North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council

Last updated
North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
Formation1975 (1975)
Membership614,002 (2020-2024)
Chairman
Rev. L. Anthony Curto [1]
Website www.naparc.org

The North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) is an association of several Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the United States and Canada. [2] The Council meets annually.

Contents

It lists biblical inerrancy as its basis, along with the Six Forms of Unity: the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Belgic Confession, the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms , the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dordt.

The purpose of NAPARC is to "facilitate cross-denominational conversation and co-operation." [3]

History and basis

The first NAPARC meeting was held in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in the fall of 1975, and had the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA), the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod as its founding members. [4] In time, NAPARC would grow to include 13 Continental Reformed and Presbyterian denominations.

In 1997, the membership of the Christian Reformed Church was suspended, largely on the basis of its 1995 decision to open the offices of elder and minister of word and sacrament to women. [5] [6] [7] Later, in 2001, the denomination was excluded from the organization. [8]

Since 1999, several proposals to transform the NAPARC into a synod that would unify the member denominations have been discussed. [9]

In 2011, the 37th meeting discussed the differences between the organization's member denominations, seeking unity. Discussion of a possible merger between the denominations was encouraged. This was called the Reformed Ecclesiastical Dialogue (RED). However, this project received criticism for giving too much freedom to groups integrated into this possible denomination. [10]

In 2012, another debate about unity among the denominations occurred. [11] Again the plan was criticized by some leaders, but encouraged by others. It has been proposed that the union of churches is ideal, but it may be that the current churches are not yet prepared for it. [12]

In 2019, a representative of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church asked "What is the current stance within NAPARC on organic union?". [13]

In 2025 the official NAPARC press release stated,

"In observance of the 50th anniversary of NAPARC, an open discussion was held regarding the objective of organic union, evaluating past efforts and commenting on the prospects of organic union in the future.The discussion revealed that all were thankful for the many ways NAPARC has fostered cooperation with one another in many areas, but few were hopeful of organic union in the foreseeable future, as defined by NAPARC. Some commented that if such unions between Member Churches were to occur, they must come from the bottom up, not imposed from the top down, noting that some church union efforts in the broader church have been destructive of both the Gospel and church unity and have weakened theological foundations through compromise. Nevertheless, the assembly was encouraged to continue to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Since the Spirit has made us one, it is needful to strive, regardless of how difficult, to establish a bond of peace which is a bond of reconciliation – a bond that seeks to remove all sinful causes of division between Christians and churches" [14]

Purpose and function

The Constitution of NAPARC states that the Basis of the Council is "Confessing Jesus Christ as only Savior and Sovereign Lord over all of life, we affirm the basis of the fellowship of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches to be full commitment to the Bible in its entirety as the Word of God written, without error in all its parts and to its teaching as set forth in the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dordt, the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. That the adopted basis of fellowship be regarded as warrant for the establishment of a formal relationship of the nature of a council, that is, a fellowship that enables the constituent churches to advise, counsel, and cooperate in various matters with one another and hold out before each other the desirability and need for organic union of churches that are of like faith and practice."

The objectives of the organization are:

Possible member mergers

In 1977, the Presbyterian Church in America absorbed the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, one of the founding members of the NAPARC. [15] Since then, the NAPARC routinely debate on new proposals for the unification of denominations. [13]

In 2008, United Reformed Churches in North America absorbed Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches in North America. [16]

Canadian and American Reformed Churches and United Reformed Churches in North America

The Canadian and American Reformed Churches and the United Reformed Churches in North America have been in dialogue about a possible merger since the 2010s. In 2016, the two denominations held simultaneous synods, in the same location. [17] [18]

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church was formed by the union of two Presbyterian groups, which included most of the members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, in 1803. [19]

After the establishment of the NAPARC, the two denominations established a relationship. In 2015 and 2019, the two denominations held simultaneous synods in the same location and some members questioned the possibility of a future merger. [20]

Free Reformed Churches of North America and Heritage Reformed Congregations

The Free Reformed Churches of North America and Heritage Reformed Congregations have operated a seminary together since 1995 and are in dialogue about a possible merger. In 2017, they held simultaneous synods, in the same location. [21] [22] [23]

