Revising the Westminster Confession

1901

The committee named by the Presbyterian general assembly to deal with the proposed changes in the creed has after a careful analysis of the recommendations of over 200 presbyteries concluded in favor of revision. It will submit this conclusion to the general assembly next May, a conclusion founded on the following facts:

The returns indicate (1) that the church desires some changes in its creedal statement; (2) that no change is desired in any way impairing the integrity of the system of doctrine contained in the Confession of Faith; (3) the desire of a large plurality that changes should be made by some new statement of present doctrines; (4) a desire upon the part of many presbyteries for some revision of the present confession.

It was therefore unanimously agreed by the committee, says The Outlook, to recommend to the general assembly that some revision or change be made in the confessional statements. Substantial but not final agreement was reached as to the method of preparing changes embodying both revision and supplemental statement, but the determining of the whole matter was deferred to a subsequent meeting of the committee.

The Outlook expresses the hope that the result of "revision" may be a brief statement containing only those doctrines essential to Christian faith, leaving Presbyterianism to be, what it really is, distinctive in polity, but not in doctrine.

That the Presbyterian church as a whole is not behind the times, The Outlook says, may be seen from the fact that less than a third of the presbyteries recommended dismissal of the subject, and in many cases, as in New York and Philadelphia, the vote recommending dismissal was a close one. Hence before the meeting of the committee it was evident that it must needs recommend a creedal change.