13 November, 2005

The ARC of Grand Rapids

A new Presbyterian Thoughts link:




The Associate Reformed Church website is finally open. The go-live date was May 15, 2005. Congratulations to the ARC!

www.arcgr.org

Thanks James Lanning of "Set It Off" for making this possible.

14 comments:

shawn said...

what happened to the "Presbyterian" in your name?

steveandjanna said...

Yeah, when did we stop being Presbyterians? This is completely and totally outragous if we've dropped out of the world of Presbyterianism. Why are we afraid of being Presbyterians? I just get the feeling that this is all about dutch appeasement, which is sickning.

John W. Sikma said...

because it links to liberalism or something.

Hey, who made this site, this is sweet!

Anonymous said...

How is the website "finally open" nearly 6 months after the "go-live date"? I'm puzzled.

NPE said...

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church has historically been known as the Asscoiate Church or the Associate Reformed Church. It has nothing to do with dropping the Presbyterian form the name.

It is a connection with the historical ARP. (Why do we drop the C from the name....are we a church? Shawn- RPNA...where is the church??)

steveandjanna said...

It's an outrage! I am a Presbyterian not some random associate.

Mark said...

Personally, I have no problem with appeasing the Dutch. In fact, I think it's a practice that ought to be encouraged. I think everybody would be pleasantly surprised by the results.

But then, I'm Dutch.

Anonymous said...

It takes my breath away!!!! I hope your mom is greatful to have brought you into this world.Your well thought out life is to Glorify God!!!! The Evangelocal in me says Thank you JESUS!!!!!!

shawn said...

Why do we drop the C from the name....are we a church? Shawn- RPNA...where is the church??)

haha. I wasn't accusing you of anything, I just wondered what happened to the whole title?

Actually, We are truly the RPCNA, yet we would rather there be a present body established under the True Religion, The Church of the USA. (and that can be quite confusing)

It is interesting though that to take out the title "Church" is not so uncommon. I mean it is at least implicit - to deny that would be arguing against all the Presbyterian splinter groups.

But to take out "Presbyterian" from your title... well that can be a significant change - the name does not naturally imply "Presby", but as others have said, Reformed does imply "Dutch tradition".

Anonymous said...

Shawn, you are in the RPCNA? How does Reformed imply Dutch tradition? I always thought that Reformed implied agreeing with the Reformers, Calvin in particular. Last time I checked, Calvin was French.

NPE said...

I agree with Flood on the use of Reformed. It is contenental not Dutch.
As far as RPKNA...Shawn is in the RPNA not the RPCNA. The diferences can be discussed ad nauseum on his blog. (I love 'im though!)

Also Reformed when followed by Presbyterian historically means that there is a belief in social covenanting. (Another one for Shawn's blog) The ARP has not held to a social covenant in its US history thus making it more appropriate to drop the P from the common name of the church.

Rev.Lanning could be summoned to discuss the other historical reasons for dropping the P in the common name of the ARC. If you send me an email with a question for him I will gladly pass it on to the ARP Historian.

shawn said...

As far as RPKNA...Shawn is in the RPNA not the RPCNA. The diferences can be discussed ad nauseum on his blog. (I love 'im though!)

Hey Nate, are you saying the Truth makes you sick? or am I not understanding the term correctly?

shawn said...

Reformed is to be understood broadly as Continental Reformed and narrowly as Dutch Reformed, as opposed to Presbyterianism, which is broadly the British Isles Reformed and narrowly Scottish Reformed.

I say Dutch, because one of the biggest influencing Continental Assemblies was the Assembly of Dordt - Dordt, Netherlands. And though the Westminster Assembly was an English Assembly (and truly set up Presbyterianism for the Church of England), the Scottish National Church was the only body to actually adopt, ratify and uphold the Standards produced by the Assembly for the Covenanted unity and uniformity of the Christian religion.

So there is the broad and narrow aspect.

NPE said...

Shawn
I was just using the figure of speech. I am not saying that these doctrines make me sick or should make anyone sick. Any discussion can be ad nauseum right?

Sorry if I offended my brother.
I also am sorry for offending Lydia with the two spelling errors.

In dust and ashes!