Presbyterian Church in America and Orthodox Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian Church in America and Orthodox Presbyterian Church attempted, in 1956 and in 1972, denominational merger. However, in each of the attempts, the merger was not approved by the necessary quorum in the respective assemblies of one of the denominations. [15] [24]

Member denominations

Denomination [25] Number of congregationsNumber of membersRefs
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church 26025,692(2022) [26]
Canadian and American Reformed Churches 7620,079(2024) [26]
L'Église réformée du Québec (ERQ)
("Reformed Church of Quebec" (RCQ) in English)		5265(2024) [26]
Free Reformed Churches of North America 235,505(2023) [26]
Heritage Reformed Congregations 102,186(2022) [26]
Korean American Presbyterian Church 65080,000(2023) [27]
Korean Presbyterian Church in America (Kosin) 13510,300(2015) [28]
Orthodox Presbyterian Church 34133,566(2024) [29]
Presbyterian Church in America 1,964400,751(2024) [30]
Presbyterian Reformed Church7226(2018) [31] [32]
Reformed Church in the United States 453,438(2025) [26]
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 856,990(2023) [26]
United Reformed Churches in North America 14025,004(2023) [33]
Total3,741614,002(2020-2024)

Observer denominations

Denomination [13] Number of congregationsNumber of Members
Protestant Reformed Churches in America 338,716 [34]  
Bible Presbyterian Church 27 [35] 3,528 [36]

References

  1. ↑ "Contact – NAPARC".
  2. ↑ "Links | Aisquith Presbyterian Church". Aisquith Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. ↑ Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition. InterVarsity Press. 2013. p. 80. ISBN   9780830827084 . Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Constituting Meeting of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC)" accessed June 21st, 2013 http://www.naparc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Minutes-of-the-1st-1975-Meeting-of-NAPARC.pdf Archived 2016-02-21 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "By 6-1, the NAPARC voted to suspend the Christian Reformed Church in North America" . Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Suspension of the Christian Reformed Church in North America from the NAPARC" . Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Exclusion of the Christian Reformed Church in NAPARC North America" . Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  8. ↑ "GA Hears Reports on NAE and NAPARC". Presbyterian and Reformed News, Volume 7, Number 4. July 2001. p. 9. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  9. ↑ "NAPARC News". November 17, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Reformed Ecclesiastical Dialogue" . Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ "CNAPR discusses unity" (PDF). Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Criticism of the NAPARC's church unification plan" . Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 "Minute of the 2019 NAPARC Meeting, Article 19.A.1" (PDF). Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  14. ↑ "2025 NAPARC Press Release". November 17, 2025.
  15. 1 2 "History of the absorption of the Reformed Presbyterian Church - Evangelical Synod for the Presbyterian Church in America" . Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Timeline of Reformed Denominations in North America" . Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Report of the coordinators of the Commission for Church Unity". Canadian and American Reformed Churches. 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Report of the Synod of the United Reformed Churches in North America". Churches United Retirees in North America. 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  19. ↑ Carson, David Melville (1964). "History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America until 1971". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  20. ↑ Sims, Kyle E. (May 14, 2019). "Simultaneous Synods of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America". Gentle Reformation. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary". MV Michigan. July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Report of the Synod of Congregations of Reformed Heritage". Reformatorisch Dagblad. May 31, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Reformed Heritage Congregations Unity Committee" . Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  24. ↑ "The near merger between the Presbyterian Church in America and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church". April 16, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Member Churches - NAPARC". North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Minutes of the 91st General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church" (PDF). June 2025. pp. 271–290. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  27. ↑ "미주한인예수교장로회 총회 역사" . Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Report to General Synod Dunnville 2016 - Committee for Contact with Churches in North America". p. 45. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Report of the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church 2025". Archived from the original on June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Statistics of the Presbyterian Church in America 2010-2024" . Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Report of the Synod of the United Reformed Churches in North America". United Reformed Churches in North America. June 11, 2018. p. 280. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  32. ↑ Presbyterian Reformed Church (2012), Congregations, archived from the original on October 30, 2012, retrieved November 13, 2012
  33. ↑ "Minutes of the 2024 General Assembly of the United Reformed Churches in North America". pp. 219–222, 352. Archived from the original on May 7, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  34. ↑ "Statistics of Protestant Reformed Churches in America". 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  35. ↑ "List of churches linked to the Biblical Presbyterian Church" . Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Biblical Presbyterian Church". Reformiert Online. March 5, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
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