Reformed and Presbyterian Denominations: A Primer
Statement on "micro-churches": You will see many denominations listed here that have three, five, or ten churches. Most of these smaller ones have little difference from all the others. Heck, I think most of the NAPARC churches should united but that's beside the point. I think it's sad that the Reformed community has grown so fragmented that we have these tiny little groups that recognize each other but they're "not good enough". They usually have their reasons, but I don't usually buy it. It's a sad testimony to the spirit of American individualism that this is so rampant. Anyway, here is as complete a list as I can gather for now. Email me (and remove "no spam") if you have other suggestions.
Questionable/erroneous
positions are listed in green,
while major doctrinal error
is in red.
(Per my humble opinion.)
KJV-Preferred means a church only uses
the KJV in public but does not necessarily bash others
KJV-Onlyist
means that the church thinks translations other than the KJV are
generally corrupt and heretical
Numbers
of churches/members are meant to reflect US and Canada, unless
otherwise noted.
NAPARC
(North American Presbyterian And Reformed Council)
- A conservative-Reformed
ecumenical organization promoting closer relations between Reformed
denominations. Most of the major groups are represented.
Basis
of the Council: Confessing
Jesus Christ as only Savior and Sovereign Lord over all of life, we
affirm the basis of the fellowship of Presbyterian and Reformed
Churches to be full commitment to the Bible in its entirety as the
Word of God written, without error in all its parts and to its
teaching as set forth in the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic
Confession, the Canons of Dordt, the Westminster Confession of Faith,
and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. That the adopted
basis of fellowship be regarded as warrant for the establishment of a
formal relationship of the nature of the council, that is, a
fellowship that enables the constituent churches to advise, council,
and cooperate in various matters with one another and hold out before
each other the desirability and need for organic union of churches
that are of like faith and practice.
|
NAPARC Members |
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|
346,408 members |
1,740 churches |
This church is broadly
evangelical, conservative, and Reformed. It was
formed in 1973 as the National Presbyterian Church,
adopting its current name the next year. It is now the
second-largest Reformed denomination in the U.S. There is a blend
of Reformed practice and modern evangelicalism.
|
|
|
30,000 |
335 |
A very conservative
Reformed denomination. The OPC came into being (as the
Presbyterian Church of America) in
1938 as a breakaway from the old northern PCUSA, then changed its
name later. (Our church home now.) |
|
|
35,472 |
255 |
The ARP Church is the
oldest Presbyterian denomination in America, being formed in 1782
as a merger of Seceder and Covenanter churches. The Associate
Reformed Church is solidly conservative, but does allow
female deacons. |
|
|
6,641 |
88 |
Another very conservative
Reformed Church, a successor to the Covenanters. Allows
female deacons. |
|
|
33,000 |
400+ |
A conservative ethnic
Korean body. |
|
|
4,000+ |
43 |
By most authorities the
most conservative of significant Reformed denominations. The RCUS
is a descendant of the German Reformed Church, most of which is
now part of the United Church of Christ. |
|
|
Unknown |
5 |
Conservative, evangelical
Reformed, ethnic French-Canadian successor to the Huguenots.
|
|
|
21,000 |
113 |
Formed in 1995, the URCNA
is a breakaway from the Christian Reformed Church. This church
continues the conservative Continental Reformed tradition of its
predecessor. |
|
|
4,500 |
21 |
Conservative
denomination, Dutch background, from the Free Reformed Churches of
the Netherlands. |
|
|
2,000 |
10 |
Very Conservative, ethnic
Dutch background, formerly with the Netherlands Reformed
Congregations. |
|
|
17,000 |
54 |
Conservative, mostly
Dutch church based in Canada and the northern United States.
|
|
|
Unknown |
6 |
Conservative breakaway
from the Canadian PC, but with congregations in the United States
and England as well. |
|
|
Recent observers to NAPARC |
|||
|
60 |
3 |
Fundamentalist breakaway
from the BPC. While the BPC allows freedom on millennial views,
the APC requires premillennialism. Also opposed
to any use of alcohol as sinful. |
|
|
10,000 |
19 |
Moderate fundamentalist
breakaway from the OPC (1938). Along with conservative Reformed
theology, the majority of the BPC advocates historic
premillennialism, abstention from alcohol, and a strong
separatistic tradition. |
|
|
115,000 |
285 |
Evangelical breakaway
from the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (1981) The EPC
holds to conservative Reformed doctrine, but allows the ordination
of women as elders and deacons and also is more tolerant of
semi-Arminian and charismatic views than most others. Many
PCUSA churches have jumped to them recently.
