Presbyterian and Consistorial Polity
Begin the course today
Create an account or sign in to enroll. It is free.
Church government by divine right: the Form of Presbyterial Church Government (1645), the Books of Discipline, Gillespie, Rutherford and Henderson, Calvin's Institutes book 4 and the Church Order of Dort (1619). Students compare the Scottish kirk session, presbytery and assembly with the Dutch consistory, classis and synod.
These lists, taken from the school's verified research, are studied on your own at your own pace. The school's own classes, written as full teaching, open one at a time.
How to begin
- Enroll with a free account so the school keeps your place.
- Open the first class, lecture or reading and follow the order of the syllabus.
- Mark each lecture, reading and assignment complete when you finish it.
- Choose a weekly study goal to see when you will finish.
Syllabus
-
Lectures Listen to the lectures in order. Those marked supplementary are optional.
- Confession Chapter 25: Of the Church Camden Bucey Open source Doctrinal Reformed Forum (OPC) The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...
- Confession Chapter 31: Of Synods and Councils Camden Bucey Open source Doctrinal Reformed Forum (OPC) The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...
- The Westminster Standards (14-part audio series), lecture 13: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows, Of the Civil Magistrate, Of Marriage and Divorce, Of the Church, Of the Communion of the Saints Sinclair B. Ferguson 14 MP3s; durations not shown Open source Doctrinal Free Church of Scotland (St Peter's, Dundee) / Reformed Theological Seminary The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...
- What Is the Church Order of Dort and how Does It Maintain Real Gospel? (lecture 4 of a series) Janssen Open source Doctrinal Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary (per the CRTS resources listing found in search; YouTube channel name not captured) Speaker's full name, channel and duration not captured; CRTS (Canadian Reformed) subscribes to the Three Forms, so doctrinal fit is expected but not verified for this talk. Verify the video details before assigning; keep provisionally because it is the only continental polity lecture found.
- What Is a Presbyterian, and Why Does Presbyterian Government Matter? (Christ the Center 951) Matthew Adams, Ben Ratliff, Camden Bucey Open source Comparison Read as comparison Reformed Forum (PCA and OPC participants) The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...