4-2. Its officers are its teaching and ruling elders and its deacons.

[DIGEST: The current PCA text dates to 1974, though in substance the content remains that of PCUSA 1789. PCA 1973 and the Proposed BCO are interesting for appearing redundant with the wording "Pastor, Pastors,...", though it may be assumed that the second mention was intended as a reference to associate and assistant pastors.]

BACKGROUND & COMPARISON:
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text, 4-2
PCA 1973, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 129
Its officers are the Pastor, Pastors, the Ruling Elders, and the Deacons.

PCUS 1933, V-§21
PCUS 1925, V-§21
PCUS 1879, II-4-2
Its officers are the Pastor, the Ruling Elders, and the Deacons.

PCUS 1869 draft, II-4-2
The officers of a congregation are, the Pastor, the Ruling Elders, and the Deacons.

PCUS 1867 draft, II-4-2
The officers of each congregation are the pastor, who is a teaching elder; the ruling elders; and the deacons.

PCUSA 1789, III, paragraph 2
The ordinary and perpetual officers, in the church are, Bishops, or Pastors; the representatives of the people, usually styled Ruling Elders and Deacons.

COMMENTARY :
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898, p. 31), on II-4-2 :
21.--II. Its officers are the Pastor, the Ruling Elders, and the Deacons.
This implies that, ordinarily, a particular church should have one Pastor, but a plurality of Ruling Elders and of Deacons. A church has no other officers than these; therefore trustees, Sunday-school officers, society officers, etc., are not officers of the church, nor independent of the control of the proper officers.