PCA HISTORICAL CENTER
Archives and Manuscript Repository for the Continuing Presbyterian Church


The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Tracking Revisions in the PCA Book of Church Order by Year

NOTE : The following Book of Church Order (BCO) amendments (listing as well any changes to the Rules of Assembly Operation [RAO], Standing Judicial Commission [SJC] Manual and Corporate Bylaws) were adopted by the General Assembly in the years noted.

1974 - See the pamphlet "CHANGES IN THE BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER Adopted by the Second General Assembly"
1975
- Minor changes proposed, but no revisions adopted for the BCO.
1976 -
No revisions adopted for the BCO.
1977 -
No revisions adopted for the BCO.
1978 -
BCO 15-2.
1979 -
BCO 14-7; 21-1; 22-5.
1980 -
BCO 7-2; Chapters 8 & 9 combined; 15-1-11, 15-1-12, 15-1-14; new content for chapter 6.
1981 -
BCO 5-4; 9-4; 13-1; 14-1 (11); 18-2, 18-3, 18-7, 18-8; 19-1, 19-2, 19-3, 19-4, 19-5, 19-6, 19-7, 19-8, 19-9, 19-10, 19-11, 19-12, 19-13, 19-14, 19-15; 20-11; 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 21-4, 21-11; Part III, preface.
1982 -
BCO 8-7, 8-8, 8-9; 3-5, 13-6, 13-7, 13-8, 13-9, 13-10, 13-11, 13-12; 14-1 (12); 21-4; 23-2, 23-3; 26-4, 26-5, 26-6.
1983 -
BCO 8-4; 10-3; 13-2; 23-1; Index.
1984 -
BCO Chapter 5; 13-2; 14-1-12; 24-9; Chapter 42; Chapter 43; Index.
1985 -
BCO 5-9; 13-2; New 15-4; 20-1; 23-1; Index.
1986 -
BCO Preface II.1 ; 8-3; 12-5; 13-10; 14-7; 14-8; 18-2; 19-7; 19-8; 19-11; 19-16; 20-12; 20-13; 21-4; 24-1; 38-2.
1987 -
BCO 42-4 ; 43-2 ; 43-3 ; 45-1 ; 45-2 ; 45-3 ; 45-4 ; 45-5 ;
1988 - BCO 14-3 ; 19-6 ; 19-10 ; 21-4 ; 22-3 ; 22-4 ; 24-6 [now 24-7] ; 25-2 ; 32-3 ;
1989 - BCO Preface II.1 ; 14-1.12 ; 23-2 ; 23-3 ; [30-1; 30-2 ; 30-3 - see note at p. 48]; 34-8 ; 34-9 ; 37-2 ;
[15-1; 15-2 ; 15-3 ; 15-4; 15-5 and then current 15-4 became 15-6]
1990 - BCO
14-1.14 ; 19-10 ; 30-1 & 3 ; 34-7 & 8 ; 36-4 & 5 ; 37-1, 2, 3, 7 & 8 ; 42-6 ; 45-1, 4 & 5 ; 46-5.
1991 - BCO 14-1.11 ; 14-1.12 ; 14-2 ; 15-2.
1992 - BCO 10-3 ; 42-11 ; 43-3 ; 43-7.
1993 - BCO 14-1.15 ; 15-4 ; 24-5.
1994 - BCO 15-1 ; 21-4d ; 24-1 ; 37-9 ; RAO 4-3 ; 4-6 ; 5-1 ; 13-1 ; 13-6 ; 13-13c.6 ; 13-14d ; 14-9c ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI, p. R-39 and Certificate of Incorporation, pp. R-29-31.
1995 - BCO 13-10 ; 14-1.12 ; 32-18 ; RAO 15-3 and Corporate Bylaws Article IV,4 and VII, 1.
1996 - BCO 35-14 ; 42-5 ; 42-6 ; RAO 14 and Corporate Bylaws Article VI, 5.
1997 - BCO Preface II ; 15-1 ; 15-4 ; 15-5 ; 19-1 ; 19-6 ; 38-4 ; 39-3 ; 46-2 ; 46-5.
1998 - BCO 13-6 ; 15-5c ; 38-3 ; RAO 14-7 ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI, 5.
1999 - BCO 13-5 ; 13-12 ; 20-2 ; 32-6 ; 33-2 ; 33-3 ; 34-4 ; RAO 4-18 [editorial changes to 15-3 and 16-3] ; SJC Manual 6.2d ; 8.3 b ; 19.10c ; and 19.11 [editorial changes to 11.9a.2 and 18.7b]
2000 - BCO 13-12 ; 15-1 ; 24-1 ; 38-1 ; 43-5.
2001 - BCO 14-1.12 ; Appendix B ; Appendix H ; RAO 4-5 ; 9-6 ; 15-2 ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI, 1 ; VI, 4 ; VI, 5.
2002 - BCO 12-5e ; 13-1 ; 14-1.12 ; 32-3 ; 32-4 ; 32-18 ; 35-7 ; 43-1 ; Appendix I ; RAO 4-2 ; 4-3 ; 4-8 ; 4-9 ; 5-1 ; 6-4 ; 7-5c ; 13-1 ; SJC Manual 13.8c.5, 6, 18, and 19-22 renumbered ; Corporate Bylaws Article V, E ; V, F ; V, G ; Article VI, 1 ; VI, 5.
2003 - BCO 14-1.12b.4 ; 21-4 ; 21-5.6 ; RAO 13-1.6 ; 13-2 ; 13-5d ; 13-6e ; 13-6f through 13-6j renumbered ; 14-3e.5 ; 14-8 ; SJC Manual 13.10 ; 14.7 ; 15.7 ; 19.8j ; 19.8k ; 20.12 ; 21.2f ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI, 1.
