Edward Irving – removed

ON THIS DATE 

Edward Irving on 3/15/1833 was removed from the Presbyterian ministry. Two reasons were given – one, was his Pentecostalism. He founded a church, “The Holy Apostolic” or “The Catholic Apostolic.”  Irving came across a book written by a Jesuit, Manuel Lacunza The Coming of the Messiah in Glory & Majesty (under the name Rabbi Juan ben-Ezra, an assumed Jew who became a “Christian”). Irving, an intellectual, liked Lacunza’s book & sadly translated it into English.

Irving studied end-times & declared there will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit & then Jesus would return. He also believed the Jews would be returned to Israel. He believed the return of Christ was imminent & set a date. Some of the women of his church began “speaking in tongues.” Margaret MacDonald, prophesied “there will be a mighty baptism of the Spirit this day” & contributed to the imminent or “secret rapture” theory. (Strictly speaking this theory “requires” Jesus to come twice more.)

Irving is noted here in a negative way; that we see this mistaken man was one of the polluted creeks through which the American church received the idea of a “secret rapture.” (John Darby was another creek with his influence on Scofield & Scofield’s “study bible.”) Christ WILL return & may come in our life time but “thief in the night” has been misused – please re-read Peter and Paul noting the noises that will accompany the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Presbyterians did right to show Irving the door.

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Edward Irving – judged unfit, May 3, 1832

Edward Irving on 5/3/1832, was judged unfit to remain pastor of the Regent Square Presbyterian Church.  One of the concerns was his view on “Pentecostalism.”  Later he formed “The Holy Apostolic Church” a.k.a. Catholic Apostolic Church.

It should also be noted that Irvingwas so thrilled with a book by Manuel Lacunza (Jesuit priest) who used the assumed Jewish name, Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra, that Irving made a translation of this book and published it with his own “eloquent” preface.  This book and its views later influenced on John Darby, the Plymouth Brethren, and the movement toward a secret rapture.  Evangelicals and the holiness movement have been too influenced by Irving and “the company” he kept – he’s shown here with warning, not approval.

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