I'll do my best to answer your original concern, re: APA merger. I'll also be adding some occasional URLs to help others understand what the REC sets forth as sound doctrine. I appreciate your interest and feel free to ask further, tho more specific, questions.
Personally, I uphold the 39 Articles, the Canons of Dordt, and a vast majority of the WCF. If a church does not uphold the Calvinist soteriology of the reformed faith, I would not be a member, period. I detest arminianism as a false offer and an anti-biblical proclamation.
As far as sermons go, I have witnessed very effective 15 minutes sermons as well as very disjointed 40 minute sermons. I am unsure of where scripture places a time restraint on this, but I would estimate the average to be between 20-30 minutes and they have all contained the gospel.
indeed, as you realise, and I hope William does too, I am not querying the 39 Articles! I am querying an official tie up between a church which claims to exist to uphold them and a church whose ethos may be different.
James.
Again, I am in no position to answer this question about a possible merger between these two denominations. And perhaps William isn't privy to what is going on behind the proverbial "closed doors" where such talks may be taking place. Personally, I have little trust in ANY denomination these days as it seems they are all, with exceptions noted, being infected with all manner of heresy from that which is minor to very major doctrines.
What I can tell you is this, brother William is thoroughly Reformed/Calvinistic in his personal beliefs. Further, I am more than confident, that if he suspected that the REC was going to merge with a heretical denomination, it wouldn't be long before he packed his bags. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
no, Jim Packer is not a member of the REC, nor has he ever been. He is in the mainline Anglican church and during his sojourn in Regent College has been part of the Anglican Church of Canada and, to the best of my knowledge, is a member of St John's Shaughnessy in the diocese of New Westminster. This church, along with eleven others, has departed this diocese on account of homosexual blessings to form part of the Anglican Communion in New Westminster www.acinw.org