Timeline of PCA-OPC Attempted Mergers

· Tim Hopper

  • 1966: OPC Committee to Confer with Representatives of the Christian Reformed Church proposes working toward organic union with CRC.1
  • March 19, 1969: Joint OPC-RPCES gathering at Calvary Reformed Presbyterian Church, Willow Grove. Edmund Clowney (OPC) and Robert Rayburn (RPCES) speak on “The Urgency of Our Times and the Question of Union.”2
  • 1972: Formal committee planning begins for OPC-RPCES merger.3
  • April 24, 1973: OPC Presbytery of the Midwest and RPCES Midwestern Presbytery meet in St. Louis to discuss proposed union.4
  • June 1973: Both OPC and RPCES assemblies approve sending Plan of Union to presbyteries for discussion.5
  • December 4-7, 1973: First general assembly of the PCA.6
  • January 21, 1975: OPC Committee on Ecumenicity and RPCES Committee on Fraternal Relations finalize proposed Plan of Union to form “Reformed Presbyterian Church.”7
  • June 5, 1975: OPC votes 95-42 in favor of union with RPCES; RPCES votes against merger.8
  • 1975: North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) formed with PCA, OPC, RPCNA, RPCES, and CRC as charter members.9
  • 1979: PCA begins merger discussions with RPCES.10
  • 1981: PCA proposes “Joining and Receiving” plan to unite PCA, OPC, and RPCES.11
  • May 1981: RPCES synod votes in favor of “Joining and Receiving” at Covenant College.12
  • June 3, 1981: OPC 48th General Assembly votes 90-48 in favor of “Joining and Receiving.”13
  • 1982: PCA presbyteries approve receiving RPCES but vote against receiving OPC by required three-quarters majority.14
  • June 12, 1982: RPCES Synod votes to join PCA (over 78% approval) at Grand Rapids.15
  • June 14, 1982: PCA General Assembly votes to receive RPCES at Grand Rapids.16
  • 1986: PCA again invites OPC to join via “Joining and Receiving” during OPC’s 50th anniversary year.17
  • 1986: OPC votes against “Joining and Receiving” 78-68.18
  • 1987-1990: Voluntary realignment as OPC congregations transfer to PCA, primarily “New Life” churches influenced by Jack Miller.19
  • 1989: Peak year of OPC membership loss (3.5% decrease to 18,689 members); five congregations transfer to PCA.20
  • 1990: Three more OPC congregations join PCA, including New Life Glenside where Tim Keller had served.21

  1. “An OPC–CRC Merger?” Standard Bearer Magazine ↩︎

  2. “March 19 Today in OPC History” ↩︎

  3. “This Day in Presbyterian History” ↩︎

  4. “This Day in Presbyterian History” ↩︎

  5. “This Day in Presbyterian History” ↩︎

  6. “General Assemblies at PCAHistory.org” ↩︎

  7. “January 21 Today in OPC History” ↩︎

  8. “March 19 Today in OPC History” ↩︎

  9. “Presbyterian Church in America - Wikipedia” ↩︎

  10. “Presbyterian Church in America - Wikipedia” ↩︎

  11. ““Joining and Receiving:” A Fading Footnote?” ↩︎

  12. ““Joining and Receiving:” A Fading Footnote?” ↩︎

  13. “June 3 Today in OPC History” ↩︎

  14. “Presbyterian Church in America - Wikipedia” ↩︎

  15. ““Joining and Receiving:” A Fading Footnote?” ↩︎

  16. “Presbyterian Church in America - Wikipedia” ↩︎

  17. “Presbyterian Church in America - Wikipedia” ↩︎

  18. “Ordained Servant November 2011” ↩︎

  19. “How Orthodox Presbyterians Became PCA” ↩︎

  20. “How Orthodox Presbyterians Became PCA” ↩︎

  21. “How Orthodox Presbyterians Became PCA” ↩︎

Posted on by Tim Hopper
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