Secession Synod

[1] The Secession movement began in the 1733, when some Protestant preachers in Scotland observed what they saw as loosening in the orthodoxy of the Presbyterian Church and a movement towards liberal modernism.Ebenezer Erskine was dismissed from his Scottish congregation after declaring that the Scottish church needed to be reformed;[2] he and several others started their ‘Associate Presbytery’[3] and became known as Seceders.[4] There was a split amongst the Seceders in Scotland over an oath (leading to the Burghers and anti-Burghers), but this was mended in 1818.[2] In 1839 the students petitioned both Synods to unite and they agreed to set up a committee to deal with the issue; the committee produced twelve resolutions which were presented on 8 April 1840 and with concessions from both sides these were eventually accepted.[5] The ceremony was attended by 500 ministers and elders, including a visiting Robert Murray McCheyne.
ProtestantPresbyterian ChurchEbenezer ErskineBurghersanti-BurghersSynod of UlsterBelfast Academical InstitutionPresbyterian Church in IrelandRobert Murray McCheyneReformed Presbyterian ChurchGeneral AssemblyModeratorPresbyteriesIrish PresbyteriansUnion Theological CollegeAssembly BuildingsPresbytery of MunsterI P MissionPresbyterianism