Английская Википедия:Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Ireland)

Материал из Онлайн справочника
Версия от 10:13, 5 марта 2024; EducationBot (обсуждение | вклад) (Новая страница: «{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}} {{Short description|Calvinist, Christian evangelical denomination}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian denomination | name = Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ireland | image = | imagewidth = | alt = | caption = | main_classification = Protestant | orientation = Calvinist | polity = Presbyterian | leader/moderator = | leader = | fellowships = | asso...»)
(разн.) ← Предыдущая версия | Текущая версия (разн.) | Следующая версия → (разн.)
Перейти к навигацииПерейти к поиску

Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox Christian denomination The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC, Шаблон:Lang-ga) is a Calvinist, Christian evangelical denomination that is found only in Northern Ireland, where it is the smallest of the Presbyterian churches.[1] It was formed on 15 October 1927 (as the Irish Evangelical Church [Eaglais Soisgealach na hÉireann]) by Rev. James Hunter (1863Шаблон:Ndash1942), former minister of Knock Presbyterian Church (Belfast), and James (W.J.) Grier, a former student at the Assembly's College (the Presbyterian theological college in Belfast). They were joined by others who seceded from the Irish Presbyterian Church (now called the Presbyterian Church in Ireland).[2]

History

Файл:Evolution of Presbyterian churches in Ireland 2.svg
Development of the Presbyterian churches

The breakaway was prompted by the acquittal in a Presbytery trial of Professor James E. Davey of the Assembly's College on charges brought by Hunter and others of five counts of heresy.[3] Davey's accusers, who had campaigned against him and against what they termed "modernism" through a Presbyterian Bible Standards League, were influenced by the conservative Reformed theology of the US Presbyterian scholar John Gresham Machen, who had taught Grier in Princeton Theological Seminary and visited Ireland in 1927. A month after the Presbyterian General Assembly upheld the trial verdict by 707 votes to 82, the anti-Davey group seceded.[2]

Soon after the Irish Evangelical Church was constituted in October 1927, it had six congregations in Belfast, two in County Antrim and two in County Tyrone.[2] It adopted its present name in 1964.[4] In 2013 the EPC had nine congregations, all in Counties Antrim and Down apart from one in Richhill, County Armagh and one in Omagh, County Tyrone.[5]

The church's monthly magazine, The Irish Evangelical, was first issued in June 1928. Grier remained its editor for 50 years. With the change of the church's name in 1964, the magazine became The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, and now appears every three months.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is among a number of small evangelical denominations represented in a creationist and socially conservative pressure group, the Caleb Foundation.[6] EPC member Wallace Thompson, who had been the Foundation's treasurer since 1998,[6] succeeded as chairman of the Foundation in September 2009.[7] The EPC in 2010 opposed a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland on the grounds that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's proposal was "driven by those who are opposed to Biblical Christianity" and "is a further departure from the solid foundation of the Word of God".[8] In 2011–12 the EPC Public Morals Committee supported a campaign by the Christian Institute, an evangelical pressure group, against funding of the London Pride festival by Tesco.[9]

International links

The church allied from its early days with the Free Church of Scotland and has co-operated with it in missionary work,[2] focussing since 1932 on India, South Africa and Peru.[10] Also from 1987 an EPC minister has served in Nigeria.[11]

The church has connections to other mission agencies through the involvement of some of its members and former members, e.g., AIM (Uganda and Chad), Mission Africa (Nigeria), and Africa Christian TextbookS (ACTS), a non-profit publisher supplying affordable books to African pastors, founded by EPC minister Rev. Sid Garland.[12]

Formerly a member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC), the EPC was among a group of conservative churches that broke away from the REC over its refusal to expel the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Synodal) (GKN-s, Шаблон:Lang-nl) for deciding in 1979 to allow the ordination of non-celibate gay people.[13] It then joined the International Conference of Reformed Churches.[14]

Links to churches in UK and Ireland

The EPC has played a part in the development of, and continues in close fellowship with, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of England and Wales. Relations with other evangelical churches in the UK and Ireland are conducted through membership of Affinity.