2004 - BCO 58-5 ; SJC Manual 3.1 ; 11.7b ; 12.3b.
2005 - BCO 24-3 ; 24-5 ; 24-6 through 24-9 relettered ; 24-9 (now 24-10).
2006 - BCO 24-1.b ; 15-4 ; 40-5 ; RAO 2006 revised edition.
2007 - RAO 4-11; 11-1; 14-8.d; 19-2; SJC Manual 21-3.
2008 - BCO 12-1, 12-2; RAO 14-6.k; 14-9.e, g; 14-9.f relettered; 15-8.c, e; 15-8.f-g relettered.
[Editorial note added RAO 15-6.d and 15-6.i; editorial changes SJC 10.5; 11.6; 16.2; 17.2.(d); 18.1.(a); 21.5; 22.1]
2009 - BCO 21-4 (editorial numeration); 59-1, 6; RAO 14-9.h (3); 15-8.g (3); 19-4.d; SJC Manual 3.2; 8.4 (a), (b); 11.10; 13/10; 14.7; 15.7; 16; 19.6; 19.7 (a), (c); 20.6.
2010 - No BCO changes; no RAO changes; SJC Manual new Section 2 added with renumbering thereafter; 3.1; Sections 6 & 7 deleted; Section 17 moved to replace original 11.8; 13.8; 14.2; 15.2; 19.5.
2011 - BCO 5-2; 5-3; 5-4; 5-8; 5-9; 5-10; 5-11; add new 5-5 & renumber as needed; 9-7; 13-6; 15-2; 37-7; RAO 16-3.e.5; SJC Manual 10.7.a; 12.10; 13.7; 14.7; 17.8.k; 18.2.
2012 - BCO 19-11; RAO 5-4; 8-3; 10-8; 11-5; 12-1; 14-6.h; 15-1; OMSJC 8.1.a, b; 8.4; 18.12; 18.13.
2013 - BCO 19-2; 20-3; 24-2; 25-4; 42-4; 43-3; Appendix J added; RAO 8-5.b; 10-9 added; 16-10.a; OMSJC 3.7; 9.1; 10.7.
2014 - BCO 34-8; 37-6; 43-10; [editorial corrections: BCO 13-6; 39-3]; RAO 16-3.e.6; 16-3.e.7, 8 (renumbered); 16-6.c.1; [editorial corrections: RAO 11-5; 11-8]; [OMSJC editorial corrections: 18.11; 18.12.b.(4)]; References to Committee on Christian Education and Publications (CEP) changed to Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM) - BCO 14-1.12; RAO 4-2; 5-1.b.(1); 6-1; 14-1.2.
2015 - BCO 5-2; 8-6; 18-7; 43-3, 8, 9; RAO 14-6.a; 14-6.e; OMSJC 4.1; 7.4; 9.2.e; 10.3.d; 10.6.
2016 - [editorial correction: BCO 58-5]; RAO 8-4.i; OMSJC 7.2.b; 7.4 (add 7.4.b abd reletter); 10.9; 18.12.b, c.
2017 - BCO 5-3; 13-2; editorial - BCO 55-1; RAO 7-3.c; 9-2 (added and renumbering); 13-2; 13-6 (added); 14-8; 17-4; OMSJC 8.2; 8.4.1; 10.11.a (6) and (7); 17.5; 17.7; Reformed University Ministries (RUM) name changed to Reformed University Fellowship (RUF); BCO 14-1.12; RAO 4-2, 5-1, 6-4, 14-1.10; Bylaws Article V.
2018 - BCO [editorial additions/corrections: 42-6, parenthetical reference; Appendices, introductory note; Appendix C, Scripture references, Appendix I, preface]; RAO 8-4.i; 13-2; 16-7.h; 16-10.c; [formatting corrections: 6-1,-4; 14-7.c]; OMSJC 4.1; 10.11.a(2); 12.10; 13.7; 14.7; 15.9; 17.8.k; 18.10.b; 18.12.c; 19.2.f.
2019 - BCO 8-1; 8-3; 25-11; 35-11; Preface to Directory for Worship; 59-3; RAO 11-5; 11-12; 13-2; 13-6 (struck); 16-4.a; 16-4.c.1; 16-4.d.
2021 - BCO 42-4; 43-3; 32-8; 32-13; 35-10; RAO 8-4.i; 9-3; 13-2; 15-6.s.2&3; 16-4-c.1(1); OMSJC Contents page added; 4.1; 2.10.d.
2022 - BCO 12-6; 13-4; 20-4; 24-3; 24-4; 22-2; 24-1; 32-20; 38-1.
2023 - BCO 8-8 and renumber; 14-1; 15-1; 15-3; 16-4; 21-4.e and reletter; 24-1; 31-10; 33-4; 35-1-5 and renumber; 38-1; 42-2; 42-6; 43-2, 43-3; Appendix J; RAO 4-21.d.4; 16-3.e.5; 16-3.e.6; 16.3.e.8; 16-10; 4-3, 5-1.b.7, 14-1 (name change); OMSJC 2.12.c; 4.2.a; 8.4.a, b; Bylaws VI.1.








 

Chapter Index [links are to Paragraph 1 in each chapter]:
FoG..
1
2
4
6
7
8
9
I. King & Head of Church
.§1.
RoD
II. Preliminary Principles
DfW
[FoG = Form of Government ; RoD = Rules of Discipline ; DfW = Directory for Worship]

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