1900
Dr. Herrick Johnson says concerning creed revision in the Presbyterian Church: "There are five great points that constitute 'the real issue' in the revision movement. Two of the five points are things in the confession, viz: The decree of reprobation and the 'elect infant' clause; and three of the five points are things not in the confession, viz: The love of God for all men, the duty of discipling all nations, and a formulated doctrine of the Holy Spirit. * * A supplemental creed must restate all our essential doctrines, seeking to give them scriptural perspective and proportion and form, and in absolute loyalty to 'the system' that has been our glory and our joy. Personally, I prefer the supplemental creed as the fullest and completest method of adjustment."
—The Ram's Horn, Nov. 17, 1900, p. 22.
Showing posts with label revision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label revision. Show all posts
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
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.
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.
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