Classification Protestant Origin 1950sTaiwan | Orientation Reformed, Calvinist Number of members 900 | |
Separated from | ||
The Reformed Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (RPCT; Chinese: 改革宗長老教會在臺灣; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kái-kek-chong Tiúⁿ-ló Kàu-hōe tī Tâi-oân) was founded in the 1950s as a result of the union of various conservative Presbyterian and Continental Reformed congregations.
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History
The Christian Reformed Church in North America first began missions in Taiwan in 1950. Lillian Bode led this effort, and the missionaries founded 4 congregations with 290 members.
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church started missions in Taiwan in 1950 led by Rev. Egbert Andrew and Rev. Richard Gaffin. They founded 5 congregations.
The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin) from South Korea sent missionaries like Rev. Kim Yong-Jin and Yoo Whan Yon. They planted 11 congregations with 500 members.
Meanwhile, the native Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was becoming increasingly liberal. As a result, some churches split from the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and joined congregations led by missionaries of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin). Afterwards these 2 groups, the two Presbyterian congregations, united with the Reformed congregation led by the Christian Reformed Church in North America to form the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.
Statistics
The church has 27 congregations, around 900 members (circa 2008), and 2 presbyteries. Two of the congregations are missions. And the church's few congregations are strong and healthy. The largest church membership is less than 100 people. The majority of its members speak Mandarin, but Taiwanese, Hakka, and Austronesian are also used in worships. These churches are concentrated in the northern part of Taiwan around the cities of Hsinchu, Taipei, Keelung and Xizhi. The denomination runs the Reformed Theological Seminary in Taipei.
Theology
The RPCT adheres to the Ecumenical Creeds, the Three Forms of Unity, and the Westminster Standards. Unlike the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, the RPCT does not ordain women to positions of elder or pastor although women do serve as deacons.