great australian presbyterians
The
Presbyterian Contribution:
A Centenary Colloquium
Presbyterianism and Democracy — Lachlan McInnes
In all the articles concerning the Centenary of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, there has been no reference to the political and social effect that Presbyterianism has had in the development of the modern world.
Just as the book "The City of God" written by Augustine of Hippo back in 413 set the standard for the Middle Ages and the power of the princes right up to the end of the Holy Roman Empire, so John Calvin's book, "The Institutes of the Christian Religion", set the standard for the modern world and the democratic way of life.
While Calvin's doctrinal teachings have been touched upon, his system of government in both church and state has been largely overlooked. Presbyterianism is basically government by Presbyters, both Ruling Presbyters or elders, and Teaching Presbyters or ministers. These are understood to be called by God through the corporate priesthood of all believers; that is, they are elected by the people after prayerful consideration.
Calvin's form of government was set against the hierarchical system of government by "Divinely Appointed Rulers". These rulers had developed into a hereditary aristocracy in the state and an ascending form of episcopal authority, in the church. Presbyterianism, as set out by Calvin, emphasised the ability of the believer, the common man, to contribute to the understanding of what might be God's will for His world. This concept was expressed in the "classical" form of government, a democracy.
When the Constitution of the U.S.A. was formulated it was modelled on Presbyterian lines without any hereditary nobility. It is unfortunate that so much power has come into the hands of the President, something that, originally, was not intended.
In Australia there was an attempt in the early part of the 19th century to establish a local aristocracy along European lines. Perhaps that fiery Presbyterian, Dunmore Lang, had something to do with its failure.
As far as our Uniting
Church is concerned, it would appear that we are drifting away from our
sense of the corporate priesthood of all believers into a bureaucracy
where power becomes entrenched in the hands of a few — an oligarchy.
This is evident in the form of the call of a minister, if one may regard
it a "call", that has developed within our denomination. Malcolm
Macleod, in his letter printed in the July issue of Insights, showed how
this has become an appointment rather than the call of a minister.