(For Those Old Enough to Remember Paul Harvey)
In light of the RPNA/RPGM debacle aka fiasco which dissolved amidst a flurry of excommunications and in doing so, precipitated this website at that time in '06 or so, the two lectures linked below should be of interest.
They were given by Rev. Gavin Beers at the annual Free Church of Scotland, Continuing 2021 Summer Family Conference in Kentucky and shed much needed light on the rest of the story regarding the Revolution Settlement of the Church of Scotland in 1690, contra the RPNA/RPGM take on the question in largely ignoring it.
Regardless of the reason(s) for that omission, if the rest of the story on 1690 does not dynamite the historic Reformed Presbyterian justification for separation from the Church of Scotland and its subsequent separate ecclesiastical existence, it certainly gives the RP position a pretty good run for its money.
That is, while the excommunications largely revolved around the respective powers of ordination and jurisdiction, not to mention the existence of an extraordinary ad hoc non resident kirk session acting as a international presbytery, the RPNA/GM considered itself the only lawfully constituted presbyterian church in Britain and the US.
This, because of their claim that the RPNA/RPGM was the only presbyterian body that affirmed the descending obligations of the Solemn League & Covenant of 1643, thereby arguably succumbing to the delusions of grandeur that necessitated the afore mentioned excommunications.
Yet again, the rest of the story on the Revolution Settlement of 1690 begs to disagree with the RPNA/RPGM exclusive claim to be the only true descendants of the Covenanters.
I. The Sad Division of 1690 1:55
II. Subsequent History 19:00
III. Later Reunion 50:30
IV Conclusion: Are the Free Church, Continuing Covenanters? Yes. 58:38
They were given by Rev. Gavin Beers at the annual Free Church of Scotland, Continuing 2021 Summer Family Conference in Kentucky and shed much needed light on the rest of the story regarding the Revolution Settlement of the Church of Scotland in 1690, contra the RPNA/RPGM take on the question in largely ignoring it.
Regardless of the reason(s) for that omission, if the rest of the story on 1690 does not dynamite the historic Reformed Presbyterian justification for separation from the Church of Scotland and its subsequent separate ecclesiastical existence, it certainly gives the RP position a pretty good run for its money.
That is, while the excommunications largely revolved around the respective powers of ordination and jurisdiction, not to mention the existence of an extraordinary ad hoc non resident kirk session acting as a international presbytery, the RPNA/GM considered itself the only lawfully constituted presbyterian church in Britain and the US.
This, because of their claim that the RPNA/RPGM was the only presbyterian body that affirmed the descending obligations of the Solemn League & Covenant of 1643, thereby arguably succumbing to the delusions of grandeur that necessitated the afore mentioned excommunications.
Yet again, the rest of the story on the Revolution Settlement of 1690 begs to disagree with the RPNA/RPGM exclusive claim to be the only true descendants of the Covenanters.
US Presbytery FCC Session 3: Are We Covenanters? Part 1
A Century of Struggle
1560 - 1638 Erastian Episcopacy 5:56
1638 - 1660 The Solemn League & Covenant & the Commonwealth 17:30
1661 - 1680 Restoration of the King and the Killing Times 24:10
1681 - 1688 The Killing Times 40:16
1638 - 1660 The Solemn League & Covenant & the Commonwealth 17:30
1661 - 1680 Restoration of the King and the Killing Times 24:10
1681 - 1688 The Killing Times 40:16
I. The Sad Division of 1690 1:55
The Protestant William of Orange lands in Scotland and the Romanist King James flees. The erastian Scottish Parliament while recognizing the presbyterian Church of Scotland as the national church, does not acknowledge presbyterian church govt. to be of divine right.
II. Subsequent History 19:00
The three remaining Cameronian Society ministers, Linning, Boyd and Shields, enter the CoS with their protests entered into the record. Two thirds of the Societies also come in having their objections to the current situation and declensions of the CoS also recognized.
The Hamiltonians remain outside the CoS. They do not get a minister, John MacMillan, until 1706 and another minister in 1743 enabling the group to constitute the Reformed Presbytery.
The Hamiltonians remain outside the CoS. They do not get a minister, John MacMillan, until 1706 and another minister in 1743 enabling the group to constitute the Reformed Presbytery.
III. Later Reunion 50:30
There is a split in Reformed Presbyterian Church with the majority joining the Free Church in 1876
IV Conclusion: Are the Free Church, Continuing Covenanters? Yes. 58:38
All sinful defects aside, the Church of Scotland never rescinded the SL&C of 1643, nor the Westminster Standards 1645-9 and the binding and descending obligations of the SL&C was acknowledged in sermons and acts of the government of the church after 1690.
Furthermore it is highly ironic, if not also erastian, to insist that since Parliament never affirmed the divine right of presbyterian church government in the Revolution Settlement, that this necessarily means the Church of Scotland itself is erastian - which it confessedly and constitutionally is not - as an argument that it is then unlawful to join the CoS.
Furthermore it is highly ironic, if not also erastian, to insist that since Parliament never affirmed the divine right of presbyterian church government in the Revolution Settlement, that this necessarily means the Church of Scotland itself is erastian - which it confessedly and constitutionally is not - as an argument that it is then unlawful to join the CoS.
This is also to ignore Alexander Shield's An Enquiry into Church Communion (1706) in refusing to join the Rev. Settlement Church of Scotland on the basis of what he said previously with Renwick in Informatory Vindication (1687) , the circumstances of which no longer applied.
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