The Sacraments: Communion Seasons, Fencing and the Liturgical Forms

1. Lectures Listen to the lectures in order. Those marked supplementary are optional.

   • Communion season sermons (Thursday to Monday), Chesley, Ontario Rev. R. Macleod (April 2026) and Rev. K. Watkins (September 2025) 16 sermons listed; durations not shown Open source Supplementary Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
   • Confession Chapter 27: Of the Sacraments 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 29: Of the Lord's Supper 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 14: Of the Sacraments, Of Baptism, Of the Lord's Supper 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,...

2. Reading Read in the order given. Public-domain and free texts are linked; purchases are optional and never required.

   • The Scottish Communion Season David P. Murray 5 pages Open source Doctrinal 2008. Free online
   • Communion Seasons and Tokens in Early American Presbyterianism R. Andrew Myers Open source Comparison Read as comparison 2024. Free online
   • Liturgical Forms (Baptism of Infants, Baptism of Adults, Celebration of the Lord's Supper, Excommunication, Readmission, Ordination, Form of Subscription) United Reformed Churches in North America 21 forms listed Open source Primary text Free online A very small Covenanter body (RPNA 'About' page loaded: Price is its pastor) which holds the original Westminster Standards but adds the Solemn League and Covenant as a term of communion and dissents from all other churches. Doctrine conforms to 1647; the ecclesiology of separation goes beyond it. Keep as the...
   • The Heidelberg Catechism (Lord's Days 25-30, sacraments) Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus (Palatinate, 1563) Open source Primary text 1563. Free online
   • The Belgic Confession (Arts. 33-35, sacraments) Guido de Bres Open source Primary text 1561. Free online
   • The Baptism Form (1): Introduction James D. Slopsema Open source Doctrinal 1985. Free online PRC subscribes to the Three Forms of Unity but denies the well-meant offer of the gospel and holds an unconditional-covenant position that other Reformed bodies reject (Canons of Dort III/IV.8 is read differently). Keep the two articles (on the deacon's qualifications and the Baptism Form), which do not touch those...
   • The Christian's Reasonable Service, vol. 2, chs. 39-41 (Holy Baptism; The Lord's Supper; The Practice of the Lord's Supper: Preparation, Celebration and Reflection) Wilhelmus a Brakel (trans. Bartel Elshout) Open source Doctrinal 1700. Free online
   • Aaron's Rod Blossoming, Book 3: Of Excommunication and Suspension from the Lord's Table George Gillespie Book 3 of 3 Open source Doctrinal 1646. Public domain

   Total: 5 pages

3. Assignment Write a research paper of 30 pages on a topic drawn from the lectures and readings of this course. Argue from Scripture, the Westminster Standards (1647 text) and the Three Forms of Unity, cite the primary sources you read, and state the points on which the sources differ.

   Open the assignment

Every lecture and reading carries its role. "Under review" means the teacher's subscription to the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity is not yet established; "Read as comparison" means the material teaches the 1788 American text of WCF 20.4, 23 or 31 or of Larger Catechism Q.109, which the school reads beside the 1647 text. Nothing has been removed.