Contents

 

Preface — 7
Introduction — 9

The Church Order of Dordrecht

Article 1 – Purpose and division — 15

I. OFFICES AND SUPERVISION OF DOCTRINE

Article 2 – The offices — 16
Article 3 – The calling to office — 17
Article 4 – Bound to a church — 20
Article 5 – Eligibility for the ministry — 21
Article 6 – Ordination and installation of ministers of the Word — 23
Article 7 – From one church to another — 27
Article 8 – Exceptional gifts — 28
Article 9 – Admission of ministers who have recently joined the church — 30
Article 10 – Officiating in another church — 30
Article 11 – Proper support — 31
Article 12 – Call to an extraordinary task — 32
Article 13 – Retirement of ministers — 33
Article 14 – Dismissal — 34
Article 15 – Bound for life — 35
Article 16 – Task of ministers — 36
Article 17 – Training for the ministry — 37
Article 18 – Students of theology — 38
Article 19 – Task of missionaries — 39
Article 20 – Task of elders — 39
Article 21 – Task of deacons — 40
Article 22 – Equality of respective duties — 42
Article 23 – Term of office — 43
Article 24 – Subscription to the Confession by ministers and teaching staff — 44
Article 25 – Subscription to the Confession by elders and deacons — 45
Article 26 – False doctrine — 46
Article 27 – Office-bearers and the government — 46

II. ASSEMBLIES

Article 28 – The ecclesiastical assemblies — 48
Article 29 – Proceedings — 49
Article 30 – Authority of the assemblies — 49
Article 31 – Appeals — 51
Article 32 – Credentials and voting — 54
Article 33 – Proposals — 55
Article 34 – Chairman and clerk — 56
Article 35 – Jurisdiction — 57
Article 36 – Consistory  — 58
Article 37 – Consistory and the deacons — 59
Article 38 – Constitution of a consistory — 60
Article 39 – Places without a consistory — 61
Article 40 – Meetings of deacons — 62
Article 41 – Classis — 62
Article 42 – Ministers who are not delegated to a classis — 64
Article 43 – Counsellors — 65
Article 44 – Church visitors — 65
Article 45 – Synod — 68
Article 46 – Relationship with other churches — 69
Article 47 – Censure in classis and synod — 70
Article 48 – Deputies of major assemblies — 70
Article 49 – Archives — 71
Article 50 – Mission — 72

III. WORSHIP, SACRAMENTS AND CEREMONIES

Article 51 – Administration of sacraments — 72
Article 52 – Baptism of infants — 73
Article 53 – Baptismal promise and education — 73
Article 54 – Public profession of faith — 74
Article 55 – Baptism of adults — 75
Article 56 – Lord’s Supper — 75
Article 57 – Admission to the Lord’s Supper — 77
Article 58 – Church records — 78
Article 59 – Attestations for communicant members — 78
Article 60 – Attestations for non-communicant members — 79
Article 61 – Support after departure — 80
Article 62 – Church services — 80
Article 63 – Catechism preaching — 81
Article 64 – Psalms and hymns — 82
Article 65 – Ecclesiastical feast days — 82
Article 66 – Days of prayer — 83
Article 67 – Marriage — 84
Article 68 – Funerals — 84

IV. CHURCH DISCIPLINE

Article 69 – Aim of discipline — 85
Article 70 – Mutual responsibility — 86
Article 71 – Consistory involvement — 87
Article 72 – Repentance — 89
Article 73 – Discipline in respect of communicant members — 89
Article 74 – Announcement during the procedure — 91
Article 75 – Re-admission — 92
Article 76 – Suspension and deposition of office-bearers — 93
Article 77 – Serious and gross sins on the part of office-bearers — 94
Article 78 – Christian censure — 94
Article 79 – Discipline in respect of  non-communicant members — 95

CONCLUDING ARTICLES

Article 80 – No lording over others — 96
Article 81 – Observance and revision of the Church Order — 96

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