Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Evangelical Reformed Church in America


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was delete. Sarahj2107 (talk) 11:18, 24 November 2016 (UTC)

Evangelical Reformed Church in America

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Fails WP:GNG. Small Christian organisation (not a denomination, despite its name) without a shred of significant coverage. StAnselm (talk) 08:57, 5 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Organizations-related deletion discussions. Shawn in Montreal (talk) 11:40, 5 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Christianity-related deletion discussions. Shawn in Montreal (talk) 11:40, 5 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of United States of America-related deletion discussions. Shawn in Montreal (talk) 11:40, 5 November 2016 (UTC)


 * Keep -- While it may not strictly be a denomination, it looks rather similar to one to me. We normally keep articles on denominations and inter-church organsiations, but not those on individual local churches.  Peterkingiron (talk) 19:06, 6 November 2016 (UTC)
 * How is it similar to a denomination? It's nothing like it - it's an organisation of pastors. (I know we keep articles on denominations - that's why I went out of my way encouraging people not to be misled!) StAnselm (talk) 19:49, 6 November 2016 (UTC)
 * this is the equivalent thing to a denomination for churches whose ecclesiology leads them (a) to independent local leadership rather than regional hierarchical authority, and (b) still to seek close fellowship and co-working with other local churches of like theology and practice. It is very much like e.g. Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches or Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) here in the UK. However, it appears to be smaller than those, and I have not been able to find independent sources, either for this name or the other ERCA also stated on its website, "Ecumenical Reformed Churches Alliance". – Fayenatic  L ondon 21:55, 17 November 2016 (UTC)


 * Keep we are a small fellowship of Reformed churches and pastors we are similar to a denomination. In that any church or pastor recognized or ordained by us is accountable to us in certain matters but churches and ministers are also free to leave whenever they chose among other things that make us more of a fellowship. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Patricknelson1983 (talk • contribs) 11:17, 7 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Question How does this relate to Dutch Reformed Church?E.M.Gregory (talk) 00:14, 8 November 2016 (UTC)
 *  Keep  Here: (Rudderless churches need hands on the tiller, Morphew, Clark. Austin American Statesman [Austin, Tex] 10 May 1997: C.3.) is an article discussing this group in terms that make it sound like a denomination.  I am assuming that it is a sort of U.S. equivalent of Evangelical Reformed Church in Bavaria and Northwestern Germany, Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Lucerne and other Calvinist-origin cousins of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated).E.M.Gregory (talk) 00:25, 8 November 2016 (UTC) (strike vote pending discovery of better sourcing)
 * No, it's nothing like them - as I keep on saying, the ERCA is not a denomination at all - it's more like a ministers' fraternal. The article you linked to was from 1997, so it can't be referring to this group, which was formed in 2006. StAnselm (talk) 01:08, 8 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Here is another link to that 1997 article. Evidently something called Evangelical Reformed Church in America existed back then. – Fayenatic  L ondon 21:55, 17 November 2016 (UTC)


 * , please supply more sourced information. This can come from sources WP:RS including statements of well known churches and clergy, from online Christian news sites (such as Patheos).  It does not have to be CNN or the BBC.  But we do need WP:RS of some kind.E.M.Gregory (talk) 09:29, 8 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Delete as there's basically no actual significance aside from its connections to that other group, there's nothing at all for actual substance or that we should expect any to happen for this minor group. SwisterTwister   talk  23:45, 8 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Delete - per SwisterTwister, just really a needless article with links to notable articles, not independently notable. Inter&#38;anthro (talk) 20:28, 10 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Delete as it does not appear to be an actual denomination, but a small group of pastors. Bradv  23:47, 17 November 2016 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.