Reformed Church in Japan

Last updated
Reformed Church in Japan
Classification Protestant
Theology Calvinist, Evangelical
Polity Presbyterian
LeaderTakashi Yoshiba [1]
Associationswas a member of the Reformed Ecumenial Council
Region Japan
Origin1946
Tokyo
Separated from United Church of Christ in Japan
Congregations220
Members8,000-9,000
Ministers 130

The Reformed Church in Japan is a confessional Calvinist denomination in Japan. It was formerly a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, but it chose to suspend its membership. [2]

Contents

Origin

The Reformed Church in Japan was formed in 1946 in Tokyo. Before Japan entered World War II, all Protestants were forced to unite in one church, the United Church of Christ in Japan. Some congregations with Calvinist background left this denomination to form the Japan Reformed Church. [3] The Christian Reformed Church in North America sent missionaries to support the new denomination. At that time the church had nine pastors and three elders. [4] [5] The Calvinist World Mission has planted two presbyteries and almost 50 new congregations since entering Japan in 1951. CRCNA focuses their efforts on the metropolitan Tokyo area, one of the largest metropolitan areas of the world. [6] The church has now 220 congregations and 8,000-9,000 members. The denomination is growing steadily. However, the congregations are small: the largest has about 210 members and the smallest has about 10 members. [7] It affirms the Westminster Confession of Faith. [8] Sister church relations with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin), and the Reformed Church in the United States were established. [7] [9] [10] The Orthodox Presbyterian Church(USA) works with a presbytery of the Reformed Church in Japan in church planting and evangelism. The OPC provides a professor for the Kobe Theological Seminary. [11] [12]

Structure

The church has five presbyteries, namely Northeastern, Shikoku, Western, Central and Tobochu.

Northeast Presbytery includes churches in Kyoto, Osaka, Shiga, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Fukui, Tottori, Shimane, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa. [13]

Shikoku Presbytery churches are in Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi and Okayama Prefecture.

Central Presbytery has congregations in Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, Ishikawa, Fukui and Toyama. [14]

Tobuchu Presbytery has congregations in Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Greater Tokyo Area, Tochigi Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture. [15]

Theology

In 2004, the denomination had presbyterian-synodal church government with four districts and a Synod. As of November 2014, the denomination allows for the ordination of women.[ citation needed ] Formerly the church was a member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council.

Theological education

Interchurch relations

The Reformed Church in Japan was a full member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council. It is an observer in the International Conference of Reformed Churches and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. [18]

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterian Church in America</span> Conservative Reformed Christian denomination in the United States and Canada

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presbyterian in government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland</span> Irish Christian denomination

The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland is a non-creedal Christian denomination, which maintains a great emphasis on individual conscience in matters of Christian faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States)</span> Protestant Reformed Evangelical church body

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) is an American church body holding to presbyterian governance and Reformed theology. It is a conservative Calvinist denomination. It is most distinctive for its approach to the way it balances certain liberties across congregations on "non-essential" doctrines, such as egalitarianism in marriage or the ordination of women, alongside an affirmation of core "essential" doctrinal standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bible Presbyterian Church</span> Confessional Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States

The Bible Presbyterian Church is an American Protestant denomination in the Calvinist tradition. It was founded by members of the Presbyterian Church of America over differences on Eschatology and Abstinence, after having left the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America over the rise of Modernism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)</span> Orthodox-protestant church

The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) (Dutch: Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (vrijgemaakt)) was an orthodox Calvinist federation of churches. This church body arose in 1944 out of the so-called Liberation (Vrijmaking) from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, when many pastors and members refused to go along with the General Synod's demand to hold to "presumed regeneration of infants" at their baptism. Klaas Schilder played an important role in the Liberation. There are currently 270 affiliated local congregations with a total of about 120,000 members in 2016.

The Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) is a mainline Protestant church based in India, with over one and a half million adherents, mostly in Northeast India. It is one of the largest Christian denominations in that region.

The Korean Presbyterian Church in America now Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad is an independent Presbyterian denomination in the United States. It was founded in 1976 as a union of 3 Korean language Presbyteries. The mother church was the Presbyterian Church in Korea (TongHap). The church has close relationship with the PC(USA) and the Korean Christian Church in Japan. In 2004 it had 29,000 members and 263 congregations. According to the recent statistics it has 55,000 members and 302 congregations. Official languages are English and Korean. The church uses the Westminster Confession and the Apostles Creed. Since 2010 it formed an English speaking presbytery. KPCA is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. It is also a member of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America and the Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT-USA).

