Paradigms In Polity

by David W. Hall (Editor), Joseph H. Hall (Editor)

This unique book provides a comprehensive, chronological anthology of the most essential documents on Presbyterian and Reformed church government, including many out-of-print selections and several new English translations. Beginning with the earliest testimonies to God's plan for church order and proceeding through the development of Western civilization, the thirty-nine entries in this volume detail the historical foundation of church polity. The editors have compiled a mini-library of the most biblical, the best historical, and the most classical theological articles--all of which help to illumine the important question: How does Scripture speak to the issue of church government?

Contents:
History and character of church government / Joseph H. Hall --
The pastoral and theological significance of church government / David W. Hall --
The Apostolic church : which is it? / Thomas Witherow --
Earliest textual documentation --
The institutes of the Christian religion / John Calvin --
Presbyterianism : the truly primitive and Apostolical constitution of the Church of Christ / Samuel Miller --
The second Helvetic Confession --
The register of the company of pastors of Geneva in the time of Calvin / translated by Philip E. Hughes --
Ecclesiastical discipline, 1559 --
Ecclesiastical ordinances, 1561 --
The French (Gallican) Confession, 1559 --
The outward administration of the church / Johannes Wollebius --
The Belgic Confession, 1561 --
The Church Order of Dort, 1619/Christian Reformed Church Order, 1914 --
The Reformed Church in America constitutions, 1792, 1833, 1874 --
The Book of Discipline, 1560 / John Knox --
The Scots Confession --
The second Book of Discipline, 1578 / Andrew Melville --
Book of Discipline, 1587 / Walter Travers --
The Westminister Assembly Directory for church government --
The minutes of the Westminister Assembly of divines / edited by A.F Mitchell. The due right of Presbyteries / Samuel Rutherford --
The Church of Christ / James Bannerman --
Minutes of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 1706-1788 / edited by Guy S. Klett --
The Adopting Act --
Constitutional history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America / Charles Hodge --
Synod and Assembly rules of order --
Minutes of the First General Assembly of the PCUSA --
The ruling elder / Samuel Miller --
The old school/new school division extracts, 1834-1837 --
The church and its polity / Charles Hodge --
What is Presbyterian law? / J. Aspinwall Hodge --Baird's digest / Samuel J. Baird --
Presbyterian government : not a hierarchy, but a commonwealth / Robert J. Breckinridge --
The Westminister Confession and Creeds / Robert L. Dabney --
Theories of the eldership / Robert L. Dabney --
Church-boards and Presbyterianism / James H. Thornwell --
The powers of the several church-courts / Thomas E. Peck --
Bibliographical essay / David W. Hall.

Genres: Ecclesiology

621 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Michael Cochran]

Turn the the table of contents and pick out good things to read. I'm not sure there is value in reading all of it.

[South Asia]

I read chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 23, 29, 31, 32, 38 and these were excellent reads if you are interested in Presbyterian Polity.