BOOK OF ORDER--MORE THAN RULES

The Book of Order: Is it Just a Bunch of Rules?

One of the things that makes being a Presbyterian special is our Book of Order. The Book of Order combined with the Book of Confessions form the constitution of the Presbyterian Church USA and offer guidance on how the church operates and what our common beliefs are. Many, especially those new to Presbyterianism, are confused by our form of governance. The Book of Order, which dates back to 1788, can be seen a book rules, and it certainly is that, but it is also much more. The Book of Order actually describes the spiritual conduct of the church and aids us in our world in the world.

As a child I, like most children, attended the same church as my parents and their religion was mine. For me that was a Baptist church. Now, having been a Baptist, I certainly feel qualified to engage in a little well-intentioned Baptist-bashing, but I won’t. All I will say is that the Baptists have their own rules (trust me, I sat through a three hour business meeting where the width of the sidewalks was discussed). Each church is an independent, body of Christ. They set their own rules, and establish their own policies. For economies of scale they will often associate themselves in order to pool resources for mission work, but that is a loose association and can change at any time by a vote of the local congregation.

Presbyterians are different. We are a connectional church—connected to each other through association, and to our ancestors through history. We have a history that dates back centuries, unlike some other churches that have history that dates back only decades. It is that history and connection that makes us Presbyterian. If you take those away, we are simply another independent church; one with no history and with no connections.

Perhaps the purpose of the Book of Order is best stated by the Book of Order itself. Section 4 of Chapter 1 entitled The Historic Principles of Church Government states:

The radical (1) principles of Presbyterian church government and discipline are:

That the several different congregations of believers, taken collectively, constitute one Church of Christ, called emphatically the Church; that a larger part of the Church, or a representation of it, should govern a smaller, or determine matters of controversy which arise therein; that, in like manner, a representation of the whole should govern and determine in regard to every part, and to all the parts united: that is, that a majority shall govern; and consequently that appeals may be carried from lower to higher governing bodies, till they be finally decided by the collected wisdom and united voice of the whole Church. For these principles and this procedure, the example of the apostles and the practice of the primitive Church are considered as authority. (2)

The Book of Order then is the process by which we collectively seek the will of God. One of our beliefs is that as we gather together to discern the will of God, we discern better collectively. The minister is not the rule-setter in the church—the Session is. And it is the Session as a whole, not the elders individually, who seek God’s will for the church. As issues have a greater impact, or when there is conflict, larger governing bodies are called on. We believe, as Presbyterians, that these larger governing bodies are even better able to discern God’s will. This is not to say that we are infallible. I believe our largest governing body, the General Assembly, has made some serious errors over the years, but the Book of Order also provides me with a way to deal with that.

One of the problems we have in the Presbyterian Church is that we tend to be an educated bunch. As such, we often believe that we can solve our own problems and have no need for rules. We Presbyterians also seemingly despise change. The truth, I think, is that there is a time for change, and there is a time to solve our problems. And the Book of Order allows for such.

As most of you know, I play a small role, a very small, in another bureaucracy with a similarly long history—the United States Navy. The Navy has its own Book of Order, a publication called Naval Regulations. Like the Book of Order, the Navy Regs have a history that goes back to beginning of the US Navy and even then borrows some from the British Royal Navy. Naval Officers are taught to follow the Naval Regulations but not necessarily to do so blindly. There may well arise situations in which an officer needs to violate the Navy Regs, but we are instructed to do so with caution. The reason we are told to be cautious is because the regulations are “written in the blood of those who have gone before us.” The Navy Regs are, in fact, a collection of lessons learned, lessons often learned at the cost of life, that give sound advice on how to proceed in many situations.

Now I doubt that many people have sacrificed their lives in the governance of the PC(USA) although there have certainly been some heated discussions, but the fact remains, the Book of Order is a collection of wisdom and an interpretation of scripture from those who have gone before us and we should therefore have a very good reason for choosing to ignore them. For those situations in which the Book of Order does not provide the needed guidance or the guidance is indeed outdated, the Book of Order even provides for a way to make changes. Those changes are reviewed by larger and larger bodies so that in the end, the result should reflect the collective wisdom of the Church. The Book of Order does not keep us from doing things; indeed it is the book that allows us to do things. William Chapman concludes his book History and Theology of the Book of Order by saying “The principles have endured for two centuries, providing ongoing guidance and counsel to Presbyterians. There is more guidance yet to be gained from the principles.” Perhaps we should embark on a study of the Book of Order as we seek guidance from the true Leader of the Church.

(1) The text of this section was adopted in 1797 by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. In this quotation, the word “radical” is used in its primary meaning of “fundamental and basic,” and the word “appeals” is used in a general sense rather than with reference to a case involved in judicial process.

(2) The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II, Book of Order 2005-2007. Office of the General Assembly Louisville, KY. G.1.0400, 2006.