In 1983 the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) merged with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). A group of churches in the PCA's Georgia Presbytery later objected to the way the merged denomination made its decisions. These churches separated from the PCA and formed the Presbytery of the Covenant.[6]
This presbytery grew and in 1985 split into four presbyteries, thus organizing the assembly of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. In 1990, the denomination changed its name to the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Americas.
In 2006 four churches and nine elders left the RPCGA to form the Covenant Presbyterian Church (CPC). Among the main causes for the formation of the denomination was a desire for presbyterian polity and to allow liberty for local Sessions to practice paedo-communion.[5][2][3][4]
The CPC has grown, currently counting 12 member churches.[1]
The denomination practices parity of elders, emphasizes Christian education for students of all ages, seeks a balanced measure of elder qualifications (character & doctrine) with no strict requirement for a seminary degree, and is conservative in its doctrines and practices, opposing same-sex unions and abortion.[13]
^Jean-Jacques Bauswein and Lukas Vischer (eds), The Reformed Family in the World: A Survey of Reformed Churches, Theological Schools, and International Organizations, WB Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999, ISBN 0802844960, p. 538
^Although Presbyterianism itself originated in Scotland, those denominations stand out as having a more proeminent scottish heritage and/or connection with scottish presbyterian denominations.
^Those denominations allow member churches to be more diverse as regards the reformed tradition that they adhere to.