Veritas Presbytery is a small, conservative Reformed Presbyterian church body formed in 2024 by ministers and congregations that left the Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) Church.
Established as an independent and currently unaffiliated presbytery, Veritas Presbytery presents itself as a continuation of historic Presbyterian principles, emphasizing doctrinal fidelity, ministerial integrity, and adherence to the Westminster Standards.
The name Veritas is Latin for "truth," reflecting the organization's stated commitment to biblical truth and confessional Presbyterianism. Although still very young, Veritas Presbytery has drawn attention in conservative Presbyterian circles because of the circumstances of its formation and its desire to preserve what its founders regard as historic Reformed doctrine and church government.
Veritas Presbytery was officially constituted on August 19, 2024, in Greenwood, South Carolina. The founding assembly consisted of five ministers who were members in good standing of the ARP Church's Second Presbytery, along with elder representatives from three congregations that had also left the ARP denomination.
The founding ministers were Tony Locke, John Paul Marr, Peter Waid, Mark Wright, and Seth Yi, while the three founding congregations were Newberry Reformed Presbyterian Church, Troy Presbyterian Church, and Unity Presbyterian Church.
According to the presbytery's historical account, the immediate background involved actions taken by ARP Second Presbytery during August of 2024 that permitted ministers and congregations to seek dismissal or transfer to other ecclesiastical bodies. Following congregational votes and official dismissals, the ministers and churches organized the new presbytery.
The founders connected their actions to a notable event in Scottish Presbyterian history, citing the formation of the Associate Presbytery of Scotland in 1733, when Ebenezer Erskine, James Fisher, William Wilson, and Alexander Moncrieff separated from the Church of Scotland in what became known as the Secession movement. The founders viewed their actions as similar to those earlier Presbyterian ministers who believed they were defending scriptural truth and ecclesiastical integrity.
This historical reference is significant because it places Veritas Presbytery within the broader tradition of Scottish and American Presbyterian secession movements that arose when ministers believed existing church courts had departed from biblical or confessional standards.
Veritas Presbytery follows the Presbyterian form of church government. In Presbyterianism, authority is exercised through graded church courts rather than through bishops or independent congregational leadership alone.
The basic structure includes local congregations governed by a session of elders; the presbytery, which exercises regional oversight of ministers and congregations; and accountability among churches through representative government.
As an independent presbytery, Veritas functions without being part of a larger denomination or general assembly.
The presbytery elects officers such as a moderator and vice moderator and holds regular meetings to discuss ministerial credentials, church oversight, constitutional development, theological statements, and cooperative ministry efforts.
Because the presbytery is newly formed, its constitutional structure appears to be developing. The body has not yet produced much publicly available official doctrinal literature, but its churches consistently identify as conservative Reformed and confessional Presbyterian.
The central emphasis is the full authority and trustworthiness of the Bible. Founding documents repeatedly stress obedience to Scripture and adherence to ordination vows.
The presbytery clearly stands within the Westminster tradition, the historic doctrinal framework for many English-speaking Presbyterian churches. Its founding service included readings from the Westminster Confession of Faith, and associated congregations affirm the Westminster Confession as a faithful summary of biblical doctrine.
Descriptions from member congregations indicate a commitment to God-centered worship characterized by expository reading, congregational singing, psalm singing alongside traditional hymns, Reformed liturgical principles, and emphasis on reverence and biblical regulation of worship.
Veritas Presbytery strongly identifies with conservative Reformed theology and historic Presbyterian orthodoxy.
Recommended Resources
Newberry Reformed Presbyterian Church
Situated in Newberry, South Carolina, Newberry Reformed is one of three founding congregations of the Veritas Presbytery. Sunday worship and weekday meeting and program schedules are posted on its website, along with its address and contact details. Its beliefs, philosophy of worship, order of worship, and ministries are set forth on its website. The church's leadership and staff are introduced, and an audio sermon archive, worship videos, and other resources are included.
https://newberryreformedpc.org/
Located in Piedmont, South Carolina, Unity Presbyterian Church is one of three founding churches within Veritas Presbytery. Its address, directions, a map showing its location, and contact details are provided, along with a statement of beliefs, a church bulletin, and an audio archive of past sermons, which are featured on the church's website, which also includes links to other useful Presbyterian websites. Its staff is introduced, and a description of a Reformed church is included.
https://unitypres.weebly.com/
Formed in 2024 by five ministers and three former Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) churches, Veritas is an independent presbytery that is not affiliated with any larger body. The history of its origins is reported on the official presbytery website, along with a list of active congregations and ministers, a calendar of events, and Veritas Presbytery minutes, which may also be downloaded from Google Drive. Contact details are also provided. As a new body, informational resources are scanty.
https://veritaspresbytery.com/