|
|
|
6,000 |
31 |
Moderately Conservative,
ethnic Hungarian. |
|
|
10,080 |
26 |
Very Conservative, ethnic
Dutch; is said to have
hyper-Calvinistic tendencies. |
|
|
Unknown |
Unknown |
I know they're an ethnic Korean denomination, and are conservative Presbyterian. Nothing else as yet. |
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|
Other Reformed Denominations |
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|
Alliance of Reformed Churches (ARC) |
Unk |
17 |
A Christian Reformed Church breakaway. |
|
Unk |
2 |
An ethnic Scottish split-off from the Free
Presbyterian Church of Scotland over the issue of Christian
liberty. Somewhat ecumenical, but not liberal from what I can
see. |
|
|
Unk |
28 |
Moderately conservative, ethnic Hungarian synod of the
United Church of Christ. Many members of the conservative
"Faithful and Welcoming" movement are in this body.
Ordain women to the
minsitry. |
|
|
268,000 |
1,049 |
An evangelical
continental Reformed denomination, somewhat conservative but
allows ordination of women
and also has a lot of ministers who hold to higher-critical
views of the Bible. |
|
|
Unknown |
10 |
A breakaway from the
RPCGA. No sunday school or youth groups, require educated elders,
and practice paedocommunion.
|
|
|
Unknown |
4 |
A recent denomination
which mostly broke from the PCA. They are mildly theonomic and
strongly Reformed. |
|
|
Covenanting Association of Reformed Presbyterian Churches (CARPC) |
Unknown |
3 |
A small group that holds
to the Westminster Standards and to the Three Forms of Unity.
Can't really see any distinctives other than this. |
|
Unknown |
73 |
This denomination which seems to have Korean connections, but congregations speak English, Korean, Spanish, and various languages. They seem to be broadly evangelical with some Reformed elements, similar to the EPC. Several multi-site congregations from what I can see. Creeds: WS (combination of 1789, 1903, PCUS edition), EAPC Statement of Faith |
|
|
Unknown |
5 |
This is a new
denomination forming based on perceived apostasy in the PCA and
OPC over the acceptance of the Federal
Vision theology (which was recently rejected
at their General Assemblies). Very similar to those of the
PCA/OPC, but are aiming to be much more ground-up in church
government. |
|
|
Unknown |
3 |
A group from BPC's South
Atlantic Presbytery that separated from the BPC in 2008, partly
because of BPC relations with the OPC. |
|
|
Unknown |
8 |
Postmillennial,
paedo-communion
(weekly) |
|
|
Unknown |
5 |
An ethnic Scottish denomination, which left the Church
of Scotland in 1843. |
|
|
Unknown |
4 |
A split-off from the FCS, with similar beliefs and
worship. |
|
|
Unknown |
24 |
A very conservative
Reformed church affiliated with the larger FPC Northern Ireland,
led by Ian Paisley. This church is fundamentalist/separatist and
is very adamantly anti-Catholic. They practice both paedo-baptism
(but only "babes in arms", not minors) and credo-baptism
(anyone older than an infant has to
confess Christ before baptism). |
|
|
Unknown |
3 |
Another split-off from the FCS, with similar beliefs and
worship. |
|
|
7,000 |
32 |
A very conservative
breakaway from the CRC (1926) that denies
the doctrine of common grace and any love of God for nonbelievers
(Hoeksemism); also
require officers to attend their own Christian schools and forbid
homeschooling when one is available. |
|
|
Unknown |
1 |
A former confederate of the RPCGA. |
|
|
Unknown |
10 |
A remnant of a breakaway
from the PCA (1983), this church is conservative and avows the
Christian Reconstructionism of Rushdoony, Bahnsen, and others.
