I know the difference in theory between Erasmianism, Episcopalianism, Presbyterianism and Congregationalism yet sometimes there is a bit of overlap in my mind. Would a church that is ELDER RULLED (not Elder Lead) but is not apart of any denomination be considered presbyterian or congregationalist? Also what is a church that is in a presbyterian denomination that in practice puts forward the church budget to the congregation to vote upon and the elders give the congregation final authority? Thank you for historical and confessional references!

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J. P. Grigoletti II * Lay-man * Église Réformée du Québec
Québec, Québec Canada * Member: Église Reformée St. Marc
http://Grigoletti.blogspot.com - blog
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You will get some detailed answers here.

I think that presbyterianism, historically, is both local rulership by a plurality of elders (more than one) and some connectional authority in a synod or presbytery. While I don't think of presbyterianism as hierarchical, it is somewhere between congregation only and hierarchical.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

Our church is Reformed Baptist and ruled by elders. I have high appreciation for Samuel Miller's The Ruling Elder.

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Bob, elder, RBC Louisville. 1689 LBCF

"... Of such also, or of those who make a credible profession of being such, all those particular churches consist, which constitute our Lord's visible kingdom. ... Consequently, all the subjects of His government must have spiritual dispositions, , and yield spiritual obedience- obedience proceeding from an enlightened understanding, an awakened conscience, and a renewed heart."- Abraham Booth 1788

So scott would you consider a reformed baptist church (maybe or maybe not in an association like ARBCA) presbyterian or congregationalist? The autonomy of the local church is maintained but still has rulling and teaching elders and the final authority rests with them.

And I know get the fact that the the Westminster Divines would probably not all agree on this which is why Westminster Presbyterianism is a bit more compromised than that Dutch version (and that's a good thing I think).

From my understanding (not formally theologically trained), presbyterianism requires also the connectional authority to a presbytery or synod, something like the ruling counsel in Jerusalem in the book of Acts.

Something strong in presbyterian polity is that absolute power corrupts absolutely, that's why there is both plurality of local leadership and real connectional authority beyond it.

What you describe sounds like a hybrid, but presbyterianism is not a hybrid, it is a distinct polity that has more than one aspect.

Did you mean Erastianism for Erasmianism, or is Erasmianism and actual polity?

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
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It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

Erastianism



both is a link to the same page.

It wouldn't be presbyterian.

That sounds like it would fit within the presbyterian ambit.

And since you want some historical authority, you might start here:

The Form of Presbyterial Church-Government

from 1645

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas