the Old and New Testament.
It is to this storyline that we point as that which provides our story. We are children of the Reformation, and by consequence, we are children of the apostles. We are a part of that visible church founded by Christ, about which he said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail." Thus, through the years since the Reformation, we have seen this story continue and develop. Some chapters have seen the progress of Christ's kingdom progress with great spiritual growth and vitality; other chapters have provided witness of declension and struggle. Yet, we are most grateful to find that Christ is still building his kingdom, and has been pleased in his mercy to make us part of it.
From this common heritage which all true believers share, we rejoice in a particular story of God's grace. Although we do not contend that we are the only true church of Christ in this world, nor do we claim to descend in a direct line of ordination from the apostles, we do contend that the faith, practice, worship, and government we hold is apostolic. This means that these are in accordance to the apostles' teachings as found in the Holy Bible.
Although there were faithful men and women in all ages of the history of the church, we find it irrefutable that a great spiritual darkness covered the visible face of the church prior to the Reformation. Beliefs ranging from the gaining of forgiveness of sins through actions of penance, purchases of indulgences, and prayers to saints or Mary riddled the church and veiled the light of the Gospel. God's authority as expressed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments was overthrown and placed into the hands of outwardly exalted, but inwardly polluted men, even trained and learned men in the church. The knowledge of man's duty and God's gracious way of deliverance was all but eclipsed through the superstitious and powerless way of salvation by man's own works.
Yet, the knowledge of God's way of salvation was not vanquished. He maintained a witness to the saving truths of Christ Jesus, and eventually raised up mighty witnesses to the same through such men as Martin Luther, Martin Bucer, William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox. These men, though themselves imperfect and in need of God's grace, were used of God to reassert the Scripture's unique and exclusive authority over man's faith and practice. Pointing out that the ultimate rule of faith resides in God's word, the Scriptures were placed above all else when answering questions as to what we should believe, how we should worship God, and how the Lord desires our lives to be lived. They contended earnestly for a faith, practice, worship, and government which went back to the sources, namely the 66 books of the Old and New Testament.
It is to this storyline that we point as that which provides our story. We are children of the Reformation, and by consequence, we are children of the apostles. We are a part of that visible church founded by Christ, about which he said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail." Thus, through the years since the Reformation, we have seen this story continue and develop. Some chapters have seen the progress of Christ's kingdom progress with great spiritual growth and vitality; other chapters have provided witness of declension and struggle. Yet, we are most grateful to find that Christ is still building his kingdom, and has been pleased in his mercy to make us part of it.
Reformed
As children of the Reformation, we share in the great story of God's reclaiming of the Scriptural truths of salvation, worship, and practice through the instruments of those who fought the good fight of faith. In the last 100 years, there has been a resurgence in Reformed literature. Theological works, sermons, handbooks of piety, confessions and catechisms have been reprinted providing this present generation with access to a number of exceptional and edifying materials representing Reformed commitments.
It is unfortunate, however, that many now feel that "Reformed" simply refers to a view of God's sovereignty in salvation. Surely this is an integral part of the commitment. However, when reading the works of the Reformers, it becomes clear that they were far from thinking of the Reformation as exclusively relating to the Bible's teaching on salvation. Theirs was a broader, more exhaustive view - one that addressed all of the Bible's teachings. Thus, not only was the church's teaching on salvation reformed according to Scripture, but the church's teaching on worship, on holy living, on church and state relations, on church government, on the pastorate, and so on was reformed, and reformed according to Scripture. Thus, our heritage is not simply one of God's exclusive sovereignty in salvation, as precious and as cherished as that is. Our heritage is that of God's exclusive authority over every article of faith, over every expression of worship, over every way of living. In short, to be Reformed, it to see our faith, practice, worship, and discipline reformed according to God's exclusive and supreme authority, the Bible.
It is unfortunate, however, that many now feel that "Reformed" simply refers to a view of God's sovereignty in salvation. Surely this is an integral part of the commitment. However, when reading the works of the Reformers, it becomes clear that they were far from thinking of the Reformation as exclusively relating to the Bible's teaching on salvation. Theirs was a broader, more exhaustive view - one that addressed all of the Bible's teachings. Thus, not only was the church's teaching on salvation reformed according to Scripture, but the church's teaching on worship, on holy living, on church and state relations, on church government, on the pastorate, and so on was reformed, and reformed according to Scripture. Thus, our heritage is not simply one of God's exclusive sovereignty in salvation, as precious and as cherished as that is. Our heritage is that of God's exclusive authority over every article of faith, over every expression of worship, over every way of living. In short, to be Reformed, it to see our faith, practice, worship, and discipline reformed according to God's exclusive and supreme authority, the Bible.
