Foremost among the founders of the PRC was Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965),
long-time pastor in the First Protestant Reformed Church
in Grand Rapids, MI;
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.
Congregations are located throughout the United States from New Jersey in the east to California in the west and from Texas in the south to Minnesota and Washington in the north. Recently, two congregations have been organized in Alberta, Canada -- one in Edmonton and the other in Lacombe and another in Ontario, Canada -- in Wingham.
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).
The churches endured a severe, internal, doctrinal controversy in the
early 1950s in defense of the unconditionality of the covenant of grace. As a
result of this struggle, the denomination was reduced in size.
However, at the present time there is stability and steady growth,
lovely activity, and peace for these churches.
In the words of the "Constitution" of their denominational mission committee, these churches "believe that, in obedience to the command of Christ, the King of the church, to preach the blessed Gospel to all creatures...it is the explicit duty and sacred privilege of said churches to carry out this calling." The foreign mission committee regulates the churches' work abroad. In addition to a number of missions in the United States and Canada, the PRC have been working in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In the recent past, the churches have engaged in foreign missions in Singapore with the mainly Chinese inhabitants of that nation. The fruit has been the organization of two, sister congregations -- the Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore and the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore. Confessing "that it is their sacred duty to manifest the true unity and catholicity of the Church on earth in as far as that is possible, not only in their denominational fellowship but also in conjunction with all churches which have obtained like precious faith with us, both domestic and foreign," these churches have a denominational "Committee for Contact with Other Churches." In recent years, they have either established contact, or explored the possibility of contact, with churches in Singapore; the British Isles; New Zealand; and Australia.
By their rejection of "common grace," they mean especially to deny that God is gracious in the preaching of the gospel to all who hear the external proclamation, holding that, although the gospel ought to be preached to all and although all ought to be confronted with the command to repent and believe, God is gracious in the preaching to the elect alone ("particular grace").
The biblical doctrine of the covenant is precious to these churches. They regard it as a truth that is central in Scripture and basic to the Reformed faith, even as it is fundamental to the life of the Reformed believer. The doctrine has been developed in the PRC. They conceive it, not as a contract mutually agreed upon by God and men and dependent upon the fulfillment of stipulated conditions by two parties, but as a living relationship of friendship between God in Christ and the elect church, established and maintained by the sovereign grace of God alone. They deny that faith is a condition to the covenant, holding rather that faith, the "gift of God' (Ephesians 2:8),is the means by which God realizes His covenant, as well as the means by which the elect enjoy the covenant and willingly carry out their part in the covenant.
Among the practical implications of this covenant view, in the thinking of the PRC, is the calling of the church to promote and defend marriage, the earthly symbol of the covenant between Christ and the Church (cf. Ephesians 5:22ff.), as a life-long unbreakable bond. On this basis, the church should, and can, oppose the evil of divorce and remarriage in her communion -- an evil that devastates Protestant churches today, angers God and disgusts godly men and women. Thus also, the family is safeguarded for the sake of the godly rearing of the children, who are included in the covenant (Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:3-15).
Members of the PRC believe that good, Christian schools are a demand of the covenant. They, therefore, have established a number of Christian grade schools and high schools, maintaining them with no small amount of sacrifice. In areas where their own schools are not possible, parents use the existing Christian schools. Young people are encouraged to attend Christian colleges.
In their public worship on the Sabbath, these churches sing only the Psalms (with organ accompaniment) in keeping with article 69 of the Church Order adopted for the Reformed Churches by the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619). They use the King James Version of Holy Scripture, judging it to be the best English translation available, especially as regards the crucial matter of faithfulness to the inspired original.
The PRC note with alarm, if not horror, the widespread abandonment of
the doctrine of the inerrant inspiration of Scripture by Reformed churches both
in the United States and in Europe; the openness of reformed churches to the
charismatic movement; the involvement of Reformed churches in ecumenicity that
allies them with churches which are hostile to the distinctively Reformed
doctrines, with churches which are theologically "liberal" (churches in the
National and World Councils of Churches), and even Rome; and the sheer
worldliness of life now tolerated, and in some cases promoted, by Reformed
churches, contrary to what the Reformed churches once exhorted as the
"antithesis" --the spiritual separation from the world of a holy life. (This
last evil is what Francis A. Schaeffer deplored as the evangelical churches'
"accommodation" to the world, in his The Great Evangelical Disaster.)
Not a whit less serious to the PRC is the threat of Arminianism.
Despite the rejection of Arminianism as false doctrine by the Synod of Dordt,
and the condemnation of it by the Westminster Standards, it makes deep inroads
into the Reformed churches in the popular doctrines of a universal love of God
for sinners revealed in the Gospel; of a death of Jesus for all men without
exception, with appeal to
John 3:16;and the dependency of God in salvation
upon the decision of the sinner ("free will"). If free will is not openly
espoused, all too often there is deep silence in the churches' preaching and
confession with regard to predestination (election and reprobation) and the
other doctrines of sovereign grace. The PRC believe themselves called, as a
denomination of Reformed churches, stoutly to defend and enthusiastically to
proclaim the historic, creedal, and distinctive doctrines of "Calvinism." They
rejoice whenever they see men and women standing, not alone for "conservatism,"
but for the faith set down in the Canons of Dordt and in the Westminster
Confession.
Protestant Reformed literature is published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association. A brochure listing many titles is available from
rfpa.orgVarious local evangelism committees publish tracts and booklets on the Reformed faith and life. Information on this literature can be obtained from the
Although it is not an official publication of the churches, The Standard Bearer, a semi-monthly magazine, is recognized as the voice of the PRC. The address of the business office is
There is a monthly magazine for young people:
The PRC Teachers' Institute publishes a quarterly magazine, Perspectives in Covenant Education. Editorial office:
The Protestant Reformed Churches in America
c/o 4949 Ivanrest Ave.,
Grandville, MI 49418 USA