I've got an essay question:

"Evaluate the arguments which James Bannerman advances in support of the government of the church by presbyteries."

Could anyone give any pointers on this? I've started reading Part IV of "The Church of Christ" by Bannerman which seems to be on church government but haven't got very far in his argument.

Does anyone have any pointers that will help me - summary of Bannerman's model of government, other resources that either argue against him or in line with him...or anything else that you think might help?

Can't help you with Bannerman off the top of my head but other books are:
Thomas Witherow.
An inquiry into the scriptural form ... - Google Book Search
The Divine Right of Church Government by many of the English Presbyterians who were also members of the Westminster Assembly.
Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici | Naphtali Press
George Gillespie's Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland
Two Books by George Gillespie, Anonymous Writings and Assertion of the Government | Naphtali Press

-----Added 1/22/2009 at 10:51:10 EST-----

By the way, please fix your signature. Click on the link in mine.

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Dallas, Texas.
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
• Westminster Letter Press
• The Confessional Presbyterian Journal
• The Blue Banner Archive

The Regulative Principle: The Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference” (Samuel Miller).

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions? Joining PB's Politics & Government Forum

Thanks Chris, I'll have a read of those. Didn't know about the signature thing, sorted now. By the way, your link for signature requirements doesn't work, or at least it didn't for me.

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Saint Jonny
Trainee Pastor
Independent
Wales, UK

Blogs:
http://www.theproGnosis.org
http://saintjonny.wordpress.com

Very good; and thanks. Link fixed now.

Sounds like a rewarding study. Basic for Bannerman is the fact that his ecclesiology is governed by a regulative principle which limits church power, and that he is working from a divine right model.

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Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."

I've found that there is a great reward in first working through a book yourself, digesting it a little, and then discussing it with others.

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Matthew Vaughan
Presbyterian Reformed Church, Northern Va.
Warrenton, VA

Can anyone give me a link to some brief biographical information? I did a Google search and didn't find anything.

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Ben Franks

I attend: Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
in Purcellville, Virginia
I'm a member of: Heartland Community Church (PCA)
in Wichita, Kansas
I blog here (along with my Dad): http://rrfranks.blogspot.com/
And I'm a student here: www.phc.edu

"Remember the speeches we have spoken so often over our mead, when we raised boast on the bench, heroes in the hall, about hard fighting. Now may the man who is bold prove that he is."-Aelfwine at the Battle of Maldon

Ben, bibliographically, the copy I have is as follows:

Bannerman, James. The Church of Christ: A Treatise on the Nature, Powers, Ordinances, Discipline and Government of the Christian Church. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960 (Though first published, 1869)

You can find it on

Amazon UK

Amazon