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{{short description|Former protestant denomination}} |
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{{Infobox Christian denomination |
{{Infobox Christian denomination |
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| name = Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States |
| name = Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States |
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| orientation = [[Presbyterian polity|Presbyterian]] |
| orientation = [[Presbyterian polity|Presbyterian]] |
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| theology = [[Christian Reconstructionism|Christian reconstructionist]] |
| theology = [[Christian Reconstructionism|Christian reconstructionist]] |
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| founded_date = 1983 |
|founder=Rev. Joe Morecraft| founded_date = 1983 |
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| founded_place = |
| founded_place =Chalcedon Presbyterian Church, north Atlanta, Georgia |
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| separated_from = [[Presbyterian Church in America]] |
| separated_from = [[Presbyterian Church in America]] |
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| separations = [[Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery]] |
| separations = [[Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery]] and [[Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly]], 1991 |
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| merged_into = Vanguard Presbytery |
| merged_into = [[Vanguard Presbytery]] (2020) |
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| congregations = 3 |
| congregations = 3 (in 2020) |
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| other_names = |
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| website = http://www.rpcus.com |
| website = http://www.rpcus.com |
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}} |
}} |
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{{Portal|Reformed Christianity}} |
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The '''Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States''' |
The '''Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States''' was a small [[Presbyterian]] denomination based in the United States that merged into the [[Vanguard Presbytery]]. The RPCUS was established in 1983, subscribes to the unrevised<ref>{{cite web|last=Morecraft|first=Joe|title=Why the RPCUS has the Original 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms Unrevised|url=http://www.rpcus.com/why-the-rpcus-has-the-original-1646-westminster-confession-of-faith-and-catechisms-unrevised/|accessdate=18 December 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402180143/http://www.rpcus.com/why-the-rpcus-has-the-original-1646-westminster-confession-of-faith-and-catechisms-unrevised/|archivedate=2 April 2011}}</ref> [[Westminster Confession]] and upholds [[biblical inerrancy]]. The denomination self-identified as [[Theonomy|theonomic]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Otis|first=John|title=RPCUS Distinctives and the Westminster Standards|url=http://www.zionpres.com/2010/10/rpcus-distinctives-and-the-westminster-standards/|publisher=Zion Presbyterian Church|accessdate=19 December 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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== History == |
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The RPCUS began when Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in north [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]] left he [[Presbyterian Church in America]] in 1983. Chalcedon had begun only |
The RPCUS began when Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in north [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]] left he [[Presbyterian Church in America]] in 1983. Chalcedon had set requirements that its elders adhere to both theonomy and postmillennialism; however, groups within the [[Presbyterian Church in America|PCA]]'s North Georgia Presbytery complained that the church was being too strict in its requirements and that it was "going beyond the Westminster Confession." While the complaint was dismissed, Chalcedon sought to become secure in its position. They inquired into the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]], but found that they had not yet settled on how to handle theonomy, so they formed their own denomination.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Christian Reconstruction/ Theonomy movement {{!}} Christian Library |url=https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/christian-reconstruction-theonomy-movement |website=www.christianstudylibrary.org}}</ref> Chalcedon had begun only nine years earlier under the leadership of Joe Morecraft. After Morecraft ran for Congress in [[1986 United States House of Representatives elections#Georgia|Georgia' s 7th District in 1986]], losing in the general election to incumbent Democrat [[George Darden]], the denomination saw some growth in the Atlanta area. The church was joined in 1987 by Covenant Presbyterian Church, which grew out of a [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]] Bible study group held in [[Buford, Georgia]]. The study group had been partially under the headship of the Rev. Wayne Rogers; however, it would soon be led by Rev. Christopher B. Strevel.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Church Blazing With Vision|url=https://chalcedon.edu/magazine/a-church-blazing-with-vision|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Chalcedon|language=en-US}}</ref> The denomination eventually had four presbyteries: Covenant Presbytery (based in Atlanta), Hanover Presbytery, Western Presbytery, and Westminster Presbytery. One church split from the RPCUS in 1990 over concerns of the regulative principle of worship—believing only psalms were acceptable in worship.