|
|
|
Unknown |
8 |
A breakaway from the
RPCUS (1990s). Small, mildly theonomic, opposed to incorporation
with the government. |
|
|
500 |
8 |
Another breakaway from
the RPCUS (1990s). Joined recently by the former American
Reformation Presbyterian Church, a PCA breakaway. |
|
|
Unknown |
Online |
A breakaway from the
RPCNA (1840), holds to an extreme view of Exclusive Psalmody,
saying that those who use hymns and don't sing via lining are
idolaters. They do not worship with
anyone who sings hymns or who doesn't line the Psalms, use the
Directory for Publick Worship (1646) or covenant. (Steelites)
|
|
|
Reformed Presbytery of North America, General Meeting (RPNA-GM) |
95 |
1 |
Very similar to the RPCC,
holding to most of the same views. Their members are very active
on the net despite the church's small size. Require
total doctrinal conformity for fellowship, including the idea that
all Biblically constituted churches must accept the Bible,
but also the Westminster Standards, Solemn League and Covenant,
National Covenant, and the Directory of Publick Worship,
ala David Steele. |
|
Westminster Presbyterian Church in the United States (WPCUS) |
Unknown |
3 |
Another recent Reformed
micro-church; by its name obviously very Calvinistic. Breakaway
from the RPCNA. |
|
256,000 |
935 |
An ecumenical
denomination which has a fairly liberal
leadership but many of its churches are solidly
evangelical. |
|
|
78,451 |
740 |
An Arminian
Presbyterian church (only believes in the fifth point of five)
formed during the Second Great Awakening. They are
long-time practitioners of women's
ordination and permit higher-critical
views of the Bible. |
|
|
15,000 |
109 |
Another Arminian and somewhat
liberal denomination, associated with the former and
with the same beliefs. The CPCA was once known as the
Colored CPC, and its membership is still mostly black. |
|
|
1,000 |
12 |
Arminian conservative
breakaway from the CPC. Known for their exclusive use of the
KJV and rejection of modernism. |
|
|
55,000 |
302 |
Liberal-ecumenical
Korean Denomination. |
|
|
2,077,138 |
10,657 |
The largest Reformed
Denomination in the U.S., has a strongly
liberal leadership and is moving toward allowing homosexual
marriage and ordination, but several of its churches
are solidly Biblical and are fighting this. Original PCUSA formed
in 1789, this one in 1983 with the union of Northern and Southern
Churches. |
|
|
Defunct Reformed and Presbyterians Denominations (Approximate figures given for last record available) |
|||
|
650 |
4 |
The Seceder church from
old Scotland, led by the Erskines. Strongly Calvinist and
Exclusive Psalmody. |
|
|
6,769 |
169 |
The majority of the BPC
which was deserted by the current BPC in 1956. The BPC (Columbus
Synod) became the EPC in 1961. |
|
|
818,000 |
2,727 |
Formed by a union of the liberal majority of the RCUS (minus
the current RCUS) with the
semi-Lutheran Evangelical Synod of North America. Used the
Heidelberg Catechism along with Luther's Catechism and the
Augsburg confession. Very neo-orthodox. |
|
|
1,400 |
5 |
Conservative breakaway
from the CRC. |
|
|
815,000 |
4,250 |
This had been the old
"Southern" Presbyterian Church, formed as the
Presbyterian Church in the Confederate State in America
(PCCSA) in 1861. Was conservative until the 1950s and
1960s, when liberalism took control. The PCA left the PCUS in
1973. |
|
|
2,775,000 |
8,351 |
This had been the old
"Northern" Presbyterian Church, founded in 1789. It was
a solid Reformed body until the 1920s when it began to openly
tolerate liberalism and modernism, then censured those who opposed
them (e.g. J. Gresham Machen). It joined the UPCNA in 1958.
|
|
|
Providence National Presbytery (PNP) |
Unknown |
3 |
Distinctive of this
church is their belief in paedocommunion.
