10 Aug GS 1992 art 113
GS 1992 ARTICLE 113 – Committee on Ecumenicity and InterChurch Relations of the OPC
Committee IV presents: Agenda item VIII F10
I. MATERIAL
Letter, dated February 10, 1992, from Committee on Ecumenicity and InterChurch Relations (CEIR) of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
II. ADMISSIBILITY
Since this letter is addressed to General Synod, and its contents are referred to by the CCOPC in their report, Synod declares the letter admissible.
III. OBSERVATIONS
- A. The CEIR has sent a letter directly to Synod, requesting help with respect to their mandate to “direct the Committee on Ecumenicity and InterChurch Relations to consider the desirability and feasibility of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church adding the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort) to its present confessional standards (the Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism) and of establishing a common Presbyterian and Reformed church order, so as to provide a basis for unity into one church body of those who are committed to one faith.”
- B. The CCOPC refers to this matter of the appointment of this committee under 3.3.b. in their report to General Synod 1992.
IV. CONSIDERATIONS
- A. The communication of the CEIR should be gratefully recognized as containing valuable information.
- B. To keep the proper procedures in place, communications from Committees of other churches should first be referred to our committees for consideration and recommendation.
- C. The CCOPC includes part of the matter under its mandate 5(b) “to encourage the OPC to remain faithful to the Scriptures … in their study of the desirability and feasibility of adding the Three Forms of Unity to its present doctrinal standards.”
- The other part of the CEIR mandate (re Church Order) ought to be included as well.
V. RECOMMENDATION
Synod decide to forward this letter from the CEIR to the CCOPC to be included in their further discussions.