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of the Reformed Presbytery in North America (General Meeting)|url=http://www.reformedpresbytery.org/history.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.reformedpresbytery.org}}</ref> The next year, Western and Westminster Presbyteries chose to depart and merge, forming the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly]] and the Hanover Presbytery also left on its own to form the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery]]. The split was due, in part, to the RPCUS's failure to establish and maintain a system of church discipline and inability to finalize on a constitution.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Edwin P. |title=Our History and Practices, The Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery |url=https://rpchanover.org/our-history-and-practices/ |access-date=2021-03-17 |website=The Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery |language=en-US}}</ref> Only Covenant Presbytery remained; however, it would continue to grow, particularly in the Southern US. By 2003, the presbytery had 6 churches and 2 mission churches.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-12-16 |title=RPCUS – Home |url=http://www.rpcus.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041216164827/http://www.rpcus.com/ |archive-date=2004-12-16 |access-date=2021-03-17 |website=RPCUS}}</ref> |
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Morecraft, the denomination's founder, remained pastor of Chalcedon from 1974 until 2015. In 2015, Morecraft transferred his membership to [[Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery]] as the result of judicial processes against him within the denomination.<ref>{{ |
Morecraft, the denomination's founder, remained pastor of Chalcedon from 1974 until 2015. In 2015, Morecraft transferred his membership to [[Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery]] as the result of judicial processes against him within the denomination.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Covenant Presbytery Assembled |title=Public Statement on Joe Morecraft |url=https://rpcus.wordpress.com/articles-essays/public-statement-joe-morecraft-friday-april-17-2015/ |website=RPCUS |publisher=Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States |access-date=2017-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421150427/https://rpcus.wordpress.com/articles-essays/public-statement-joe-morecraft-friday-april-17-2015/ |archive-date=2017-04-21 |location=Cumming, GA |date=2015-04-15}}</ref> He immediately founded Heritage Presbyterian Church affiliated with that denomination, also located in [[Cumming, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mattis|first=Shawn|date=2015-09-01|title=Joseph Morecraft removed from Presbytery while under discipline|url=http://pastormathis.com/index.php/2015/09/01/joseph-morecraft-removed-from-presbytery-while-under-discipline/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Pastor Mathis|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadership – Heritage Presbyterian Church |url=https://heritagepresbyterianchurch.com/leadership/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017033854/https://heritagepresbyterianchurch.com/leadership/ |archive-date=2021-10-17|access-date=2021-10-17 |language=en-US}}</ref> Assistant Pastor Tim Price succeeded Morecraft as the Senior Pastor at Chalcedon, before leaving in January 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chalcedon Presbyterian Church |url=https://chalcedon.org/sermons |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2022-09-02|website=Chalcedon Presbyterian Church}}</ref> |
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Before Morecraft's departure in 2015, the denomination had 8 churches, 1 domestic mission church, and 1 foreign mission.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-01-09|title=RPCUS Churches|url=http://rpcus.wordpress.com/about/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109184148/http://rpcus.wordpress.com/about/|archive-date=2015-01-09}}</ref> At the beginning of 2020, only 3 churches remained: Chalcedon in [[Cumming, Georgia]], Zion in [[Macon, Georgia]] with Pastor Jess Stanfield, and Trinity in [[Tazewell, Virginia]] with Pastor Henry Johnson.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-07 |title=Home – RPCUS |url=http://www.rpcus.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307224229/http://www.rpcus.com/ |archive-date=2020-03-07 |access-date=2021-03-17 |website=RPCUS}}</ref> Shortly after, only Chalcedon and Trinity would remain with Stanfield becoming pastor at Chalcedon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Chalcedon |url=https://chalcedon.org/about-chalcedon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926010856/https://chalcedon.org/about-chalcedon |archive-date=2020-09-26 |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Chalcedon Presbyterian Church {{!}} Cumming, Georgia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jess Stanfield Sermons |url=https://chalcedon.org/sermons |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Chalcedon Presbyterian Church}}</ref> In 2020, the RPCUS finally dissolved when the remaining 2 churches joined the [[Vanguard Presbytery]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-11|title=Affiliations|url=https://vanguardpresbytery.com/affiliations/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Vanguard Presbytery|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://chalcedon.org/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=chalcedon.org|language=en-GB}}</ref> In May 2022, the former RPCUS churches left the Vanguard Presbytery to form another new denomination: the Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact us – Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church |url=https://christreformedpc.com/contact-us/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Testimony and Covenant of the Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church |url=https://theaquilareport.com/testimony-and-covenant-of-the-christ-reformed-presbyterian-church/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=theaquilareport.com}}</ref> |
