Church Polity and Government is essentially the same between the United Reformed Denomination and the Presbyterians, right?

What are the differences between the United Reformed Church and Reformed Presbyterian Church?

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules-Signature Requirements-Suggestions?

It seems to be widely recognized that the URC's church polity is more congregational than presbyterial. So, in answer to your question, at the moment, no, the church polities are rather different.

A link to their church order.

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Casey Bessette
Westminster OPC
La Grange Park, IL
Blog: Paradise Regained

But they're not quite independent as Baptists, right?

What about doctrinal differences?

Well . . it's a voluntary federation. There is no higher authority than the local Consistory, as I understand it.
There are different emphases, but not really doctrinal differences. They subscribe to the Three Forms of Unity.

Thanks for the info.

So, there wouldn't be an equivalent to the Presbyterians' General Assembly, right?

Basically, if a member in a URC Church felt they were unfairly brought up for discipline, they can only appeal to the local Consistory (same as a Presbytery?)?

I would suspect that in most Dutch Reformed churches they have term eldership rather than permanent elders...though I can't speak for this denomination in particular.

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

Consistory = Session
Classis = Presbytery
Synod = GA

Similar appearance here, except things operate differently.

(NOTE: I don't know their polity thoroughly, so take what I say with a grain of salt and verify it! If anyone in the know sees that I am presenting erroneous info here, please let me know and I'll change my post. Thanks.)

As far as I understand, a member can only appeal a disciplinary action to the local Consistory who decides if it is to go to Classis or not. Which means, if the Consistory thinks it's right, then that's the end of it. This is a serious problem in their church polity, if I'm understanding it correctly.

Perhaps Pastors Hyde or RSC or other URC members can chime in on this. I'm OPC, but I've hung around a bunch of URCers at my school.
I think they do almost always. But Presbyterian churches have them too sometimes.

Good question.

According to Article 16 of the URCNA CO, "only the Consistory (session) is a continuing body." This means that the Classis (Presbytery) and Synod (General Assembly) have authority when they meet but not beyond the time and place of meeting.

Article 25 spells out the duties of Classis and Synod namely that they deal with such matters that could not be "settled in the narrower assemblies, or that pertain to the churches of the broader assembly in common." The broader assemblies cannot, for example, depose an officebearer and impose church discipline.

Joshua, a member may appeal to the broader assemblies if they believe they have been wronged by their consistory:
If the consistory disagreed with the decision of Classis or Synod they could appeal to the body again but would probably be asked to leave the federation if it failed since, as was pointed out, the URCNA is a voluntary federation.

I hope this helps.

And, most important, the URCNA is way cooler than all the Presbyterian churches combined.

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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA
Church Blog

"there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, who loves us more than Jesus Christ"
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Thanks for the info you gave regarding appeals.

I'm aware that there is dissatisfaction with the "voluntary federation" and congregational nature of the polity of the URC. Do you share these sentiments? Is there any work being done on a revision?

Guess a number of us are in the wrong denominations!

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Nathan Eshelman
Grand Rapids, MI
First Reformed Presbyterian Church

PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS

First Reformed Presbyterian Church

I want to be careful what I say here since the Church Order is a matter of submission to an ecclesiastical document. However I think I am free to say that a Proposed Church Order has been put forth by a committee and some see it as an improvement upon the current one.

One has to remember that the URCNA (like my former federation the OCRC) came out of a hierarchical and almost tyrannical situation where the church leadership ruled top -> down and imposed many decisions on consistories and congregations without proper procedure and due process being followed.

This has led us, in my opinion, to overreact and create a Church Order that places the authority almost entirely in the hands of a consistory making them the de facto authority that can thwart discipline and correction from the broader assemblies if they so please. Of course this is a general statement and should not be looked upon as authoritative in any degree.

But I think a more balanced approach is welcome and may indeed be adopted someday.

They have different names.

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Andrew DeShazo, Deacon, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"All of us stumble in many ways, but if anyone is never at fault in what he says, then he is mature, able to control his whole body."(James 3:2)

Have you seen THIS?

And yes, we're much cooler.

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Philip A - Member, High Desert United Reformed Church, Apple Valley, CA.

"Reason also is choice" - Milton, Paradise Lost
"And then shall every word also seem consistent to him, if he for his part diligently read the Scriptures in company with those who are presbyters in the Church, among whom is the apostolic doctrine, as I have pointed out." - Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV:XXXII.
"where there is text, there is hope" - Richard A. Muller

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the URC composed largely of CRC congregations that split after the WIO kerfuffle in the 90's? If so, the CRC, as I understand it, is likewise rather voluntary and the consistory carries the power, as classis is just a broader authority and not a hierarchical authority. But I may be wrong...

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Kevin
Far East
Deacon, Int'l Church

Yes in principle this is true. In practice no.

Also if you compare the Church Orders of these denominations you will see that more influence or authority is given to the broader assemblies in the older version. This can even be seen by comparing the OCRC and URC Church Orders which are only separated by 15 or so years.

Oh, it's very hierarchical. When my wife and I joined, we had to swear allegiance to Darth Scott Vader, and promise not to read our bibles privately any more. But it might be different in other classes.

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca

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Scott Roberts
Ruling Elder, Lakeside Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Southlake, Texas

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R. Scott Clark, D.Phil
Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology

"For Christ, His Gospel, and His Church"
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Oceanside URC
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