Messrs. Brian Hanley, Mark Hausam, and Parnell McCarter have been elected by a majority of votes cast

Having received and counted the votes, Sean McDonald has officially announced: “All three candidates for the Council of Officers for the 2013 term (viz., Messrs. Brian Hanley, Mark Hausam, and Parnell McCarter) have been elected by a majority of votes cast.”

3-man Council of Officers of the Reformation Party for the 2013 term.

Three candidates have registered to run for the 3-man Council of Officers of the Reformation Party for the 2013 term.  Voting members are asked to send their votes to Sean McDonald at sean.mcdonald@yahoo.com by December 14, 2012.  Information about the three candidates may be read at:

http://www.reformationparty.org/candidates.htm
If there are any questions about the election, those may be directed to:
info@reformationparty.org
Thank you for your support of the Reformation Party!
"Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD" - Psalm 33:12

While much of the attention is focused on national politics, reformed Christians would be wise to direct many of our efforts at the local level. Until there are more sound reformed Christian communities, it is unlikely there will be sound reformed Christian states or nations. We need modern models at a smaller level to show people Biblical Christian government is good to have at larger levels. This is one reason the Reformation Party is encouraging the Campaign for Community Biblical Governance. We are encouraging members to start local chapters of the Campaign in their own communities. Chapter coordinators can share ideas of what they are doing in their own local community at http://www.facebook.com/groups/359505344127679/ . In summary, "think globally, work locally" for Jesus Christ's glory.

 

 

Now it is time to begin to prepare for the 2013 term.

We are thankful our God has been blessing the Reformation Party during its first term of operation in 2012.  Now it is time to begin to prepare for the 2013 term.  Each annual term we need voting members willing to serve on the Council of Officers.  If you are a qualified voting member and would be willing to serve on the Council for the 2013 term, please submit your name and information as a candidate by November 10, 2012 to info@reformationparty.org.  This information will be posted at http://www.reformationparty.org/candidates.htm .  Subsequently there will be election of officers by voting members.

 

Also, if you are not sure whether you are registered as a member of the Reformation Party, please feel free to email your inquiry to info@reformationparty.org.   We want to make sure our Party membership records are complete.  For those of you who have "liked" the Reformation Party on Facebook, in order to be a member of the Reformation Party you still need to register as a member by emailing your information to info@reformationparty.org.

Council officers are considering the appropriate approach for engaging in political activity

Council officers are considering the appropriate approach for engaging in political activity at the local level in circumstances where higher civil magistrates are hostile.  Council officers are considering cases outlined at http://www.reformationparty.org/cases.htm .  They will be seeking the advice of the Board of Theological Advisors with respect to these cases. 

Council officers were posed this question

Council officers were posed this question: “You stated on your website that you have a duty ‘to suppress heresy, idolatry, and every other enemy of sound doctrine’. Does that mean that if you came to power you would feel it necessary to persecute non-Calvinists?”  Here is how one Council officer responded to the query:

“Let me first say that I am but one officer and member in the Party, and I am just responding as one officer and member.

 

I think we need to keep one thing in mind as a starting premise: no civil government is morally neutral and every civil government suppresses that which is contrary to its values.  For example, the modern USA is essentially a secular humanist nation, and it suppresses Biblical Christianity by teaching and promoting Darwinian evolution in the public schools (instead of the Biblical account of creation).  It provides funding for secular humanist schools but not Christian schools.  Public television for the most part comes from an un-Biblical perspective. Furthermore, one cannot hold civil office in the USA unless one swears to uphold the US Constitution, including the un-Biblical anti-establishment of religion position.  But even though secular humanism is promoted and Biblical Christianity is suppressed, does not mean the civil government is coming and executing me as a Christian.

 

So analogously, when it says heresy, idolatry, and every other enemy of sound doctrine should be suppressed, does not mean everyone who is not a Calvinist would be executed or thrown in prison.  Rather, it means the civil government will take appropriate and Biblical action to uphold truth and suppress falsehood, as is really the duty of every man and institution of man.

 

But when you say lots of Arminians were thrown in prison in the 17th century, I would ask you when and where.  I am a Presbyterian, and I can tell you that in Scotland those who were thrown in prison or executed were for the most part the staunch Calvinistic Presbyterians.  I think the record of Calvinistic rule compares very favorably with the alternatives.  And it most certainly looks good in comparison with modern Western nations where the abortion genocide is killing people by the tens of millions.  And the latter does not even consider how modern Western societies are suppressing the gospel, which has eternal consequences.”

The Council sent a letter to the Reformation Party co-organizers.

The Council sent a letter to the Reformation Party co-organizers.

The Council sent a letter to the SGP in the Netherlands.

The Council sent a letter to the SGP in the Netherlands.  The leader of the SGP, Mr. Kees van der Staaij, replied back, indicating his desire for God’s blessing upon the Reformation Party and continued communication between the SGP and Reformation Party.

 

The Council sent a letter to various Brazilian ministers, responding to their inquiry.

The Council sent a letter to various Brazilian ministers, responding to their inquiry.

Clarifying the meaning of certain terms used in the Reformation Party’s platform

In order to clarify the meaning of certain terms used in the Reformation Party’s platform, etc., the Council of the Party has issued this announcement:

 

a.       It is the understanding of the co-organizers of the Reformation Party, as well as its initially elected Council of Officers, that by the phrase "original Westminster Standards" is intended all of the principles and doctrines outlined in the documents of the Westminster Standards (Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, Shorter Catechism, Form of Presbyterial Church-Government, and Directory for the Public Worship of God), understanding that in certain of those documents (namely, the Form of Presbyterial Church-Government and Directory for the Public Worship of God) some elements of what was adopted were intended for a certain geography and time (e.g., in the Directory for the Public Worship of God the provision of praying for the Queen of Bohemia).

 

b.      It is the understanding of the co-organizers of the Reformation Party, as well as its initially elected Council of Officers, that by the phrase "original Westminster Standards" is intended "the original Westminster Standards as adopted by the Church of Scotland in the 1640s and as understood by them then".

 

c.       Although not products of the Westminster Assembly itself, the following documents historically associated with the Westminster Standards are agreed to by the co-organizers of the Reformation Party, as well as its initially elected Council of Officers: the National Covenant, the Solemn League and Covenant, the Sum of Saving Knowledge, and the Directory for Family Worship.

 

d.      With respect to the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant, it is the understanding of the co-organizers of the Reformation Party, as well as its initially elected Council of Officers, that there is a descending obligation of these to the posterity of all parties for which these Covenants were intended.