Doctrine

In developing its theological subordinate standards, the new church at first adopted eight Articles of Faith based on the Westminster Standards (1646–49). However, after differences arose within the church over the theology of dispensationalism, the church from 1928 has required all its officers to pledge their support to the Westminster Catechisms and, subsequently, the Westminster Confession of Faith, "without any reservations".[2] Thus, the church upholds the doctrines of the Trinity, Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection, sola scriptura, sola fide, double predestination (alongside freedom of choice), the covenant of works with Adam, that assurance of salvation is not a necessary consequence of faith, a regulative principle of worship, strict sabbatarianism, and that the Roman Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Mass is unscriptural and can be a cause of superstition or idolatry.[15] In common with some other Reformed churches, the EPC in its Code has amended three clauses in the Confession, namely, those concerning the Antichrist,[16] consanguinity,[17] and the civil magistrate.[18]

Politics

The EPC encourages its members to exercise their right to vote in elections, and to apply Biblical principles to their choices. It does not have links to any political parties.[19]

Church meetings

All EPC churches normally hold two services on Sundays,[20] and a midweek meeting for prayer and Bible study. Additional meetings vary from one congregation to another, but include Sunday Schools, youth clubs, ladies’ meetings, Parent & Toddler groups, addiction support,[21] children’s meetings and summer clubs for children and young people.[22]

Conferences

The EPC holds an annual Presbytery Day Conference/Family Day [23] in April or May, when the congregations meet together and hear a visiting speaker, with crèche facilities, a bookstall laid on by the Evangelical Bookshop, refreshments and lunch. Recent speakers have included Achille Blaize,[24] Geoff Thomas,[25] Edward Donnelly Шаблон:Webarchive[26] and Derek Thomas.[27]

Bookshop

The EPC is closely linked to the Evangelical Book Shop, a separate charity, at 15 College Square East, Belfast, and online at http://www.evangelicalbookshop.co.uk.

In 2016 the Bookshop published a history of the EPC by Ernest C. Brown, entitled By Honour and Dishonour.[28]

Other Presbyterian churches in Ireland

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Christianity in the United Kingdom Шаблон:Authority control

  1. Graham Spencer (2012), Protestant Identity and Peace in Northern Ireland, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.69-72
  2. 2,0 2,1 2,2 2,3 2,4 The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, magazine of the EPC, March–April 2011
  3. Шаблон:Cite web
  4. Stranmillis EPC website
  5. EPC website Шаблон:Webarchive, "EPC Congregations"
  6. 6,0 6,1 Caleb Foundation Шаблон:Webarchive website
  7. Caleb Foundation, Council of Reference
  8. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, May–June 2010, p.19
  9. "The Evangelical Presbyterian" Шаблон:Webarchive, January–February 2012, p.10-11
  10. EPC website Шаблон:Webarchive, "Ministries and Friends"
  11. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, January–February 2012, p.10-11
  12. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, January–February 2012, p.11
  13. United Reformed News Service, "Former Reformed Ecumenical Synod Moderator Opens Prayer Service for International Conference of Reformed Churches", 15 October 1997
  14. International Conference of Reformed Churches Шаблон:Webarchive website
  15. Westminster Confession of Faith Шаблон:Webarchive, Chapter XXIX, paragraph VI
  16. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, January–February 2009, p.21
  17. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, November–December 2008, p.21
  18. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, January–February 2010, p.22
  19. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, May–June 2011, p.22
  20. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, March–April 2009, p.3-4
  21. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, September–October 2010, p.9
  22. EPC website Шаблон:Webarchive, "Congregations"
  23. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, July–August 2012, p.15
  24. "The Evangelical Presbyterian" Шаблон:Webarchive, July–August 2012, p.15
  25. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, May–June 2011, p.20
  26. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, March–April 2010, p.19
  27. The Evangelical Presbyterian Шаблон:Webarchive, March–April 2009, p.18
  28. Шаблон:Cite web