The Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRCA) are a denomination of 27 churches and almost 6000 members in the United States and Canada.

Founding and History

Founded as a separate denomination of Reformed churches in 1924, the PRC stand in the tradition of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Their origin as a denomination was the doctrinal controversy over "common grace" within the Christian Reformed Church in the early 1920s, occasioned by that church's adoption of the doctrine of common grace as official church dogma. The result of the controversy was that several ministers with their congregations were put out of the Christian Reformed Church. These men then established the Protestant Reformed Churches. The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ... The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) is a Protestant Christian denomination which follows Reformed Calvinist theology. ... The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) is a Protestant Christian denomination which follows Reformed Calvinist theology. ...

Foremost among the founders of the PRC was Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965), long-time pastor in the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan; prolific author; professor of theology at the Protestant Reformed Seminary for 40 years; and outstanding theologian. In his book, A Half Century of Theology (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1977), the well-known Dutch theologian G.C. Berkouwer, acknowledged that "the unquestionably sharp theological thought of the American theologian Herman Hoeksema played an important role" in his theological development. In fact, Berkouwer chose Hoeksema as his "dialogue partner" (p. 98). The "dialogue," however, was profound disagreement, particularly Berkouwer's disagreement with Hoeksema's staunch adherence to the Reformed doctrine of predestination. Grand Rapids is the name of several places in the United States of America: Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids, Minnesota Grand Rapids, Ohio Grand Rapids, Wisconsin is the former name of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Grand Rapids is also the name of a town in Canada: Grand Rapids, Manitoba. ... State nickname: Wolverine State or Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) Official languages English Area 250,941 km² (11th)  - Land 147,255 km²  - Water 103,687 km² (41. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... Predestination is a religious idea, under which the relationship between the beginning of things and the destiny of things is discussed. ...

Locations

Congregations are located throughout the United States from New Jersey in the east to California in the west to Minnesota and Washington in the north. Recently, three new congregations have been organized in Canada: State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (D)Acting Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th)  - Land 206,375 km²  - Water 18,990 km² (8. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ...

• Edmonton, Alberta
• Lacombe, Alberta
• Wingham, Ontario

{{Canadian City/Disable Field={{{Disable Motto Link}}}}} Motto: Industry Integrity Progress City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada location. ... Mainstreet Lacombe. ... Wingham (2001 census population 2,885) is a town located in the Canadian province of Ontario at a Latitude of 43°53 North and a Longitude of 81°18 West. ...

Form of Government

Holding the Presbyterian form of church government, the denomination is organized in two classes, Classis East and Classis West (the eastern border of Illinois being the boundary), which meet two or three times a year, and in a Synod, which meets annually in June. Without detracting from the principle of the binding authority of the major assemblies, the Protestant Reformed churches emphasize that each congregation is self-governing by a body of elders chosen out of the congregation (the "autonomy of the local congregation"). Hence, the name of the denomination -- not "Church" (singular), but "Churches" (plural). Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) Official languages American English (as oppossed to Englands English) Area 149,998 km² (25th)  - Land 143,968 km²  - Water 6,030 km² (4. ...

Source | Protestant Reformed Church

--Wbrouwer 23:08, 25 Apr 2005 (UTC)