《PCA 教会章程》问答01（中英）

作者李西面发表在教会治理

PCA BCO

Basic Principles of Church Government, Discipline and Worship With Questions

PCA 教会章程

教会治理、纪律和敬拜的基本原则问答

by Rev. Dr. Alfred J. Poirier

作者：Alfred J. Poirier 牧师/博士

Overview of Book of Church Order (BCO)

教会章程（BCO）概述

Q1. What are the four major divisions in the Book of Church Order?

  •  Preface
  •  Part 1 – Form of Government (Chapters 1-26)
  •  Part 2 – Rules of Discipline (Chapters 27-46)
  •  Part 3 – Directory for the Worship of God (Chapters 47-63)

问1：教会章程的四个主要部分是什么？

  •  序言
  •  第一部分：治会制度（1-26章）
  •  第二部分：教会纪律（27-46章）
  •  第三部分：崇拜指南（47-63章）

Q2. Which section of the BCO does not have the force of law? Which parts, though, have been given full constitutional authority?

  • Directory for the Worship of God does not have force of law, except . . .
  • BCO 56 (Baptism), 57 (Sealing Ordinances, Admission), 58 (Lord’s Supper)

问2：教会章程的哪一部分不具有法律效力？但哪些部分被赋予完全的宪法权威？

  • 敬拜指南不具有法律效力，除了……
  • 教会章程的第56章（洗礼），57章（入会仪式），58章（圣餐）

Preface of the BCO

教会章程的序言

Q1. Who is the head of the church?

  • Christ is the King and Head of the Church, Isa. 9.6-7; Eph. 1.20-23; 4.11-16
  • Christ is the head of the entire church
  • Christ contains in himself, by way of eminence, all the offices of the church

问1：谁是教会的元首？

  • 基督是教会的王和头（赛9:6-7；弗1:20-23；4:11-16）
  • 基督是全体教会的头
  • 基督自身以其卓越的方式，拥有教会所有的职分

Q2. How does he exercise his authority?

  1. Officers (Elders & Deacons) (1 Tim 3; Phil. 1.1; Heb 13.17; 1 Thess 5.12-13)
  2. Oracles (Scriptures) (1 Tim 4.13; 2 Tim 3.15-17; 2.15)
  3. Ordinances
    1. Sacraments (1 Cor 4.1; Matt 28.19); 1 Cor 11.23-33)
    2. Government (1 Tim 5.17)
    3. Discipline (Matt 16.19; 18.17-18)
    4. Worship (1 Tim 2.1-5; Heb 13.15; Psalms; Deut 31.9-13)

问2：基督如何行使祂的权柄？

  1. 圣职人员（长老和执事）（提前3；腓1:1；来13:17；帖前5:12-13）
  2. 谕令（圣经）（提前4:13；提后3:15-17；提后2:15）
  3. 条例
    1. 圣礼（林前4:1；太28:19）；林前11:23-33）
    2. 治理（提前5:17）
    3. 纪律（太16:19；太18:17-18）
    4. 敬拜（提前2:1-5；来13:15；诗篇；申31:9-13）

Q3. What are the Eight (8) Principles summarized in Three Points:

1. God alone is Lord of the conscience

2. Church Power or Authority

  • Ministerial and declarative as opposed to Magisterial and Legislative
  • Terms Defined:
    • Magisterial = able to “force, compel” men’s wills or bind men’s consciences upon pain of punishment, Luke 22.24-27; Rom. 13.1-7. Key: Power of the sword.
    • Ministerial = servants and stewards of God’s Word to God’s people, Lk. 22.24-27; 1 Cor. 3.5; 4.1-2; Mt. 16.19; 18.18; 20.26. Key: Power of the keys of the kingdom.
    • Legislative Power = able to make laws, Mk. 7.8-9.
    • Declarative = able to declare Christ’s law. Officers declare, explain, and apply Christ’s law as the Spirit clarifies the Scripture to their understanding, Acts 20.20, 21, 27; 1 Tim 4.13; 4.1-5; Matt. 18.17-18.
    • Conclusion: God as Creator and preserver gave the power of the sword to the state (physical punishment); Christ as Mediator gave the power of the keys to the church (preaching, sacraments, discipline). The state has authority to make laws and to corporally punish (incarcerate, physically compel) lawbreakers. The church has no authority to make laws since the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice. Hence, the church’s authority is declarative—to declare Christ’s law (gospel, sacraments and discipline) even to declaring a person excluded from Christ’s church. The state seeks a person’s physical well being. The church seeks a person’s spiritual well being.

3. Freedom of Conscience: God has left the conscience free from the doctrines or commandments of men which are contrary to God’s word or in matters of faith and worship, not governed by God’s word. Rom 14; Col 2.20-23; WCF 20.

问3：八项原则可以总结为哪三点？

1、唯有上帝是良心的主

2、教会权力和权威

  • 牧养性和宣告性，而非强制性和立法性
  • 术语定义：
    • 强制性=“强迫/强制”人的意志或约束人的良心，施予刑罚的痛苦。（路22:24-27；罗13:1-7）关键：刀剑的权柄
    • 牧养性=向上帝子民传讲上帝话语的仆人和管家。（路22:24-27；林前 3:5；林前4:1-2；太16:19；太18:18；太20:26）关键：天国钥匙的权柄
    • 立法性权柄 = 能够制定法律（可7:8-9）
    • 宣告性 = 能够宣告基督的律法。领袖们宣告、解释和应用基督的律法，因为圣灵向他们阐明了圣经。（徒20:20、21、27；提前4:13；提前4:1-5；太18:17-18）

3、良心自由：上帝使人的良心不受人的教义或诫命的束缚，它们或与上帝的话语相悖，或在信仰和崇拜的事务上不受上帝话语的支配。（罗14章；西2:20-23；威敏信条20章）

Q4. What is the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America?

  • Consists of:
    • Westminster Standards (Confession of faith, Larger & Shorter Catechism)
    • Book of Church Order
  • Not consist of:
    • Rules of General Assembly (GA) Operation, bylaws of GA, Minutes of GA
    • Holy Scripture

问4：PCA的宪章包括什么？

  • 包括：
    • 威敏准则（威敏信条、威敏大、小要理问答）
    • 教会宪章
  • 不包括：
    • 总会的运作规则、总会的民事规章、总会的会议记录
    • 圣经

Q5. Why is Scripture not a part of our Constitution?

  • Scripture cannot be amended. Our Constitutional documents can be amended
  • Scripture is the foundation to which our constitutional documents are subject and subordinate to.

问5：为什么圣经不属于宪章的内容？

  • 圣经不可被修订，而我们的宪章文件可以被修订。
  • 圣经是宪章文件必须遵从和顺服的根基。

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