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

The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 27 : Discipline - Its Nature, Subjects and Ends
Paragraph 5 : Scriptural Principles

27-5. Scriptural law is the basis of all discipline because it is the revelation of God’s Holy will.
Proper disciplinary principles are set forth in the Scriptures and must be followed. They are:
a. Instruction in the Word;
b. Individual’s responsibility to admonish one another (Matthew 18:15, Galatians 6:1);
c. If the admonition is rejected, then the calling of one or more witnesses (Matthew 18:16);
d. If rejection persists, then the Church must act through her court unto admonition, suspension, excommunication and deposition (See BCO 29 and 30 for further explanation).
Steps (a) through (d) must be followed in proper order for the exercise of discipline.

DIGEST: This paragraph was added in 1974. See page 7 of Changes in the Book of Church Order Adopted by the Second General Assembly, at "Page 54, NEW 1-5 & NEW 1-6".

BACKGROUND & COMPARISON:
No comparable text for these editions:
PCA 1973, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly,
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text,
PCUS 1933,
PCUS 1879,
PCUS 1869 draft,
PCUS 1867 draft,

COMMENTARY:
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898) :

[no comparable text in this section
]