Acts and Deliverances of Other Presbyterian Denominations on Fermented Wine
The actions and deliverances of other Presbyterian denominations have no constitutional authority for the PCA. However, those decisions can offer wisdom and insight into various matters, particularly where the PCA may not have spoken to some given issue. Emphasis is given here to the deliberations of the PCUS, as the PCA's Book of Church Order derives from and remains closely similar to the PCUS BCO.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U.S. (aka, SOUTHERN):
A Digest of the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Churh in the United States, 1861-1965, pp. 264-265.
1. What elements shall be used in the Lord's Supper?
1898, p. 218. [Overture:] "Is it competent for a church to elect what elements shall be used to typify the shed blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper?"
Answer: No; the Lord has indicated bread and wine as the proper elements.
2. Fermented wine in the Lord's Supper.
1892, p. 451. [Answer to an overture]
1. In the judgment of this Assembly, the Scriptural element to be used in the Lord's Supper is the fermented grape-juice.
2. This Assembly would not, however, be understood as declaring that the use of unfermented grape-juice, as conscientiously practiced by some of our churches, would necessarily vitiate the validity of the ordinance.
1893, p. 47. In response to an overture, asking that the second part of the deliverance of the Assembly of 1892, concerning the use of wine in the communion, be rescinded, the following answer:
1. The General Assembly declines to rescind the action of the last Assembly, and refers to the action of the General Assembly of 1870, p. 522, which is as follows:
"An immediate rescinding of the act of the previous Assembly would consist neither with courtesy of the Assembly, nor with that reverence which the Assembly, by its example should inculcate upon the people, for 'decrees and determination, of synods and councils, not contrary to the Word of God, not only for their agreement with the Word, but for the power whereby they are made.' (Confession of Faith, Chap. XXXI, Sec. II.) [XXXIII.2.] And this the more especially when no time has been allowed to test by experience whether the measure is liable to work injuriously or not." |
2. As distinctly affirmed by the last Assembly in the first part of their deliverance (Minutes, 1892, p. 451), it is the judgment of this Assembly that "the scriptural element to be used in the Lord's Supper," designated in the Scriptures as "the cup" or "this cup," and as "the fruit of the vine," "is the fermented grape-juice."
1911, p. 29. [Preceding deliverances cited, and] "at the same time leave the question of the particular kind of bread and wine to be used to the discretion and judgment of the Session of each church."
1914, p. 42. Overture asking replies to the following questions:
1. Has the Session of an individual church the right, by a majority vote, to choose between fermented and unfermented wine?
2. Is unfermented wine equally scriptural with the fermented wine, and is the ordinance of the Lord's Supper equally valid when the unfermented wine is used as when the fermented wine is used?
Answer 1: The Assembly replies in the affirmative to Question 1.
Answer 2: The Assembly referes the second question to the Ad-Interim Committee.
1916, p. 26. The Ad-Interim Committee to which was referred an overture relating to communion wine reports that, after careful consideration of the whole subject, it is the judgment of the Committee that the actions of previous General Assemblies meet all the needs of the case, providing ample liberty for any Session to be guided by its own interpretation of the Scriptures in this matter.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA [1789-1958]
Digest of the Acts and Deliverances of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church In the United States of America, Vol. 1 (1930 edition), pp. 825.
1. Communion wine, the purest available to be used.
a. A Memorial from several Presbyteries on Communion wine. Your Committee recommend the following answer: That the control of this matter be left to the Sessions of the several churches, with the earnest recommendation that the purest wine attainable be used.—1877, p. 542; 1885, p. 685.
b. Asking if the use of fermented wine is necessary to the proper observance of the Lord's Supper, and if our churches are at liberty to use unfermented wine if they can get it.
Answer: The essential elements of the Lord's Supper are bread and wine. The General Assembly has always recognized the right of each church Session to determine what is bread, and what is wine. In the judgment of the Assembly no new legislation is needed on this subject.—1881, p. 548; 1882, p. 57.
2. Unfermented fruit of the vine fulfils every condition.
Resolved, Whereas, it is the duty of the Church of Jesus Christ to avoid even the appearance of evil, and whereas there is a well-grounded belief that danger lies in the use of fermented wine at the Communion Table, therefore it is the sense of this Assembly that unfermented fruit of the vine fulfils every condition in the celebration of the sacrament.—1895, p. 100.
3. The kind of wine left to the determination of the Session.
Judicial Case No. 9, being an appeal of Hugh Marlin, from the action of the Synod of Indiana, concerning the use of wine in the Lord's Supper.
The Judicial Committee recommend that the judgment of the Synod be sustained, and that the appellant have leave to withdraw his Papers, inasmuch as the General Assembly has already committed the question involved to the determination of each Session (see Digest, 1898, p. 853.).—1898, p. 45.