The Igreja Presbiteriana Conservadora do Brasil (Portuguese: Igreja Presbiterianan Conservadora do Brazil) (IPCB) is a Presbyterian Reformed denomination, founded in 1940, by the churches and members that separated from the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPIB). The main reason for the split was the decision of the IPIB General Assembly, in 1938, to appoint a commission to draw up a new confession of faith. This confession would replace the Westminster Confession of Faith and be tolerant of annihilationism.[3] The members who opposed this split and formed the IPCB.[4][5] It is currently the third largest reformed denomination in Brazil, right after the Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPB)[6] and a IPIB,[7] preserving traditional positions of Presbyterianism.
| Conservative Presbyterian Church in Brazil | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Theology | conservative Calvinist |
| Polity | Presbyterian |
| Moderator | Rev. Welerson Alves Duarte |
| Region | Brazil |
| Origin | 1940 |
| Separated from | Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (which in turn split from the Presbyterian Church of Brazil in 1903) |
| Congregations | 92 (2018)[1][2] |
| Members | 4.371 (2018)[1] |
| Official website | www |
History
editThe Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPCB) emerged on February 11 of 1940, when, after two years of debates and internal discussions on doctrinal issues, the 2nd Independent Presbyterian Church of São Paulo shut down Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPIB) to become Conservative Presbyterian Church of São Paulo.[4][3]
The conflict began when the IPIB Synod, in 1938, recognized the existence of different positions within the denomination regarding Annihilationism and eternal punishment and appointed a commission to draft a new confession, which would replace the Westminster Confession of Faith hitherto adopted by the denomination. The 2nd Independent Presbyterian Church of São Paulo did not accept this modification and left the denomination.[3][8][9]
The first presbytery of the denomination consisted of 11 churches and 5 pastors or ministers. A seminary was organised in 1954. A Missionary Department was formed and as the church began to develop, some churches are among indigenous people.[10]
Theology
editThe denomination subscribe:[10]
- Apostles Creed
- Westminster Confession of Faith
- Westminster Shorter Catechism
- Westminster Larger Catechism[11]
The IPCB does not admit ordination of woman and therefore only men can be pastors, elders and deacons. Since its foundation it has been an anti-Masonic church, cessationist, governs worship by the Regulative principle of worship and does not practice exclusive psalmody. The denomination also opposes the practice of clapping during the liturgy.[12][4]
Demographics
editAccording to denomination statistics, it had 3,578 members in 2006.[4] In 2018, it published new statistics, which reported 4,371 members (3,716 communicants and 655 non-communicants), with a growth of 22.16% between 2006 and 2018.[1] In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 11.31%.[13]
The IPCB consisted, in 2018, of 92 ecclesiastical work fronts with church or congregation status: 56 local churches, 19 local congregations, 4 presbyteral congregations, 13 congregations, congregations of the Missionary Department. In addition, it had 12 preaching points. The denomination is, therefore, present in 11 states of the federation (Central-West Region: Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul; Northern Brazil: Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia; Northeast Region: Alagoas, Bahia, Pernambuco; Southeast Region: Minas Gerais, São Paulo; Region Southern: Paraná).
On July 19, 2009, the IPCB organized its General Meeting. Due to the growth of churches, in 2017, the denomination already consisted of 8 Presbyteries (Bandeirante, Brasil-Central, Centro-Sul, Guarulhos, Oeste Paulista, Paraná, Paulistano and Piratininga) and two Synods (Southeast and Midwest).
Journal and seminary
editThe church publishes its own newspaper the Conservative Presbyterian. It owns a seminary in San Bernando de Campo founded in 1953. In 1983 the denomination founded the Missionary Department and new church plans in various Brazilian cities are underway.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Statistics of the Conservative Presbyterian Church in Brazil in 2018". Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Statistics of the Conservative Presbyterian Church in Brazil in 2018". Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c LACERDA, Gerson Correia de (2002). "1st Centenary Notebook of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil". O Estandarte. p. 9-20. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Igreja Presbiteriana Conservadora, statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "Conservative Presbyterian Church". JCNET. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Statistics of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil in 2016". Archived from the original on April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Statistics of the Independent Presbyterian Church". Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "História". Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
- ^ pt:Igreja Presbiteriana Conservadora do Brasil
- ^ a b "Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil". Online Reformier. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "Doctrine of Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil". Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
- ^ "The influences of Old Testament Worship on the Liturgy". Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "Projection of the population of Brazil between 2000 and 2020". Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Retrieved October 22, 2020.