The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church was compiled by the
Westminster Standards of the 17th century [the Confession of Faith
(33 chapters), the Larger Catechism (196 questions and answers), and
the Shorter Catechism (107 questions and answers)]. These standards
are the expression of Reformed theology based on the Scripture, and
they are the representative standards of the Presbyterian Church that
best organize Protestant theology for 125 years after the Reformation
according to the biblical basis. Drawn up by 151 ministers and
commissioners, consisting of 121 theologians, 10 from the House of
Lords and 20 from the Commons, at the Westminster Assembly,
held in England over a period of five years and eight months from
July 1, 1643 to February 22, 1649, these standards represent ¡®the
supreme expression of the doctrine and polity of the Presbyterian
Church.¡¯ The Westminster Standards following the theological
position of Calvin (1509-1564) were handed down to the Korean
church through the American church.
The Presbyterian Church in Korea was organized as a Synod of
Presbyterian Church in Pyongyang on September 17, 1907 as a result
of missionaries sent from the North and the South Presbyterian
Church in America, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the
Presbyterian Church in Australia at the end of the 19th century. The
Presbyterian Church in Korea adopted and used the 12 Creeds, the
Shorter Catechism, and Church Government in 1908, and the
Discipline and the Directory for Worship were used in the church from
1919. On September of 1917, the 6th General Assembly of
Presbyterian Church in Korea, decided to translate and edit the
Westminster Constitution into Korean to use in our churches. In 1934,
a Constitution containing the 12 Articles, the Shorter Catechism,
Church Government, Discipline, and the Directory for Worship was
published, and this Constitution was used as the basic law for a long
time in the Presbyterian Church. Afterwards, as the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Korea became separated and
united into different denominations, the Constitution was used after
amending several times in the situation of the Korean Church.
While this denomination (Soonjang) has been using the Constitution
of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Hapdong), it is necessary to
inherit the Doctrinal Standards, which is the original orthodox
confession of faith of the Presbyterian Church, and to revise the
Governmental Standards with appropriate content throughout all
areas of this denomination. Accordingly, in September 1989, the 37th
General Assembly made a resolution to enact the Constitution, and
formed the Constitution Enactment Committee, and appointed 6
members (Head of committee: Rev. Soonwoo Hong, Committee
members: Rev. Jookbong Lee, Rev. Byungki Chung, Rev. Changeun
Ahn, Rev. Junghee Kwon, and Rev. Boknam Jee). After deliberation
and research of the elected Constitutional Enactment Committee for
three years, the proposed the Constitution to the General Assembly,
and 40th General Assembly in September 1992, passed it, proclaimed
it, and published the first constitution
Further on, in September of 2010, the 58th General Assembly voted
on to take the Constitution with the proposed edits from four other
presbyteries and formulate a preliminary 2nd edition version. Then a
committee was appointed to edit the preliminary version and present
it at the 59th General Assembly with one representative from each
presbytery, 8 in total. (Head of committee: Rev. Taeil Jee, Committee
members: Rev. Youngsup Yoo, Rev. Boknam Jee, Rev. Junghee Kwon,
Rev. Taeyoung Jee, Rev. Myungbum Suh, Rev. Euncheol Kim, Rev.
Moonsik Hong, Rev. Keunwoo Lee). The edited preliminary version
was presented and voted into being the active Constitution for this
denomination at the 59th General Assembly. On September 19th of
2011, at the Baek-am Retreat Center, the 59th General Assembly
announced the revised Constitution and published the second edition
on March, 12, of 2012.
And after ten years, the 69th General Assembly in September of 2021
made a resolution of 16 articles proposed by the Constitution
Revision Committee (including 2 articles revisions that were given by
the International Presbyteries during the 64th General Assembly). After
the inquiry to presbytery, the 70th General Assembly in September
2022 announced the execution in continuance of the 60th General
Assembly in 2012, and made a meaningful decision to publish the
Korean version of the Constitution for domestic use and the English-Korean
version, which was a long-cherished wish of overseas presbyteries.
This Constitution, following the tradition of the Korean Presbyterian
Church, places the 12 Creeds at the beginning, the Standards of the
Doctrine (Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, and
Smaller Catechism) and the Standards of the Government (Government,
the Book of Discipline, the Directory for the Worship of God) next.
In the midst of the ever-changing landscape of the church and the
challenges faced by the next generation, one thing that truly weighs
heavy on our hearts is the need for new translations of the Doctrinal
Standards (the Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, and Shorter
Catechism), unity of terms and sentences, choice of terms easy yet
detailed. On the other hand, with respect to the Governmental
Standards of the Constitution (Government, Discipline, and the
Directory for Worship), we wish that more realistic and future-oriented
revisions will be made through more meetings, discussions, and public
hearings (the detailed enforcement regulations need to be enacted
separately from the Constitution).
Since the Constitution of the church was established based on the
Word of God, its authority must be respected. Also, when using this
Constitution, without frivolity or partiality, we must do our best to
completely realize God's will and sovereignty in the church, abandoning
man centered thoughts and motivations
Lastly, We are grateful for the Constitution Revision Committee
members, and Constitution Publishing Committee members of domestic
and overseas presbyteries. With their efforts, the Third Amendment to
the Constitution was published in both Korean and English-Korean
version. May this Constitution bring much blessings to the growth of
all local churches and saints, and the development of each
organization in this General Assembly!
Constitution Revision Committee(69th General Assembly, September 2021)
Head of committee:
Rev. Taeil Jee
Committee members:
Rev. Jungki Ahn (Oceania),
Rev. Changkook Yang (Seminary)
Rev. Byunghee Cho (Southern),
Rev. Daejin Kim (Central)
Rev. Soungki Kim (North America),
Rev. Jinchun Lee (Eastern)
Elder Jonghoo Kim (Southern)
Constitution Publishing Committee(70th General Assembly, September 2022)