Classification Protestant Origin 1910 | ||
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Associations Irish Council of Churches, European Liberal Protestant Network, International Association for Religious Freedom Region | ||
The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland derives its liberal Christian identity from those early 18th century Presbyterian ministers who refused to subscribe at their ordination to the Westminster Confession, a standard Reformed (Calvinist) statement of faith; and who formed, in 1725, the Presbytery of Antrim. A similar phenomenon led to the creation of the Remonstrant Synod of Ulster in 1830. In 1835 the Synod of Munster(Unitarians) formed the Association of Irish Non-subscribing Presbyterians.
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The Antrim Presbytery and Remonstrant Synod of Ulster, created the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland (NSPCI) in 1910. The Synod of Munster became part of the NSPCI in 1935.
Some Non-subscribing Presbyterians have close contact with the Unitarians and are happy to be identified as such, although the two denominations are separate and independent bodies. Other Non-Subscribing Presbyterians (or 'Non-Subscribers' as they are often known) may be Trinitarian, but all are committed to a gentle, thoughtful and non-creedal Christianity. Most continue to maintain a strong commitment to the worship of God, the person of Christ, and to the centrality of Scripture. This is in accordance with 'The Constitution and Code of Discipline' (1997) of the denomination, which states:
'That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the rule of Christian Faith and Duty under the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ' and
'That it is the inalienable right of every Christian to search these records of Divine Truth for his own instruction and guidance, to form his own opinions with regard to what they teach and to worship God in sincerity, agreeably to the dictates of his own conscience, without privation, penalty or inconvenience by his fellow-men.'
The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church is therefore best defined as a non-creedal Christian Church, which maintains a great emphasis on individual conscience in matters of Christian faith. Whilst it continues, for historic reasons, an Accord with the Unitarian General Assembly it does not share the latter's 'post-Christian' outlook and remains firmly part of the Christian family of faith. In common with most Protestant churches they affirm the two Biblical Sacraments of the Lord's Supper (Communion) and Baptism. This is usually conducted in accordance with Matthew 28.
The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland is a founder of, and active within the Irish Council of Churches, and the European Liberal Protestant Network (ELPN).
Today, the denomination has thirty-four congregations (thirty-three churches) on the island of Ireland, divided into three Presbyteries, with a total of about four thousand members. The denomination currently has twenty one ministers on its roll with both women and men serving as ministers. The NSCPI is also a member of the International Association for Religious Freedom. It has also recorded year on year growth for the last three years (source: General Synod Annual Reports).
Statement of uniting principles
The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland has a statement of uniting principles which are:
“We declare allegiance to the principle that:
Our faith:
Structure
The church is divided into three groups, the Presbytery of Antrim with 17 churches, the Presbytery of Bangor with 11 churches, and the Synod of Munster with 5 churches. Currently the only two congregations from the Republic of Ireland are in the Synod of Munster and they are the Cork Unitarian church and the Dublin Unitarian church. The Synod of Munster and Cork and Dublin Unitarians churches produced the monthly magazine Oscailt.
Presbytery of Antrim
In 1725, the Synod of Ulster formed a new Presbytery of Antrim, consisting of the following 16 congregations: -
Newtownlimavady, under the Rev Joseph Osborne, is included in a list given by James Armstrong in 'A summary history of the Presbyterian churches in the City of Dublin', P64. However, William Dool Killen in History of the congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, P 177 states that Rev Osborne's ordination by the Presbytery of Antrim occurred after 1740. He and his congregation joined the Synod of Ulster in 1743.