# History of the ARP



## sastark (May 5, 2008)

Can anyone recommend a website or book (but preferably something online) that gives a more detailed history of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church than is found on the denominations website (ARP History)?

I searched PB and only came up with this thread which really isn't anymore detailed than the denominational web site.

Thanks, [-]Andrew[/-] Everyone!


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 5, 2008)

Well online there is not much but the ARP Bookstore (which you can get to through the Resources tab on the left hand side of the main page) or here has the Bicentennial Set of Five books on the History of the ARP Church for a reasonable $40.00. They are some great books that I highly recommend and that I have read.


----------



## N. Eshelman (May 5, 2008)

I also have the history of the ARP set that is available for $40. You can also read the first few chapters from WM Glasgow's History of the RP. He will give the 'R' part of the ARP history. He even covers the merger between the 'A's and the 'R's. 

Here it is online. It is a downloadable (and searchable) PDF. 

Here is a nice edition from RHB. (The introduction in this one is well worth the purchase  )


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 5, 2008)

I myself will take advantage of that Nathan. Thanks.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (May 5, 2008)

The Centennial History of the ARP (1803-1903) is online here:

The Centennial History of the ... - Google Book Search

I second of course Nathan's recommendation as noted here:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/history-reformed-presbyterian-church-america-w-m-glasgow-23764/


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 5, 2008)

You da man Andrew.


----------



## NaphtaliPress (May 5, 2008)

The ARP has the distinction of producing one of the nicest American editions of (their version of) the Westminster Standards in 1799, published by the New York printers T & J. Swords. I detail some of this in part two of a series of three articles on the Swords in the 2007 of _The Confessional Presbyterian._ 
Antiquary: T. & J. Swords. Part Two. Two Large Presbyterian Works. The second of the two works was Samuel Miller's _A Brief Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century. _The 1799 ARP standards can still be found at reasonable prices (for what it is). The ARP sadly also has the distinction of producing perhaps one of the most careless edition as well in recent years. For that see my article. See my comments in the same issue in the critical text of the first fifty questions of the larger catechism, pp. 78-79.


----------



## N. Eshelman (May 5, 2008)

NaphtaliPress said:


> The ARP has the distinction of producing one of the nicest American editions of (their version of) the Westminster Standards in 1799, published by the New York printers T & J. Swords. I detail some of this in part two of a series of three articles on the Swords in the 2007 of _The Confessional Presbyterian._
> Antiquary: T. & J. Swords. Part Two. Two Large Presbyterian Works. The second of the two works was Samuel Miller's _A Brief Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century. _The 1799 ARP standards can still be found at reasonable prices (for what it is). The ARP sadly also has the distinction of producing perhaps one of the most careless edition as well in recent years. For that see my article. See my comments in the same issue in the critical text of the first fifty questions of the larger catechism, pp. 78-79.



My edition of the ARP Standards is one of the most poorly edited things I have ever seen. There are typos all over the place. At any rate, I love the mother kirk!


----------



## Pilgrim (May 5, 2008)

There is a ARP Yahoo Group you might want to check out. I think it is pretty low volume at this point but some of the pastors there may be able to answer some questions for you as well.


----------



## NaphtaliPress (May 5, 2008)

TE Ray Lanning is an expert on ARP history; but I think his church recently departed the ARP. So he may not read that group any more (and the volume has always been low; I think they get mad when it picks up).


----------



## Pilgrim (May 5, 2008)

NaphtaliPress said:


> TE Ray Lanning is an expert on ARP history; but I think his church recently departed the ARP. So he may not read that group any more (and the volume has always been low; I think they get mad when it picks up).



I believe Ray Lanning's church is now RPCNA. 

The only time I ever posted anything there was to ask why the ARP had adopted the 1903 PCUSA revisions that the OPC rejected in 1936 because in the words of one detractor they represented "a switch to Arminianism." I received a good answer, that the ARP in the mid 20th century tended to follow the PCUS very closely and the PCUS had adopted the additional chapters a few years prior, but my question also caused a short lived furor when at least one of the ministers argued that there was nothing wrong with them.


----------



## NaphtaliPress (May 6, 2008)

Pilgrim said:


> NaphtaliPress said:
> 
> 
> > TE Ray Lanning is an expert on ARP history; but I think his church recently departed the ARP. So he may not read that group any more (and the volume has always been low; I think they get mad when it picks up).
> ...


I would think the majority don't see anything wrong with them or they'd have dropped them; and that may still happen I suppose if it caused a furor. The ARP nearly went liberal and a grass roots effort turned it back to some extent.


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 6, 2008)

Pilgrim said:


> NaphtaliPress said:
> 
> 
> > TE Ray Lanning is an expert on ARP history; but I think his church recently departed the ARP. So he may not read that group any more (and the volume has always been low; I think they get mad when it picks up).
> ...



That is very true. The ARP for many years suffered from "big brother/little brother" syndrome. They have, I do not think they really understood that big brother is gone right now. You can almost track the changes in the ARP by watching what happens in the PCUS + 15 yrs. Thankfully they never adopted Female Elders (either TE or RE). It is a denomination that is in some serious need of some leadership overall.


----------

