Polity Matters
A podcast on the foundations of Presbyterian Church government. Hosted by Scott Edburg, Jared Nelson, and Ben Ratliff.
105. Rise Out of the Taco Sauce (BCO 45)
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104. Officer Training w/David Hall
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103. Vacated (BCO 44)
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102. We Do Have a Time Limit (BCO 43)
Jared and Scott are joined by Art Sartorius to discuss Complaints.
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101. Black Jeans & a Navy Blazer (BCO 42 Part 2)
Scott and Ben finish up BCO 42 (with a fair amount of help from Dr. Guy Waters).
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100. Happy Birthday
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99. Never Know When a Party Breaks Out (BCO 42 Part 1)
Scott and Ben are joined Dr. Guy Waters to discuss the first five sections of BCO 42.
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98. Pastor Could Ask His Dad (BCO 41)
Ben, Steve, and Jared discuss BCO 41.
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97. Inept to Do This Alone (BCO 40)
A Ben and Fred duo episode--all about Review and Control.
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96. Nothing of Substance (RPR w/Thomas Rickard)
Scott and Jared are joined by Thomas Rickard to have (another) discussion about Review of Presbytery Records.
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95. Put Me Out of My Misery (BCO 39)
It's all about the modes! Join Scott, Jared, and Fred as the discuss the BCO chapter with the longest title: Modes in Which the Proceedings of Lower Courts Come Under the Supervision of Higher Courts.
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94. A Good Church, A Bad Church, and Nowhere (BCO 38)
He's never introduced, but you can't deny the dulcet tones of RE Howie Donahoe, who joins Scott and Jared to get into BCO 38.
Presbytery Clerks Download Page
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93. BCO Amendments Are Coming!
Scott leads us through the BCO amendments sent down from this years General Assembly.Â
https://pcapolity.com/2025/07/22/thirteen-proposed-amendments-in-2025/
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92. Regarding Paul Settle
Jared sits down with Mel Duncan and Jason Helopolous to discuss the influential ministry of Rev. Paul Settle.
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91. 52nd PCAGA Recap
Ben and Jared hit a few highlights of the 52nd General Assembly, and then Jared is joined by the PCA Archivist Wayne Sparkman for a brief interview.
To win a signed copy of Our Bond of Union by Per Almquist, email us and tell how Polity Matters has been a help to you since we started in 2023. Winner will be selected by the three hosts toward the end of July 2025.
Check out the following GA roundups that are already published:
Presbyterian and Reformed Churchman Podcast
<...90. Revisiting RPR
Our AI substitute wasn't able to record an episode, so it seem like it generated an introduction with NotebookLM and then aired our RPR Deep Dive from last year. Enjoy.
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89. Crash Course on the PCA General Assembly
Jared, Scott, and Ben spend time with friend of the show Steve Dowling, discussing the week of General Assembly and what we might expect at the 52nd.
Fred Greco's Overtures Roundup
Jacob Gerber's Parliamentary Procedure for Presbyters
https://pcaga.org
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88. Some Sense of Order (Overtures 2025 Part Two)
Alex Ford is back! We quickly put him to work sifting through Overtures with the guys...
http://pcahistory.org
Overtures discussed: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
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87. It's Almost GA, Where's Our Controversy? (Overtures 2025 Part One)
Alex Ford is back! We quickly put him to work sifting through Overtures with the guys...
http://pcahistory.org
Overtures discussed: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 37, 40
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86. Orderly Meeting
Orderly Meeting Website
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Clerk Download Page
Clerk of Session Handbook
Presbytery Clerk Handbook
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81. BCO 37: The Removal of Censure
Mel Duncan joins the show to help us think through the removal of censures in BCO 27.Â
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80. BCO 36 The Infliction of Church Censures
Dr. Waters joins the guys to discuss the infliction of censures.
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79. Bigger Problems Than Testifying in a PCA Court (BCO 35 part two)
Ben, Jared, Scott, and Fred finish out BCO 35.
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78. An Out of Date Bunch of Malarkey (BCO 35 part one)
Ben, Jared, Scott, and Fred begin PCA BCO Chapter 35 on Evidence. They discuss the competency of witnesses, the rights of the accused and accuser, procedures for handling testimony, and the judgment of evidence in church courts.Â
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77. All of My Secrets Have Been Exposed (BCO 34)
Jared and Scott are joined by RE John Bise to work through matters pertaining to process against TEs.
