In 2025, the 52nd General Assembly approved the formation of an Ad Interim Study Committee on Christian Nationalism. Assembly Moderator Kevin DeYoung appointed three teaching elders, four ruling elders, and two advisory members to the committee.

Overture 47, which the Assembly approved, gave the study committee instructions “to study the relationship between Christian Nationalism, Ethno-Nationalism, and related teachings. Further, the committee shall advise on whether these teachings and formulations are in conformity with the system of doctrine taught in the Westminster Standards or where they may diverge from the system of doctrine.”

On Wednesday, the committee released a 35-page partial report, including a recommendation to extend the committee’s work for another year and permit the committee to report to the 54th General Assembly. 

While the committee will recommend continuing its work until 2027, it has published a pastoral letter, affirmations and denials, and constitutional and pastoral guidance that it recommends be made available to “all Sessions, Presbyteries, and interested parties for their consideration and use.”

According to the partial report, the purpose of the pastoral letter is to “provide both godly counsel and to model the kind of language and approach that officers and courts of the church might take in engaging with people who have embraced problematic aspects of Christian Nationalism.” 

The Affirmations and Denials are a summary of what the committee considers the “scope and range of scripturally and constitutionally acceptable opinion(s)” in the PCA, particularly offering advice on “the compatibility of the political theology of the original 1646 edition of the Westminster Standards with the 1788 revisions.” The report says the committee hopes to provide guidance on “the legitimate diversity of opinion permitted to officers in the PCA by our Constitution.” 

But the report notes that the Ad Interim Committee does not have the authority to declare any view constitutional or unconstitutional. That authority is reserved for church courts, and the committee hopes its work will inform the thinking of church courts seeking to establish confessional boundaries for officers and officer candidates. 

The study committee members are as follows: 

• David Strain, committee chair, is a teaching elder and senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi. 
• Drew Martin is a PCA teaching elder and associate professor of systematic theology at Covenant Theological Seminary. 
• James Wood is a PCA teaching elder serving as associate professor of religion and theology at Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. 
• Paul McNulty is a PCA ruling elder who recently concluded his tenure as president of Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. 
• Lance Kinzer is a ruling elder at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, Kansas. 
• Steve Dowling is a ruling elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Auburn, Alabama. He also served as moderator of the PCA’s 51st General Assembly and interim coordinator for Mission to North America. 
• Jay Green is a professor of history at Covenant College and a ruling elder at St. Elmo Presbyterian Church.  

The following serve as advisory members:

• Scott Swain is a PCA teaching elder and the James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology and president of Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando. 
• Allen Guelzo is a professor of humanities at the Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida.  
• Guy Prentiss Waters is James M. Baird, Jr. Professor of New Testament and Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson.