GillespieWestminster
Puritan Board Freshman
I recently read an article called "GEORGE GILLESPIE AND THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY: THE DEFENCE OF PRESBYTERIANISM" by W.D.J. Mc Kay, I was surprised to read this part:
"Gillespie too asserts the need for the consent of the people
to be obtained in the election of a pastor. He has no truck,
however, with Brownist or Anabaptist ideas about
ecclesiastical government being in the hands of the whole
congregation: * he believes it is necessary for only the eldership
to vote *, although any member may bring forward objections
against the candidate, and he maintains the rights of the
presbytery regarding the examination and ordination of the
candidate. "[45]
[...]
Much has to be inferred from the available
evidence, and the influence of Reformed tradition is evident in
his [Gillespie] conclusion:
'[liberty of consent] we ascribe to the whole church, without whose
knowledge and consent ministers may not be intruded; [counsel or
deliberation] to the ablest and wisest men of the congregation,
especially to magistrates, with whose special advice, privity, and
deliberation, the matter ought to be managed; the third, which is the
formal and consistorial determination of the case of election
consisteth in the votes of the eldership. ' 47
In Scottish Presbyterianism how did the election for ministers work, the church voted, but was the final decision by the presbytery? I know churches that are in elections and what the Church chose through voting is who will be in fact the governing ministers or elders.
I also ask for help in indicating articles that discuss the differences between American and Scottish Presbyterianism, please.
"Gillespie too asserts the need for the consent of the people
to be obtained in the election of a pastor. He has no truck,
however, with Brownist or Anabaptist ideas about
ecclesiastical government being in the hands of the whole
congregation: * he believes it is necessary for only the eldership
to vote *, although any member may bring forward objections
against the candidate, and he maintains the rights of the
presbytery regarding the examination and ordination of the
candidate. "[45]
[...]
Much has to be inferred from the available
evidence, and the influence of Reformed tradition is evident in
his [Gillespie] conclusion:
'[liberty of consent] we ascribe to the whole church, without whose
knowledge and consent ministers may not be intruded; [counsel or
deliberation] to the ablest and wisest men of the congregation,
especially to magistrates, with whose special advice, privity, and
deliberation, the matter ought to be managed; the third, which is the
formal and consistorial determination of the case of election
consisteth in the votes of the eldership. ' 47
In Scottish Presbyterianism how did the election for ministers work, the church voted, but was the final decision by the presbytery? I know churches that are in elections and what the Church chose through voting is who will be in fact the governing ministers or elders.
I also ask for help in indicating articles that discuss the differences between American and Scottish Presbyterianism, please.