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76. Until I Read Them Out Loud (BCO 33)
Steve Dowling joins the polity bros to work through BCO 33: Special Rules Pertaining to Process Before Sessions.
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75. The People I Lied to Are Dead: Part Three (BCO 32 part two)
Ben, Jared, Scott, and Fred continue their discussion and explanation of BCO 32.
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74. The People I Lied to Are Dead (BCO 32 Part One)
Ben, Jared, Scott, and Fred deal with the first six sections of BCO 32.
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73. Best Host Ever (BCO 31 part two)
Ben, Jared, Half-Scott, and Steve are back to finish BCO 31.Â
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72. Story Time with Steve (BCO 31 part one)
Ben, Jared, and Scott are joined by Steve Tipton to dive into BCO 31, which outlines the key players and procedures involved in formal judicial processes within the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). They start off with a bit of fun—Jared presents a quiz on judicial cases that have shaped the PCA. Then, the discussion turns serious as they unpack the nuances of BCO 31, addressing questions of jurisdiction, the role of the courts, and the necessity of due process in church discipline.
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71. Pure Hypothetical (BCO 30)
In this episode of Polity Matters, hosts Ben Ratliff, Jared Nelson, and Scott Edberg welcome Dr. Guy Waters of Reformed Theological Seminary to discuss Chapter 30 of the PCA Book of Church Order (BCO), which deals with church censures. They explore the biblical, theological, and practical aspects of church discipline, the different types of censures available to church courts, and how they should be wisely applied in the life of the church.
Books by Dr. Waters:
How Jesus Runs the Church
Facing the Last Enemy: Death and the ChristianÂ
The Sabbath as R...
70. Just Give Me Another Hour (BCO 29)
In this episode of Polity Matters, hosts Ben Ratliff, Jared Nelson, and Scott Edberg welcome Ruling Elder John Bise to discuss Chapter 29 of the PCA Book of Church Order: Offenses.Â
The conversation tackles the distinctions between personal and general offenses, as well as private and public offenses, and how church courts should approach discipline in a biblical and pastoral manner.Â
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69. The Jared Nelson Memorial Episode (BCO 28)
Ben, Jared, and Scott are joined by Steve Tipton --the fourth polity bro-- to discuss BCO 28: Disciplining of Non-communing Members.
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68. Chapter 27 is Chiastic (BCO 27)
Steve Dowling joins Ben, Jared, and Scott to discuss BCO 27 on the nature, subjects, and ends of church discipline.
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67. Procedural Checklist (w/T. David Gordon)
Procedural Checklist for PCA BCO Rules of Discipline
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66. Motion to Reconsider: Assistant Pastors
In this special installment of Motion to Reconsider, we return to our interview with TE Adam Parker regarding his article on Assistant Pastors.
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65. The Sherlocking of Scott Edburg
In this special episode, Ben sits down with co-host Scott Edberg for an inside look at the history and future of the BCO Amendment Tracker—a project that started as a grassroots effort to bring transparency and accountability to the amendment process and has become a vital tool for the denomination.
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64. Potentially Edifying (Ordination Questions with Groff)
In this episode of Polity Matters, Ben Ratliff, Jared Nelson, Scott Edburg, and special guest Zachary Groff take a deep dive into the ordination vows for teaching elders in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The conversation explores the significance of each vow, offering practical insights and theological reflections for ministers and members alike.
Presbyterian Polity
Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
The Christian Ministry
12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You
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63. A Heightened Sense of Americana (BCO 26)
In this milestone episode, Ben, Jared, and Scott conclude their journey through the Form of Government section of the PCA Book of Church Order. The discussion centers on BCO Chapter 26, which outlines the process for amending the PCA Constitution. The hosts explore the complexities of modifying both the BCO and the Westminster Standards, unpacking the historical, procedural, and theological implications of these changes.
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62. No Authority Over Your Assets (BCO 25)
In this episode of Polity Matters, we delve into Chapter 25 of the PCA Book of Church Order, focusing on congregational meetings. We discuss the structure, rights, and responsibilities of the congregation, including voting rights, quorum requirements, the role of trustees, and property ownership. Join us as we explore the practical and theological implications of how congregations govern themselves within the PCA framework.
Glorifying and Enjoying God WSC devotional
Van Dixhoorn on WCF
Matthew Everhard’s Hold Fast the Faith
Watson’s Body of Divinity
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