<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>The first full scholarly account of the theological and social forces that brought about the creation of the Presbyterian Church in America, using primary archival, newspaper, and magazine material.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the largest conservative, evangelical Presbyterian denomination in North America. And yet ministers, elders, and laypeople know only the barest facts concerning the denomination's founding. For a Continuing Church is a fully researched, scholarly yet accessible account of the theological and social forces that brought about the PCA. Drawing on little used archival sources, as well as Presbyterian newspapers and magazines, Lucas charts the formation of conservative dissent in response to the young progressive leadership that emerged in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) in the 1920s and 1930s. Their vision was to purify the PCUS from these progressive theological elements and return it to its spiritual heartland: evangelism and missions. Only as the church declared the gospel with confidence in the inspired Scriptures would America know social transformation. Forty years after its founding, the PCA has nearly 400,000 members and is still growing in the United States and internationally.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>"Don't let the title fool you. This is about far more than the PCA. This book is nothing less than a history of Presbyterianism in the twentieth century, with all its theological wrangling, all its political maneuvering, all its failings and all its faithfulness. This is certainly a story worth telling, and Sean tells it very well."--Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, Michigan<br><br>As God did a glorious work in the lives of His imperfect but beloved covenant people He would at times tell them to "pile up some stones" in order to remember what He had done and to teach the "coming generations". Sean Lucas has "piled up some stones" from the gracious work of God's providence in establishing the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to remember for His glory and for the "coming generations" to be both encouraged and equipped for a future that by His grace will be marked with an imperfect yet loving obedience.--Harry L. Reeder III Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL<br><br>I've always thought of my friend and former colleague, Sean Lucas, as a walking encyclopedia. Every page of this volume proves me right. Meticulously researched, this history of the founding of the Presbyterian Church in America will instantly become the definitive account of a significant movement in the history of American Presbyterianism. The detail is comprehensive, the writing is wonderfully engaging--as though the drama were being played out before our very eyes, and the sins of the past are neither downplayed nor exaggerated. As a church historian and pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America, I've waited a long time for this history. I was not disappointed. There were surprises, there were aspects of the story that filled in gaps in my own understanding, and there was a sense of encouragement as I turned the last page. It does seem that we can count ourselves as one example of an evangelical Presbyterian church that God has enabled to remain true to the Scriptures, the Westminster standards, and the robust Reformed faith. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!--Michael W. Honeycutt, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rock Hill, South Carolina<br><br>Sean Lucas has given us an account of events leading up to founding of the Presbyterian Church in America that is not only informative from a historical perspective but could be valuable in helping assess events taking place today. Some of the issues and concerns facing the church today are similar, if not the same, that fed into the forming of the PCA. I believe this book will not only have an appeal to those involved in this history, but could be a resource for those who have come along at a later time to better understand where and why we are today.--Charles H. Dunahoo, Coordinator of Christian Education & Publications, PCA (retired)<br><br>Take it from this Baptist. I don't care if you're not a conservative Presbyterian; you still need to read For a Continuing Church. It tells an important yet often neglected story in the history of American evangelicalism. combining original research and outstanding engagement with current scholarship. Written with the empathy of an insider, but the historical honesty of a critical scholar, Sean Lucas has also told this story in a masterfully crafted narrative. The book makes a lasting contribution to our understanding of the American evangelical landscape, highlighting the complexity of denominational movements and institutions. It should be read widely, not only by historians, but by anyone who wants to think carefully about the intersection of faith and culture.--Matthew J. Hall, Vice President of Academic Services, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary<br><br>This book offers the first comprehensive story of Southern conservative Presbyterianism˘a most important and too often neglected part of the larger story of American Christianity. It is full of both inspiring moments and cautionary tales. It is as church should be: a faithful and engaging re-telling of the churchs past in the service of her present and future calling.--Stephen J. Nichols, President, Reformation Bible College; Chief Academic Officer, Ligonier Ministries<br><br>This important work by my friend Sean Lucas is much needed, well researched, forthright, and comprehensive. It will be a tremendous resource for present and future leaders in the PCA in general and Covenant Seminary students in particular. Lucas gets the story straight so we can see more clearly both the strengths and blind spots of our past. He does this with a hope-filled desire for faithfulness in today's church as another new generation takes its place of leadership and joins God's mission in and through the PCA and beyond.--Mark L. Dalbey, President and Associate Professor of Applied Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary<br><br>This is a story that had to be told, and Sean Lucas has told it with the skill and care of a historian and the warmth and concern of a pastor. Dr. Lucas is thorough, honest, fair, and accurate in unfolding the history of a complex movement that includes mixed motives, different hopes, complicated relationships, and inner controversies. In spite of its failures ("the purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error"), the history of the Presbyterian Church in America is a good story, indeed a wonderful story, of God's grace and blessing on a group of Southern Presbyterians who were committed, despite the cost, to establishing and maintaining "a continuing church," true to the Bible, faithful to Reformed theology, and obedient to the Great Commission. If you want to understand the Presbyterian Church in America, you must read this book.--David B. Calhoun, Professor Emeritus of Church History, Covenant Theological Seminary<br><br>With first-rate scholarship, engaging style, and a pastor's insights Sean Lucas provides the most insightful history of the Presbyterian Church in America thus far. His proof that our forefathers intended for the PCA to be a new mainline denomination confirms that the growth pains so far have been worth it and inspires us to renew their vision to be a servant-leader denomination. According to Lucas's research, our mandate as a denomination is to make sure that our service to the gospel not be "done in a corner." My friend has once again been used of the Lord to refresh my commitment to the Scriptures, the Reformed Faith, and the Great Commission!--George Robertson, Senior Pastor, The First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Georgia<br><br>With For A Continuing Church, Sean Michael Lucas has remedied the neglect that Southern Presbyterians have generally suffered at the hands of church historians. His story of conservatives in the Presbyterian Church U. S. follows carefully the Old School tradition as it developed and adapted to twentieth-century life, and then informed the founding of the Presbyterian Church in America. If history teaches lessons, Lucas' book has at least a semester's worth for both those who belong to the PCA and others who desire to promote and maintain the witness of Reformed Protestantism.--D. G. Hart, author of Calvinism: A History<br>
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