# Robert's Rules of Order



## Puritan Sailor (May 3, 2004)

Ok. Someone please tell me why this book was selected as the means of organizing Presbytery meetings. I know the OPC uses it and the PCA perhaps too? How long has it been used by Presbyterians? Why such a complicated system? I know we need to have orderly meetings. But come on! Points or order, information, personal privilege, :blah1:
You have to be a legal scholar to understand all this stuff. Any insight into this system of order would be helpful. What did Presbyterians use before Robert's Rules were written?

[Edited on 5-3-2004 by puritansailor]


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## Bryan (May 3, 2004)

Most Baptist churches use it as well (mine uses New Robert's Rules). It's used becasue it''s the best human system out there at maintaining order in meanings. Personally I don't like it for church meetings. If we were all following the Bible we wouldn't need it becasue we would be esteeming others better then ourselves and a meeting getting out of order wouldn't be an issue! But far be it from me to go against the tradition that my church has established and suggest such a radical idea 

Actually once a freind of mine and I were at a church meeting where we both used to attend church. Now this meeting was a very hot meeting becasue both pastors had just regised and the church was splitting (I wasn't a member [infact I was in the leaving group], but this was an open meating so I figured I would go and see [my freind was a member]). This meeting was set up by the elders to give their side of what was happening and calm people down. The meeting became very angry very fast, even though Robert's Rules were being followed so my freind stood up and asked the question &quot;Are we following the Robert's Rules of Order here or the Bible?&quot; I was embaresed at the time but now I look back and understand his point! 

Bryan
SDG


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## tcalbrecht (May 3, 2004)

It's similar to what Churchill said about democracy, [i:aacc572e94]Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried. [/i:aacc572e94]

What reasonable alternative exists for managing a large deliberative body short of generating your own rules?

Robert's Rules, at their very heart, are about protecting the right of the minorty to be heard without disrupting the right of the body to conclude its business. It prevents riding roughshod over individuals who wish to express opinions in an orderly fashion. It is painful for that very reason, esp. for folks who wish to &quot;move on&quot;.


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## yeutter (May 3, 2004)

Mason's Rules of Order are still used in some deliberative bodies.

Most Anglican Communions are governed by Cannon Law that directs the conduct of their ecclesiastical assemblies.

What Rules of order do the Reformed Kirks in the Netherlands use?


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