Evangelical Reformed Assemblies of God

Evangelical Reformed Assemblies of God
Evangelisk Reformerede Forsamlinger af Gud Evangelisch Gereformeerde Vergaderingen van God Assemblées de Dieu Réformées Évangéliques
Oldest standing Reformed Assembly in Egestrøm, Lyngaard
Type	Free Church
Orientation	Reformed
Theology	Conservative
Polity	Presbyterian
Grand Presbyter	Henrik Grunwald
Modorator	John Zuylen
Region	Worldwide, Significant populations in Arcadia, The Libertines, Lyngaard, and Upper Asema
Language	Multiple
Liturgy	Low Church
Members	3,177,799
Church buildings	5,782
Aid organization	International Assemblies of God

Evangelical Reformed Assemblies of God(Also called the Reformed Assemblies, or ERAG.) is an evangelical reformed denomination in Lyngaard, Arcadia, and the Libertines. The denomination was formed in 1813 with the merger of the Episcopal Reformed Church and the Assemblies of God. The Episcopal Reformed Church was a major branch of the reformed movement particularly in Northeast Arcadia while the Assemblies of God formed out of a conservatives branch of the Beaconer church. The two churches formally merged with the Confrence of Gotham in 1814 under the leadership of Paul Keyser and Hugh Abbot.

Initially a small church localized in the southern Lyngaard and Northeast Arcadia, the church saw growth during the Modernist Controversy in in the early 20th Century. The Reformed Assemblies took a staunchly fundementalist approach to said controversy and absorbed many conservative members of Denominations which shifted to a more modernist theology. Today the Reformed Church has over 3 million members globally and has a growth rate of 2.7% yearly according to membership statistics.

Beliefs

The Reformed Assemblies hold to the Barnegat Confession, and Proclimation of Denisot and Acquemesnil and have traditionally evangelical views regarding the key doctrines. They are Trinitarian holding to the possition adopted at the Second Council of Pharoe. There are two sacraments that the church holds to. The Lords Supper and Baptism. The lords supper is not said to be the real body of christ, but rather is spiritually pressent, a possition known as the pneumatic presence. Bthe church practices paedobaptism via affusion. They do not view Baptism as symbolic and hold that is does give spiritual life. Giving the origins of the church, Common services still hold to old Beaconer traditions. Services start in silence as members meditate on the BIble until someone feels the need to stand up and speak on what they have been meditating on. This is in the tradition of the inward light. These sessions are broken up by members singing hyms from the bible, The church forbides the use of musical accompanyment for worship and all music is a cappella.

Denisot's five-points

Initially, the Episcopal Reformed Church help to a 3-point theology, holding to total depravity, unconditional election and perseverance of the saint. When they merged to form the Reformed Assemblies they new denomination kept the 3-point theology. However starting in the 1890's the church started to go back to a more traditional 5-point theology. At the yearly meeting of the General Presbytary in 1912 the church formally adopted a 5-point theology, accepting limited atonement and irresistible grace. The Grand Presbyter of the Church Allen Stachouwer said the changes were made for multiple reasons. The local seminaries of the church became more conservative on the issue of Denisots theology, leading to clergy who more adimently affirded a 5-point view, and as such congregations tended to accept a 5-point theological view. He also stated that when looking into the churches foundational documents that Denisots theology was synergistic, and if one were ommited it would ultimately invalidate theo others, as it would denie the authority of god on all matters.

Christology

The Reformed assemblies affirm Christs divinity, his virgin birth, and that he suffered the Father's just punishment as a vicarious substitute. The church holds that jesus was a real figure and that both the old and new testiment are accurate sources for the history and ancestory of Jesus. They view the events of the Gospels as real and that they truely happened as described by the authors. That he was Crusified and rose again before his ascension at Mount Rhodon. They hold that Jesus was similtaniously Human and Divine in line with the teachings of Denisot.

Contemporary moral issues

The church has maintained social conservative possitions of issues regarding contemporary politics, which it has commented on and passed motions in support or opposition to in the past. The church does not affirm Same-sex marriage and has disfellowed individuals and congregations who have vocally supported same-sex unions. It opposes abortion and many contraceptives which it deems to be unholy. The church also opposes the death penalty, and has been a strong supporter of stronger social welfare programs. It its 1982 Statement of Faith following that years meeting of the Grand Presbytery, the Presbytery proclaimed that "Life, Shelter, Food, and Dignity" were all basic human rights afford to man by god and something that the faithful should up hold, this is in line with the traditions of the church since its founding. Recently issues of social justice have come up, which the church has been responsive to. The church has a long history of abolitionist and civil rights support. The Reformed Assemblies are not a peace church but it has consistently advocated against military interventionism in the past. In its 2019 Statement of Faith following that years meeting of the Grand Presbytary, it recognized and honored all members of the church serving in various armed forces globally, and dedicated itself to the 7 church members who had died in conflict while serving in the armed forces over the last decade. while also giving a theological argument against such conflicts.

Schools and Colleges

Numerous schools and colleges are affiliated with the Reformed Assemblies. Many of them established during the membership boom of the early to mid 20th century.

• Saint Marks Boys School: Established in 1836 as the churches first boys only school in Gotham, Arcadia. It has morphed from a small christian school into an elite prepitory school, currently headded by Rev. Dr. Tim Tiele.
• Augustus College: Opened in 1887, Augustus college was originally a seminary, in 1934 it reformed as a liberal arts college. Historically located in Regnhavn it has numerous sattilite campuses throughout Lyngaard and Arcadia.
• Abbot School of Theology: Errected in 1901 in New Wickham, The Abbot School is the main seminary for the Reformed Assemblies, as well as other reformed churches throughout Arcadia, The Libertines, and Lyngaard.
• Sister Anne School: The first and currently only Girls only school affiliated with the Reformed Assemblies. Located in Gotham.

Notable members

• Johannes Finke: Member of the Lundsthing from the Christian Democratic Alliance.
• Brigitte Lund: Member of the Lundsthing from the Conservative People's Party.
• Ove Kuyper: Human Rights and anti-war activist.
• Peter Gehl: Air marshal of the Lynsk Royal Air Force and member of the Joint Royal Military Command from 1998 to 2005.
• Howard Graves: Thalassic far right political pundit.
• Geordie Sollers: Arcadian convicted stock market fraudster.
• Maybeline Wynne-Morton: Prominent third wave feminist from Arcadia that grew up in the church.