Victoria Park Presbyterian Church
Encyclopedia
The Victoria Park Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian church in northeast Toronto
, Canada
. It is currently a member of the Associated Presbyterian Churches
, a small, mainly Scottish
denomination that emphasizes strict adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith
and the regulative principle of worship
.
Beginning in 1910 the church was known as the Bloor East Presbyterian Church, because of its location on Toronto's vital thoroughfare, Bloor Street
.
In 1965 it joined another traditional Presbyterian congregation in Chesley, Ontario
in forming the Presbyterian Reformed Church, which would later expand to include churches in the United States
and England
as well. Much of the credit for this union fell to John Murray
, the well-known professor at Westminster Theological Seminary
in Philadelphia. He composed the proposals leading to the union, and also the constitution which served as the basis of union. In 1969 the congregation left their premises in the business district, and relocated to the current location on Victoria Park Avenue
, north of Sheppard Avenue
.
In 1974, however, the church was again without a pastor, and decided to join the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
, in part so it could be connected to a larger body with a more ample supply of seminary-trained ministerial candidates. In 1989, there was a split in the denomination over the interpretation of parts of the Westminster Confession concerning liberty of conscience and the extent to which Free Presbyterians should fellowship with evangelicals in other denominations. The congregation determined to join the newly formed Associated Presbyterian Churches
, and has remained part of it to the present day.
Among the congregation's particular distinctives compared to most nearby Presbyterian churches are its strict subscription to the original Westminster Confession of Faith
, its practice of the regulative principle of worship
(including exclusive psalmody
and no musical instruments in worship), an emphasis on faithful observance of the weekly Sabbath but opposition to traditional holy days, belief in the superiority of the Received Text underlying the King James Bible, and promotion of the establishment principle concerning the relationship between the church and state.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is currently a member of the Associated Presbyterian Churches
Associated Presbyterian Churches
The Associated Presbyterian Churches is a Scottish Christian denomination , formed in 1989 from part of the community of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland....
, a small, mainly Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
denomination that emphasizes strict adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
and the regulative principle of worship
Regulative principle of worship
The regulative principle of worship is a teaching shared by some Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the Bible orders public worship. The substance of the doctrine regarding worship is that God institutes in the Scriptures everything he requires for worship in the Church and that everything else is...
.
Beginning in 1910 the church was known as the Bloor East Presbyterian Church, because of its location on Toronto's vital thoroughfare, Bloor Street
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
.
In 1965 it joined another traditional Presbyterian congregation in Chesley, Ontario
Chesley, Ontario
Chesley is a community in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, located within the municipality of Arran-Elderslie. Its town slogan is "The Nicest Town Around"...
in forming the Presbyterian Reformed Church, which would later expand to include churches in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as well. Much of the credit for this union fell to John Murray
John Murray (theologian)
John Murray was a Scottish-born Calvinist theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary and then left to help found Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for many years.-Life:...
, the well-known professor at Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
in Philadelphia. He composed the proposals leading to the union, and also the constitution which served as the basis of union. In 1969 the congregation left their premises in the business district, and relocated to the current location on Victoria Park Avenue
Victoria Park Avenue
Victoria Park Avenue is a major north-south route in eastern Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marks the border between the Old City of Toronto and Scarborough.-History:Victoria Park Avenue was originally a pioneer road for settlement of Scarborough...
, north of Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
.
In 1974, however, the church was again without a pastor, and decided to join the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland was formed in 1893 and claims to be the spiritual descendant of the Scottish Reformation...
, in part so it could be connected to a larger body with a more ample supply of seminary-trained ministerial candidates. In 1989, there was a split in the denomination over the interpretation of parts of the Westminster Confession concerning liberty of conscience and the extent to which Free Presbyterians should fellowship with evangelicals in other denominations. The congregation determined to join the newly formed Associated Presbyterian Churches
Associated Presbyterian Churches
The Associated Presbyterian Churches is a Scottish Christian denomination , formed in 1989 from part of the community of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland....
, and has remained part of it to the present day.
Among the congregation's particular distinctives compared to most nearby Presbyterian churches are its strict subscription to the original Westminster Confession of Faith
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
, its practice of the regulative principle of worship
Regulative principle of worship
The regulative principle of worship is a teaching shared by some Calvinists and Anabaptists on how the Bible orders public worship. The substance of the doctrine regarding worship is that God institutes in the Scriptures everything he requires for worship in the Church and that everything else is...
(including exclusive psalmody
Exclusive psalmody
Exclusive psalmody is the particular worship practice of several small Protestant denominations worldwide which use a metrical version of the Book of Psalms from the Bible as the only manual of songs that may be sung in their services...
and no musical instruments in worship), an emphasis on faithful observance of the weekly Sabbath but opposition to traditional holy days, belief in the superiority of the Received Text underlying the King James Bible, and promotion of the establishment principle concerning the relationship between the church and state.