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=== Christ College and Christ Theological Seminary === |
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The RPCUS was involved in the creation of Christ College in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]] in 1990, which was located at the former [[Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Virginia)|Jones Memorial Library]]. Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming hosted the Atlanta Metro campus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clauson |first=Kevin |date=January 2001 |title=Introducing Christ's College |url=https://chalcedon.edu/magazine/introducing-christs-college |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Chalcedon |language=en-US}}</ref> The college hosted the Patrick Henry Institute, a Christian public policy think tank which sought "to apply biblical socio-political ethics to contemporary public problems and issues" using the "Biblical Law" approach.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-02-02 |title=The Patrick Henry Institute |url=http://christcollege.org/html/patrick_henry.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202172800/http://christcollege.org/html/patrick_henry.htm |archive-date=2001-02-02 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Christ College}}</ref> The Center for Biblical Law and Economics was housed under the Patrick Henry Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-02-08 |title=Center for Biblical Law and Economics |url=http://christcollege.org/html/cble/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010208190203/http://christcollege.org/html/cble/index.html |archive-date=2001-02-08 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Christ College}}</ref> During the 2008 Financial Crisis, Christ College closed its Lynchburg campus maintaining only its Atlanta campus. At the same time, the denomination opened Christ Theological Seminary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-02-07 |title=Christ Theological Seminary Home |url=http://christtheologicalseminary.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207094233/http://christtheologicalseminary.com/ |archive-date=2011-02-07 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Christ Theological Seminary – RPCUS}}</ref> The college and seminary moved their base to Covenant Presbyterian Church in [[Buford, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-09-28 |title=Welcome & Overview |url=http://christtheologicalseminary.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928013547/http://christtheologicalseminary.com/ |archive-date=2012-09-28 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Christ Theological Seminary}}</ref> The courses were taught by RPCUS ministers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-01-06 |title=CTS: Master of Divinity Program |url=http://www.christtheologicalseminary.com/master-of-divinity.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106112949/http://www.christtheologicalseminary.com/master-of-divinity.php |archive-date=2009-01-06 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Christ Theological Seminary}}</ref> The seminary's final term was winter of 2014 with a course module titled "Providence and History" in January.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-20 |title=Providence and History Module |url=https://www.chalcedon.org/sermons/item/104-providence-and-history-module |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528194322/https://www.chalcedon.org/sermons/item/104-providence-and-history-module |archive-date=2023-05-28 |access-date= |website=Chalcedon Presbyterian Church |language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.rpcus.com Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States] |
*[http://www.rpcus.com Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041216164827/http://www.rpcus.com/ |date=2004-12-16 }} |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111114020852/http://www.christtheologicalseminary.com/ Christ Theological Seminary (seminary of the RPCUS)] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111114020852/http://www.christtheologicalseminary.com/ Christ Theological Seminary (seminary of the RPCUS)] |
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*[https://vanguardpresbytery.com/ Vanguard Presbytery] |
*[https://vanguardpresbytery.com/ Vanguard Presbytery] |
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{{Presbyterian Church in the United States of America}} |
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{{Presbyterian and Reformed denominations in the United States}} |
{{Presbyterian and Reformed denominations in the United States}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reformed Presbyterian Church In The United States}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reformed Presbyterian Church In The United States}} |
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[[Category:Former Presbyterian denominations]] |
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[[Category:Presbyterianism in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
[[Category:Presbyterianism in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
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[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1983]] |
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1983]] |