|
|
United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA) |
2,350,000 |
8,975 |
The Northern Church
formed by the union of the original PCUSA and the UPCNA church in
1958. Carried into liberalism by the old Northern Church.
|
|
Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, General Synod (RPCGS) |
2,403 |
21 |
Broke from the RPCNA in
1833 because that church had forbidden members to vote or hold
office, while the RPCGS supported this. Joined with the (old)
Evangelical Presbyterian Church in 1965. |
|
20,000 |
154 |
Formed in 1965 with the
union of the EPC (of 1961) with the RPCGS. Broadly evangelical
with Reformed streak. |
|
|
258,000 |
839 |
A merger of the Associate
and northern Associate Reformed Churches (1858), this was a
conservative Reformed witness until its union with the northern
PCUSA in 1958 and it lost its distinctives. |
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Non-Presbyterian Reformed Denominations |
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Congregational Reformed |
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|
Unknown |
86 |
Composed of
Presbyterian, and Reformed Baptist churches, but more
congregational in church order. They allow believers and infant
baptism and communion, depending on what the local church says,
Many advocates of the Federal Vision
heresy,which denies justification by faith alone, have come here
(e.g. Steve Wilkins), but thankfully there are also
members who do not follow this movement. |
|
|
43,000 |
306 |
One of the successors of the old New England Congregationalists, this denomination is officially modern evangelical but has a large Reformed contingent. Several UCC churches which left that apostate group joined this Biblical church. |
|
|
Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches (EARCCC) |
Unknown |
7+ |
A Reformed and evangelical group with ties to the United Church of Christ. |
|
Unknown |
3 |
Classical Calvinist congregationalists. |
|
|
National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) |
70,000 |
386 |
Well, I guess they're not as bad as the United Church of Christ (below). Good roots, but a number of churches have embraced strong theological liberalism. Very much a mixed bag of very good churches and not so good. Several UCC churches have joined the NACCC recently. |
|
1,100,000 |
5,320 |
Reformed
in name only. This merger of old German Reformed, German
Evangelical, Congregationalist, and one Disciples group allows
practically any belief by its ministers, including homosexual
ordination and marriage. A sad descendant of several historically
good churches, though there are a few who have "not
knelt the knee to Ba'al." |
|
|
Episcopalian Reformed |
|||
|
Unknown |
200 |
Episcopal breakaway that
is endorsed by several Anglican bishops from other nations. A
number of priests in this church are Reformed in their theology.
|
|
|
13,400 |
141 |
An older Calvinist
Episcopalian group, formed in opposition to Catholic influences in
the Episcopal Church in the 19th century.
Has become more high-church and Anglo-Catholic and less Reformed
in recent years. As of 2009 is part of
the Anglican Church in North America. |
|
|
Unknown |
3 |
A recent split from the Episcopal Church or one of its
successors. Is strongly confessional, evangelical, and
Reformed. |
|
|
Unknown |
1 (5 in the UK) |
Split from the REC because of the Anglo-Catholicism growing
in the mother body. Associated with the Free Church of England -
Evangelical Connexion. |
|
|
Reformed Baptists |
|||
|
Unknown |
70 |
A Calvinistic Baptist
association of churches formed in the last few years to get a more
unified witness among Reformed Baptists |
|
|
Unknown |
76 |
Another Calvinistic Baptist association. |
|
|
NA |
NA |
Not a denomination, but a Calvinist renewal movement in the historically Reformed Southern Baptist Convention |
|
|
Reformed Charismatics |
|||
|
Unknown |
54 |
Reformed Charismatic denomination. As the name suggests, they have more congregations across the globe. |
|
|
Unknown |
81 |
Another Reformed Charismatic body. This is best known as the home of C.J. Mahaney and courtship-advocate Joshua Harris. |
|
|
FAKE Denominations |
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|
N/A |
N/A |
A sick joke and a bad parody of true Calvinism. The "members" of this church are convinced they're going to hell because they're not elect. The website is actually run by a bunch of anti-Calvinists who don't want to be confused with facts. |
|
Sources,
other websites:
1)
Adherents.com
2)
Melton, J.G. Encyclopedia
of American Religions. Detroit:
Gale Research Co., 2003.
3)
Mead, F. and Hill, S. Handbook
of Denominations in the United States.
Nashville: Abingdon, 1985 (8th Ed)
4)
BJ
Mora's site on Reformed Denominations -
Another individual Reformed believer and well-done site
5)
Grace Alone's site
- Brian Hanley's thorough
site about Presbyterian Churches; don't miss it!
6)
Association of Religion Data
Archives - Has
taken off where Adherents stopped
If
anyone has any further or updated info I can’t find, email me
here (rmv NOSPAM).
I've tried to correct
my errors, but I'm sure I still have some work to do. Help me out,
guys!
Last
update: 20 September 2011