Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster

The Free Presbyterian Church (Free Presbyterian Church ) is a Reformed free church. 60 of their world-wide about 100 communities located in Northern Ireland.

The church sees itself as a Presbyterian, but stands in opposition to the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, of which she has split off in the 1950s. It does not depend organizational together with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, who separated in 1893 by the Scottish Presbyterian Church; both churches agree in their doctrines but agree well.

Instrumental in the founding of the Free Presbyterian Church worked with the pastor and politician Ian Paisley, who has become known in the Northern Ireland conflict as a radical representatives of the Unionists. In addition to his role as head of the religious community he worked until 2008, as chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP ). Critics therefore consider the Free Church as " DUP at prayer ". 2012 Paisley resigned by his ministry.

History

The reason for the founding of the faith community in 1951 was according to their own account, the prohibition of the Presbyterian Church authorities of Northern Ireland County Down, to organize a crusade in a church hall of the Municipality of Crossgar. Then the elders had broken away from the Presbyterian Church and founded with the support of the former guest preacher Paisley and his colleague George Stears the Free Church. Meanwhile, there are communities or agencies including in the United States, the Republic of Ireland, Spain and Germany.

Teaching and special

The doctrine of the Free Presbyterian is characterized by Reformation positions. The church sees itself as reformed in the tradition of John Calvin, John Knox and the English and American Puritans. It lays down inter alia emphasis on the authority of the Bible, the sanctification of Sunday and the absence of alcohol, gambling and dancing. Homosexuality is considered a sin. Due to a strong anti-Catholic and anti-liberal attitude to ecumenism is decisively rejected. The communities practicing both child - and adult baptism. Women may not make priestly services still hold church offices. In the church they have to wear headgear.