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[[Category:Presbyterian denominations in the United States]] |
[[Category:Presbyterian denominations in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Presbyterian denominations established in the 20th century]] |
[[Category:Presbyterian denominations established in the 20th century]] |
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[[Category:Christian organizations disestablished in 2020]] |
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Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States | |
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Classification | Protestant |
Orientation | Presbyterian |
Theology | Christian reconstructionist |
Founder | Rev. Joe Morecraft |
Origin | 1983 Chalcedon Presbyterian Church, north Atlanta, Georgia |
Separated from | Presbyterian Church in America |
Separations | Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery and Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly, 1991 |
Merged into | Vanguard Presbytery (2020) |
Congregations | 3 (in 2020) |
Official website | http://www.rpcus.com |
The Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States was a small Presbyterian denomination based in the United States that merged into the Vanguard Presbytery. The RPCUS was established in 1983, subscribes to the unrevised[1] Westminster Confession and upholds biblical inerrancy. The denomination self-identified as theonomic.[2]
The RPCUS began when Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in north Atlanta, Georgia left he Presbyterian Church in America in 1983. Chalcedon had set requirements that its elders adhere to both theonomy and postmillennialism; however, groups within the PCA's North Georgia Presbytery complained that the church was being too strict in its requirements and that it was "going beyond the Westminster Confession." While the complaint was dismissed, Chalcedon sought to become secure in its position. They inquired into the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, but found that they had not yet settled on how to handle theonomy, so they formed their own denomination.[3] Chalcedon had begun only nine years earlier under the leadership of Joe Morecraft. After Morecraft ran for Congress in Georgia' s 7th District in 1986, losing in the general election to incumbent Democrat George Darden, the denomination saw some growth in the Atlanta area. The church was joined in 1987 by Covenant Presbyterian Church, which grew out of a Reformed Bible study group held in Buford, Georgia. The study group had been partially under the headship of the Rev. Wayne Rogers; however, it would soon be led by Rev. Christopher B. Strevel.[4] The denomination eventually had four presbyteries: Covenant Presbytery (based in Atlanta), Hanover Presbytery, Western Presbytery, and Westminster Presbytery. One church split from the RPCUS in 1990 over concerns of the regulative principle of worship—believing only psalms were acceptable in worship.[5] The next year, Western and Westminster Presbyteries chose to depart and merge, forming the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly and the Hanover Presbytery also left on its own to form the Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery. The split was due, in part, to the RPCUS's failure to establish and maintain a system of church discipline and inability to finalize on a constitution.[6] Only Covenant Presbytery remained; however, it would continue to grow, particularly in the Southern US. By 2003, the presbytery had 6 churches and 2 mission churches.[7]
Morecraft, the denomination's founder, remained pastor of Chalcedon from 1974 until 2015. In 2015, Morecraft transferred his membership to Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery as the result of judicial processes against him within the denomination.[8] He immediately founded Heritage Presbyterian Church affiliated with that denomination, also located in Cumming, Georgia.[9][10] Assistant Pastor Tim Price succeeded Morecraft as the Senior Pastor at Chalcedon, before leaving in January 2020.[11]
Before Morecraft's departure in 2015, the denomination had 8 churches, 1 domestic mission church, and 1 foreign mission.[12] At the beginning of 2020, only 3 churches remained: Chalcedon in Cumming, Georgia, Zion in Macon, Georgia with Pastor Jess Stanfield, and Trinity in Tazewell, Virginia with Pastor Henry Johnson.[13] Shortly after, only Chalcedon and Trinity would remain with Stanfield becoming pastor at Chalcedon.[14][15] In 2020, the RPCUS finally dissolved when the remaining 2 churches joined the Vanguard Presbytery.[16][17] In May 2022, the former RPCUS churches left the Vanguard Presbytery to form another new denomination: the Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church.[18][19]
The RPCUS was involved in the creation of Christ College in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1990, which was located at the former Jones Memorial Library. Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming hosted the Atlanta Metro campus.[20] The college hosted the Patrick Henry Institute, a Christian public policy think tank which sought "to apply biblical socio-political ethics to contemporary public problems and issues" using the "Biblical Law" approach.[21] The Center for Biblical Law and Economics was housed under the Patrick Henry Institute.[22] During the 2008 Financial Crisis, Christ College closed its Lynchburg campus maintaining only its Atlanta campus. At the same time, the denomination opened Christ Theological Seminary.[23] The college and seminary moved their base to Covenant Presbyterian Church in Buford, Georgia.[24] The courses were taught by RPCUS ministers.[25] The seminary's final term was winter of 2014 with a course module titled "Providence and History" in January.[26]
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