History
The revolution caused by the discovery of gold in 1851, brought more ministers and a vastly increased population. The three Presbyterian divisions then existing in Australia – representing the Established, Free and United Presbyterian Church of Scotland streams – achieved union over the years 1859/1865. Sections of the latter two streams remained apart, the Free because of the practical compromise considered to be involved in the united body receiving ministers from the different streams, despite the Free Church of Scotland policy from 1858 being in favour of colonial unions. It was considered that diversity of view at this point established an attitude which would lead to diversity on other points at the very heart of the faith. There was also concern that toleration of a view point found among United Presbyterians could lead to the secular ideal of the state, which indeed developed in the 20th century. The PCEA became a very active body, although short of ministers until 1853.
Seven of the 22 PCEA ministers in November 1864 stayed out of the union. Most early PCEA members were Highland Scots or conservative Irish Presbyterians. The PCEA grew to 12 ministers within a few years of 1864, despite the death of early leaders, but suffered a serious schism in 1884 over the training of students. This was not healed until the 20th century, and much ground was lost. A section of the Brushgrove-Grafton congregation was not reconciled and joined the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1911. [The descendants of this group have a church in Grafton and another in Riverstone (Sydney).] Additionally there was no recognition by the Free Church of Scotland from 1864 until after 1900, when close relations were resumed with the section that stayed outside the union which formed the United Free Church of Scotland in 1900. There was a painful dispute in the 1970s which led to a minister who made exaggerated claims for the King James Version of the Bible being removed in 1979. The repercussions contributed to several ministers joining the Presbyterian Church of Australia. The New International Version (1984) or the New King James Version are the most generally used translations at present. Of recent times the church has been stable with increasing diversity of ethnic origins represented in its membership and ministerial ranks. Until recent years the membership was largely outside major cities. Currently (2017) about 60% of the following is in the capital cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Organisation
The PCEA’s supreme assembly is a Synod which meets annually hosted by one of the congregations. The PCEA has a long-standing arrangement enabling ready interchange of ministers with the Free Church of Scotland, and is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC). More recently, interchange of ministers with the Reformed Churches of New Zealand (2006) and with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in the US (2007), both also ICRC members, has been approved. The PCEA does not operate its own theological college, but has trained ministers in the Free Church of Scotland College, Edinburgh, at the Reformed Theological College, Geelong, and, more recently, in the training institutions of the mainline Presbyterian Church, supplemented in certain subjects. In Victoria it has friendly relations with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia which has congregations at Geelong, Frankston and MacKinnon, and whose presence in Australia also dates from colonial times.
The current communicant membership (31/12/2017) is about 450 with a total community of about 800. At the same date there were 11 ministers in pastoral charges and another seconded to provide leadership for Australian Indigenous Ministries (formerly Aboriginal Inland Mission). A significant work has developed among Sudanese refugees in Melbourne, with one minister from the Nuer people of South Sudan.
The main centres are:
- Northern Presbytery: Brisbane (Woolowin); Northern Rivers (Maclean, Grafton); Hastings (Wauchope, Port Macquarie)
- Central Presbytery: Manning (Taree); Hunter (Queens Avenue, Cardiff, Raymond Terrace); Sydney: St Georges, 201a Castlereagh Street, Mount Druitt, Bexley North
- Southern Presbytery: Geelong (Newcomb), Melbourne - Knox (Wantirna), All Nations (Mulgrave); Carrum Downs; Narre Warren; Ulverstone, Tasmania
Presbyterianism is a Reformed (Calvinist) Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders. Though there are other Reformed churches that are structurally similar, the word Presbyterian is applied to churches that trace their roots to the Church of Scotland or to English Dissenter groups that formed during the English Civil War.
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Presbyterianpolity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply. Groups of local churches are governed by a higher assembly of elders known as the presbytery or classis; presbyteries can be grouped into a synod, and presbyteries and synods nationwide often join together in a general assembly. Responsibility for conduct of church services is reserved to an ordained minister or pastor known as a teaching elder, or a minister of the word and sacrament.
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