Sproul was first ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP). After a failed attempt to transfer into the Presbyterian Church in America,[1] he was ordained in the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly (RPCGA) in 2000, but in January 2006, Sproul and the Session of SPPC were deposed from office by the denomination under charges including including "abuse of authority in an inexcusable manner" against several families, illegal use of the ARP's tax identification number, planting a church without authority, and practicing paedocommunion.[2] The SPPC Session issued a letter of apology and asked to be released from general membership in the RPCGA,[3] and the denomination granted their request.[4] Sproul and SPPC then requested pastoral oversight from the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches and were accepted into that denomination.[5]
References edit
- ^ Johnson, Jerry. "The Saga of R. C. Sproul, Jr.", Presbyterian & Reformed News, vol. 5, no. 5, September-October 2000. pp. 8-9.
- ^ "Declaratory Judgement", Westminster Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly, Office of the Moderator, Dr. Kenneth Gary Talbot. January 26, 2006 (in PDF)
- ^ Letter from the Session of St. Peter Presbyterian Church to the Westminster Presbytery (in PDF)
- ^ Letter to the deposed session of St. Peter Presbyterian Church from Westminster Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly, Office of the Moderator, Dr. Kenneth Gary Talbot. February 3, 2006 (in PDF)
- ^ "Public Statement from the CREC Pastoral Commission for Saint Peter Presbyterian Church, Bristol, TN"