Vanguard Presbytery

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Vanguard Presbytery
Vanguard Presbytery logo.png
Classification Evangelical Protestant
Orientation Reformed
Theology Conservative & Confessional
Governance Presbyterian
Region United States of America
Origin2020
Separated from Presbyterian Church in America
SeparationsChrist Reformed Presbyterian Church (2022)
Congregations19 (2021) [1]
Official website vanguardpresbytery.com

The Vanguard Presbytery is a Presbyterian denomination formed in 2020 by churches that separate from the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) due to conflicts over the application of ecclesiastical discipline and the charge that the PCA has become excessively hierarchical. [2] [3]

Contents

History

In 2018 St. Louis Memorial Presbyterian Church, a local church federate to the Presbyterian Church in America, started the Revoice Conference, aimed at people sexually attracted to other people of the same sex. The conference argued that sex should only be practiced in marriage and that Christian marriage is only between a man and a woman. Therefore, Christians sexually attracted to other people of the same sex should be celibate. [4]

However, it was argued that Christians sexually attracted to other people of the same sex could identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, since sexual attraction would be an essential element of the individual's identity. Such a position was the subject of controversy and decisions regarding ecclesiastical discipline were a source of conflict. [3] [4]

A group of disaffected churches broke away from the Presbyterian Church in America and formed the Vanguard Presbytery. The denomination's first General Assembly took place on July 30, 2020. [5]

After the formation of the Vanguard Presbytery, the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States another splinter denomination from the Presbyterian Church in America, formed in 1973 was dissolved and its local churches joined the new denomination. [6] [7]

In May 2022 a number of congregations withdrew from Vanguard Presbytery to form a new denomination called Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church. [8] [9]

Doctrine

The Vanguard Presbytery believe in Young Earth Creationism. [10]

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References

  1. "Affiliations of the Vanguard Presbytery" . Retrieved 2021-11-22.
  2. Roberts, Dewey (2019-12-02). "Vanguard Presbytery: A new Presbyterian denomination being formed". The Aquila Report. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  3. 1 2 Clark, R. Scott (2020-02-13). "Former members of the Presbyterian Church in America leave to form the Presbytery Vanguard". Recovering The Reformed Confession. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  4. 1 2 Clark, R. Scott (2018-06-15). "The controversy behind the Revoice Conference". Recovering The Reformed Confession. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  5. Roberts, Dewey (2020-08-04). "The Vanguard Presbytery held its first call on July 30, 2020 in Nashville, TN". The Aquila Report. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  6. "Church Presbyterian Calcedônia joined Presbytery Vanguarda" . Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  7. "History of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in the United States and the Presbyterian Church Chalcedon". 1988. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  8. "Testimony and Covenant of the Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church". The Aquila Report. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  9. Roberts, Dewey. "A Defense of the Good Name of Vanguard Presbytery". The Aquila Report. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  10. "The Six Days of Creation". Excellent Thought. 2020-05-12. Retrieved 2021-06-22.