Explores how church leadership roles were defined and who may ordain ministers.
A careful, historical look at the rights of ruling elders within Presbyterian governance, this work compares Scottish and Westminster standards to illuminate a long-running debate about who should oversee ordination and church authority. It presents arguments, primary-source references, and the implications for church practice in the past and today.
The book examines the premise that ordination and church leadership have been traditionally restricted to preaching elders, and it weighs how this view contrasts with the role of ruling elders as described in historic standards. Through analysis of documents, testimonies, and church order, it clarifies what the authorities have said about who may lay on hands and who may supervise church discipline.
- How ordination has been historically framed in Presbyterian practice
- The relationship between elders, pastors, and the selecting of church officers
- A comparison of Scottish church standards with Westminster Directory and other reforming documents
- Practical implications for church governance and potential consequences of interpretive changes
Ideal for readers of church history, theology, and Presbyterian governance who want a clear, sourced discussion of the debate over ruling elders.