The Presbyterian Reformed Church of Mexico is a Protestant Christian church that formed after the Independent Presbyterian Church of Mexico split in the 1980s. The church has a relationship with the U.S.-based Christian Reformed Church in North America, which sends missionaries to the Mexico City area and other states. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

The Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church (AEPC) is a growing conservative Presbyterian and Reformed Church which adheres to the Westminster Confession of Faith started in Kenya, later spread to the surrounding countries like Burundi, Tanzania, Congo and as far as Zimbabwe. The headquarters of the church is located in Nairobi, Kenya. The current Moderator is Rev. Dr Joseph Mutei installed on Sunday 26th June 2022.

The Presbyterian Free Church of Central India is a confessional Reformed denomination in India, established by Scottish missionaries.

The Reformed Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was officially established in 1971 when the First Presbytery was formed as a result of the union of various conservative Presbyterian and Continental Reformed congregations planted by various missionary groups. Its origin could be traced back to the 1950s when the very first missionaries of those Presbyterian and Continental Reformed missionaries arrived in Taiwan.

The Presbyterian Church in Japan is a conservative Reformed denomination in Japan, founded by American missionaries in the mid-1900s.

The Korean Christian Church in Japan was founded in 1909 by Presbyterian missionaries from Korea. Pastor Han Sok-Po evangelized primarily among Korean students in Tokyo. From 1915 the Korean Presbyterians send more missionaries and the church in Japan grew steadily. Congregations are in all parts of Japan. In 1934 the Korean Church in Japan was established, but in 1939 it was forced to become a part of the Church of Christ in Japan. After World War II it separated and held a General Assembly of the Korean Christian Church in Japan. The Apostles Creed and Westminster Confession of Faith are the official documents. Partner churches are the Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Presbyterian Church in Korea.

The Union of Evangelical Reformed Churches in Russia was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. In 1991, congregations were established in Tver and Moscow and a year later the denomination was formed. The church subscribes the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort and the Apostles Creed. There are no women ordinated. Currently, it has three congregations in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. The St. Petersburg congregation was formed as a result of a merger of a Korean and a traditional Russian church. The church begun to publish Calvinist literature in Russia.

The South India Reformed Churches is a conservative Calvinist denomination in south India. This denomination is located in Andhra Pradesh and is a Calvinist church mission of the United States. It has 8 congregations with many children's homes.

The Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDongJeongShin) is a Reformed denomination in South Korea. It subscribes to the Apostles Creed and Westminster Confession. In 2004 the church had 112,275 members and 186 congregations.

The Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea, also called Korea-pa, is an Evangelical Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in the Republic of South Korea. Although, congregations have spread all over North America and in many other countries.

References

  1. ↑ "Reformed Church of Japan Brings Thanks to Synod 2012".
  2. ↑ "Member churches | Bringing together 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide". Archived from the original on 2012-08-08. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  3. ↑ "日本キリスト改革派教会の紹介". Calvin.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  4. ↑ "沿革". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  5. ↑ Benedetto, Robert; McKim, Donald K. (6 October 2009). Historical Dictionary of the Calvinist Churches - Robert Benedetto, Donald K. McKim - Google Könyvek. ISBN   9780810870239 . Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  6. ↑ "CRWM: Japan - Christian Reformed Church". .crcna.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  7. 1 2 "BBK.GKV » Japan". Bbk.gkv.nl. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  8. 1 2 "ウエストミンスター小教理問答書". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  9. ↑ Johannes a Lasco Library (2004-02-27). "Address data base of Calvinist churches and institutions". Reformiert-online.net. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  10. ↑ http://www.rcj-net.org/History_of_Reformed_Church_in_Japan.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  11. ↑ "Orthodox Presbyterian Church". www.opc.org.
  12. ↑ "声明". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  13. ↑ "教会案内 西部中会". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  14. ↑ "教会案内 中部中会". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  15. ↑ "教会案内 東部中会". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  16. ↑ "神戸改革派神学校". Rcj-net.org. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  17. ↑ "改革派神学研修所". Rcj-net.org. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  18. ↑ "教会案内 関係諸機関". www.rcj-net.org.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.