So I just got a solicitation from the CE office to order Reformation Day flyers for the bulletin. Wouldn't observing Reformation Day violate the RPW? Hmmmm?

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Rev. R. Kevin Carroll
Pastor Elect
Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Wheat Ridge, CO
Blog: Reformed and Loving It

My roommates and I are throwing a Reformation Day party on Reformation Day, where we all dress as Reformers. But it's not associated with our churches. I guess a church celebrating Reformation Day might be violating the RPW, especially if you make a big show of it. If there are Reformation Day banners on the walls and the sermon is on the Reformation...that might be a bit too far.

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Austin
EE student at Texas State University
Member of Church of the Cross (PCA) in San Marcos, TX
Ps. 8:3-4 "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"

Noticing the other e-mails I get from the PCA's CE Office (I do not know why I get them either) I am not under the impression the CE Office knows much about the RPW.

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

No arguments from me on that, Benjamin.

Not that I should be one to talk considering the ARP planning book and calender has the liturgical seasons listed in them with the requisite "holy days" marked.

Why is "especially if you make a big show of it" part of deciding whether something violates the RPW? Why does the magnitude of the production have anything whatsoever to do with the question?

Perhaps in answering the particular question at hand we should determine the answer based on what the RPW governs and what it doesn't. Unless the Reformation Day observance is connected with a called worship service of the church, I'm not sure that one has a case that the flyer *necessarily* calls for churches to violate the RPW.

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



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You're right, that was poorly worded on my part. I agree with your approach. The RPW governs the worship activities of the church, not private parties. I only wanted to highlight the difference between what my roommates are doing vs. a sermon about Reformation Day or celebrating it in a church service (whatever that would look like).

My church has a Reformation Day picnic. But it is always done on a Friday or Saturday close to Reformation Day. It isn't a part of the worship service.

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"I was found by those who did not seek me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me." Romans 10:20b

Angela Asano
Edwardsville, IL
Member, Center Grove Presbyterian Church - PCA

"History never repeats itself, but it rhymes." - Mark Twain

It violates the RPW only if you enforce the celebration in a stated public worship meeting of the congregation. Otherwise, it is not a violation. Having an educational party or something like that, isn't the same as public worship. In fact, we are commanded to learn from our previous leaders. That doesn't require a Reformation day celebration, but it certainly can be a way to obey this command.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

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Patrick
MDiv, RTS Jackson
Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Lisbon, NY

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.
"Let us not please ourselves that we have deep understandings, but let us shew our understandings by our practice." Richard Sibbes

Putting a flyer in the bulletin to remind congregants of their heritage does not constitute a violation of the Scripture's regulations regarding worship. Historical focus in worship is healthy. We are reminded that we are worshipping with the Church of the past as well as the Church of the present.

I, for one, however, think that our Reformed tendency to focus only on Reformation Day as part of our heritage has a tendency to make us historically short-sighted. We have a greater heritage than Martin Luther nailing 95 Thesis to a door, or making his "God help me" speach before the diet of Worms. Yes, even greater than the whole Reformation. There are a lot more things to claim before and after Oct. 31st, 1517 as part of our heritage as well.

You can bet, though, that if someone is going to throw a party where I can play "pin the tail on the pope," I'll be there.

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Steven J. Carr (Sven)
http://beholdingthebeauty.blogspot.com/
Eagan, MN
PCA
"Weak is the effort of my heart / And cold my warmest thought / But when I see thee as thou art / I'll praise thee as I ought."--John Newton
Trophy Wife/Arm Candy: Crystal Ann Children: Steven Jr. and Hannah Grace

As long as its not part of the Sunday worship, I would think its fine (perhaps even fun). One of my friend's churches has a Reformation Day Party every year. No one in the congregation is forced to go and there's no worship. Everyone just gets together and has a potluck. The children dress as their favorite reformers, there's a hymn sing, and fall games. I actually wish my church would do something similar.

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Kathleen M
nondenominational
Montana

I don't see how including a bulletin insert would violate the RPW any more than an announcement in the bulletin about the Wednesday Ladies Bible Study, or a Presbytery meeting, or a fellowship activity.

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Fred Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

This flyer appears to give a brief history of the Reformation. Though I opened the can of worms, I would much rather spend a Sunday School hour on the five Solas that continue the practice of "Reformation Parties," which, at least around here, are little more than sanctified Halloween bashes. At least we could burn the Pope in effigy or something, but no it's all apple bobs, and hay rides, and spooky stories.

Some weekend close to Oct. 31, we get together and watch the movie Luther and eat German food and growl a little bit about Roman offenses. It is well worth the time to remember God bringing the west out of such darkness.

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JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

Just recount a few of the Reformation era stories concerning the Papists, their actions, and their superstitions, and that should be scary enough for anyone.

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Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
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"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

Minus the German food (we had desserts), we did this last year.

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Anna
Wife of Tim/Marrow Man
Louisville, KY
Member of Midlane Park Presbyterian (Associate Reformed Presbyterian)

You certainly could do something worthwhile, and I think it is a very worthy endeavor. I should think as TE at your congregation you might have some influence over what kind of a Reformation Day observance you could have. If you don't want to, then don't - but it isn't a violation of the RPW to have a gathering wherein the day is remembered with food and teaching. We used to do this very thing in our congregation in New York, and the annual remembrance was quite edifying. It's what you make of it - and certainly whatever you do you do not want to just make it a substitute Halloween party.

I don't see the problem with recognizing Reformation Day even within the worship service.

Every year my church has a Reformation Conference. We bring in a guest speaker and we have 4 or 5 teaching sessions over the course of the weekend. This always carries over into the Sunday worship services. We also generally include something in the bulletin announcements that gives a brief history of the protestant reformation.

Last fall we had Ligon Duncan preach on the 5 Solas. Our worship service was (in my opinion) fully within the RPW, as there were no additional elements included. Ligon continued with his weekend series by preaching on Solus Christus in the morning worship service and Soli Deo gloria in the evening.

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Daniel
PCA
Memphis, TN

If it constitutes a state of worshipping I would say it is a violation, otherwise no. But I'm leaning towards the act of having a reformation conference with God as it's object of reference would constitute worship and we would need to justify it by scripture.

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PuritanGeek
Member of LakeOPC
Wickliffe, Oh
Blog: What Justin's Thinking

Some people who would be aghast at preaching on the Incarnation in, say, December, don't mind remembering the Reformation in October.

I know. I don't understand the disconnect.

I'll take both.

WHY would 'people' be aghast at preaching on the Incarnation in December. I ALWAYS preach on that in December!

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Ivan R. Schoen, B.A., M.A., M.L.I.S.
Pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church (SBC)
Poplar Grove, IL, USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org

Both sounds good.

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Calvinistic Baptist
Ukiah, California
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