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


The Historical Development of the PCA Book of Church Order
Topical Listings of Article and Book Resources:

DELEGATED ASSEMBLY
Report of the Sub-committee on Study of Delegated General Assemblies. (1981)
Delegated Assemblies: A History of the Debate in the PCA

THE DIACONATE
General materials on the office of the deacon--

1869 - James M. Willson, The Deacon: An Inquiry into the Nature, Duties and Exercise of the Office..
___________Chapter 1: The Deacon a Standing Church Officer (argument from Scriptures; deacons in early church, etc.)
___________
Chapter 2: The Nature of the Deacon's Office (care of poor and management of finances, etc.)
___________Chapter 3: Of the Substitutes for the Deacon (contra Boards of Trustees)
___________Chapter 4: The Relations of the Deacon. The Deacon is Subordinate to the Ecclesiastical Courts.
___________Chapter 5: Conclusion and Appendix
1840s - Anonymous, "The Scriptural Office of the Deacon," in Presbyterian Tracts, vol. 6, tract no. 94, 16 pp.
1855 - Stuart Robinson, "The Office of Deacon," The Presbyterial Critic 1.6 (June 1855): 271-277.
1855 - Stuart Robinson, "Trustees of Church Property--Their Functions and Relations to the Deacons of the Church," The Presbyterial Critic 1.11 (November 1855): 490-497.
1859 - Ramsay, Rev. James Beverlin, "The Deaconship," The Southern Presbyterian Review 12.1 (April 1859): 1-24.
1880 - Rev. W.H. M'Millan, "The Diaconate a Scriptural Office," Evangelical Repository 57.1 (June 1880): 15-20.
1882 - J. Aspinwall Hodge, What Is Presbyterian Law?, Chapter 6--Of Deacons
1884 - Report on the Diaconate, by John L. Girardeau, Robert L. Dabney and Thomas E. Peck
1892 - T.E. Peck, Notes on Ecclesiology, Chapter 19--Deacons
New: 1903 - R.C. Reed, "The Deacon," The Union Seminary Magazine 15.2 (1903): 215-224.
1978 - Diaconal Principles of the NAPARC Churches [Report, Sixth PCA General Assembly, Minutes, Appendix D]

The Diaconate—Fine points argued by J.L. Girardeau and J.A. Lefevre:
Girardeau, Rev. John L., "The Diaconate," Part I, The Southern Presbyterian Review 30.1 (January 1879): 1-32.
Girardeau, "The Diaconate," Part II, The Southern Presbyterian Review 31.1 (January 1880): 117-160.
Girardeau, "The Importance of the Office of Deacon," The Southern Presbyterian Review 32.1 (January 1881): 1-29.
Lefevre, Rev. Jacob Amos, "The Presbyterian Diaconate," The Southern Presbyterian Review 32.2 (April 1881): 343-354.
Lefevre, "The Diaconate of Scripture," The Southern Presbyterian Review 32.2 (April 1881): 355-368.
Girardeau, "The Diaconate Again," Part I, The Southern Presbyterian Review 32.4 (October 1881) 628-664

Exegetical and historical consideration or debate regarding deaconesses--
1889 - B.B. Warfield, "Presbyterian Deaconesses"
1945 - PCUS Actions regarding deaconesses, 1880-1926
1976-1978 - RPCES studies on the Role of Women in the Church
1977 - Gordon H. Clark, "The Ordination of Women" [written in response to the 1976 RPCES study. An early draft of this article, with annotations, is found among the Gordon Clark Papers at the PCA Historical Center. The included explanatory preface was added later and is found in subsequent reprints of Clark's works by The Trinity Foundation.]

Larger Issues -- Discussion of Office, Ordination, etc.

1854 - John G. Shepperson, "Authority of Ecclesiastical Rulers," Part I, Southern Presbyterian Review 8.1 (July 1854).

IN THESI DELIVERANCES
Overview of in thesi deliverances.
Nature and authority of "In thesi" deliverances of Church courts. [excerpt from the PCUS Digest]
The "Great Debate" an the Deliverance of 1880.
Girardeau, John L., The Action of the Assembly: An Open Letter (1880)
Taylor, Dr. L. Roy, The Status of in thesi Statements.



Chapter Index [links to Par. 1 of 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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