John Murray's Exception to the Standards on EP

[TheOldCourse]

Does anyone know the substance of it? I've read in numerous places that John Murray only took one exception to the standards upon ordination in the OPC in 1937 and it was regarding exclusive psalmody. Usually the assertion is in context of his idiosyncracies on the covenant and other topics and so the nature of the exception is never defined and so I'm curious as to what he would be objecting to in the standards, being a strong proponent of exclusive psalmody himself. John Fesko cites "Minutes of the Presbytery of New York and New England [26 April 1937] 11; and idem [28 May 1937] 12–13)" as the reference for the claim but I don't believe any of the minutes are digitized.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Chris, I assume you are referring to an exception to the constitution of the OPC, which presumably authorised the use on non-biblical hymns, as opposed to Professor Murray taking an exception to the Westminster Standards as such?

It would probably be worth contacting John Muether or Darryl Hart to see if they have access to the relevant Presbytery minutes.

 

[TheOldCourse]

The impression given is that it was was to the standards as it was in the context of him not taking any scruples regarding the covenantal language of the standards in the couple of sources I read, but, again, none of the references are entirely clear. If it was to the OPC book of church order it would make a lot more sense. I was definitely thinking about contacting Muether or Hart, but I just wanted to see if anyone around here knew off the top of their heads since it's more a matter of curiosity as opposed to academic research.

 

[Ryan J. Ross]

Gregory E. Reynolds, "The Nature, Limits, and Place of Exceptions and Scruples in Subscription to Our Doctrinal Standards," Ordained Servant, April 2014:

"Our own John Murray took exception to the confessional doctrine of divorce and remarriage in the case of abandonment."

Also, see fn. 55.

 

[TheOldCourse]

It seems it's hard to pin down exactly what exceptions Mr. Murray took and no doubt there were many informal exceptions he took in his various writings, but as far as formal exceptions, the only concrete reference I can find is to this one: (from a footnote in John Fesko's "THE LEGACY OF OLD SCHOOL CONFESSION SUBSCRIPTION IN THE OPC" in JETS)

"81 In the minutes from Murray’s ordination, he records only one exception regarding exclusive
psalmody. His presbytery did not restrict him from teaching this exception (see Minutes of the Presbytery
of New York and New England [26 April 1937] 11; and idem [28 May 1937] 12–13). Murray
is not the only OP minister to have a similar exception free pattern despite what some might term
as ‘exception worthy’ views. Greg Bahnsen (1948–1995) has no recorded exceptions for his ordination
(see Minutes of the Presbytery of Southern California [4 August 1974] 349; and idem [12
July 1975] 433ff.). Meredith Kline (1922–) has never taken nor been asked to take an exception in
over 50 years of ministry in the Presbytery of New Jersey (personal correspondence to the author,
4 April 2002)"

Regardless of whatever his other exceptions were, I've run into this sort of comment regarding an exception to EP a couple of times now. Maybe Daniel's guess is correct and it's just to the BCO, Fesko doesn't say and the other places that have implied it was the Standards were informal blog posts or comments that may just be relying on Fesko.

 

[Ryan J. Ross]

Perhaps the exception is to Presbytery's interpretation of the WCF and WLC with respect to the exclusive singing of psalms?

 

[brendanchatt]

I think maybe he was okay with singing other words or maybe only other songs in scripture.

If I recall correctly R. Scott Clark says something to this effect in agreement with the position to some or full extent.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

The impression given is that it was was to the standards as it was in the context of him not taking any scruples regarding the covenantal language of the standards in the couple of sources I read, but, again, none of the references are entirely clear.

I have heard similar things in relation to him taking exception to the WCF on the covenant of works, but I have not seen it objectively verified. I have never heard that he took exception to the WCF in relation to exclusive psalmody, and I would have thought he would have argued that the WCF was pro-EP.