Presbyterian
The term presbyterian most directly refers to a form of church government, as presbyterian comes from the Greek term presbuteros - elder. Yet, through its association with the church in Scotland, which historically has held to the Westminster Standards, it also communicates the set of beliefs, practices, forms of worship, and stories related to and stemming from the Scottish church. There is a direct link between our Reformed and our Presbyterian heritage. That link is found in the relationship between the work of the Reformation in cities like Geneva, Strasbourg, and Frankfurt, as well as the men and women who brought that work to Scotland. Chiefly we see this in the life and labors of John Knox. Yet there were others who gave their lives, even unto death, for the work of seeing Christ's church purified from errors of superstitious teachings, practice, and worship. Such men as George Wishart and Patrick Hamilton gave their lives for this purpose. Others who survived unto older age also gave of their time, labors, prayers, and possessions to see the church of Christ in Scotland reformed.
Upon the formal casting down of Roman Catholicism, and the establishing of the church reformed according to Scripture in 1560, the church in Scotland has always been known as Presbyterian. The years 1560, 1592, and 1638 are all of great importance in considering the storyline and heritage of our church. Yet the years 1643-52 mark out a time of significant importance with reference to our Presbyterian heritage. For, in these years, an assembly of men from England, with Scottish ministers and elders attending, met to clarify its confession of faith and practice to the world. Each member sitting on this assembly had to take the following vow, a vow clearly setting forth the commitment to truth and peace that each member of the assembly was to have.
I, A. B., do seriously promise and vow, in the presence of Almighty GOD, That in this Assembly, whereof I am a member, I will maintain nothing in point of doctrine, but what I believe to be most agreeable to the word of GOD; nor in point of discipline, but what may make most for God's glory, and the peace and good of this church.
Not only did this assembly set forth a statement or confession of faith in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, it also sought to reform worship and church government. Thus, of the documents issued by the assembly, we find not only the Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms, but also the Directory for the Publick Worship of God, Directory for Private Worship, the Form of Presbyterial Church Government, as well as the production of a metrical Psalter, which would become the Psalms of David in Metre (1650). Not only does this confirm the earlier contention that to be Reformed is much more than believing the precious and scriptural doctrines of grace, but it serves as an illustration of what classical Reformed and classical Presbyterian commitments embraced.
Upon the formal casting down of Roman Catholicism, and the establishing of the church reformed according to Scripture in 1560, the church in Scotland has always been known as Presbyterian. The years 1560, 1592, and 1638 are all of great importance in considering the storyline and heritage of our church. Yet the years 1643-52 mark out a time of significant importance with reference to our Presbyterian heritage. For, in these years, an assembly of men from England, with Scottish ministers and elders attending, met to clarify its confession of faith and practice to the world. Each member sitting on this assembly had to take the following vow, a vow clearly setting forth the commitment to truth and peace that each member of the assembly was to have.
I, A. B., do seriously promise and vow, in the presence of Almighty GOD, That in this Assembly, whereof I am a member, I will maintain nothing in point of doctrine, but what I believe to be most agreeable to the word of GOD; nor in point of discipline, but what may make most for God's glory, and the peace and good of this church.
Not only did this assembly set forth a statement or confession of faith in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, it also sought to reform worship and church government. Thus, of the documents issued by the assembly, we find not only the Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms, but also the Directory for the Publick Worship of God, Directory for Private Worship, the Form of Presbyterial Church Government, as well as the production of a metrical Psalter, which would become the Psalms of David in Metre (1650). Not only does this confirm the earlier contention that to be Reformed is much more than believing the precious and scriptural doctrines of grace, but it serves as an illustration of what classical Reformed and classical Presbyterian commitments embraced.
Disruption
Through a series of events wherein the commitment to the crown rights of Jesus Christ were challenged by the crown of the civil ruler, the church in Scotland suffered considerable trials throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Although the Lord sustained his people and provided some of the mighty preachers remembered even today (Samuel Rutherford, Thomas Halyburton, Thomas Boston, John Colquhoun, the Erskines, Andrew Thomson, Robert Murray M'Cheyne, etc.), yet in his wisdom he tested his people through the abuse of civil authority against the church. ...