Over the past two years, these allegations have mushroomed into a much broader battle between warring factions within the ARP – with some accusing the denomination’s leadership of opportunistically exploiting the situation to seize control of Second Presbytery, purportedly in contravention of the ARP’s governing constitution.
The Second Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) church was founded in 1800, “formed by the division of the Associate Reformed Presbytery of the Carolinas and Georgia,” according to the denomination.
“The beginnings of Second Presbytery remain so interwoven into the history of the ARP Church,” the group’s website declares.
As of this writing, Second Presbytery – the oldest Presbytery in the entire denomination – includes congregations in “the state of Georgia and the Western South Carolina counties of Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg and Union.”
Assuming nothing changes over the next two weeks, though, the Presbytery’s 224-year run will come to an abrupt end on September 1, 2024 – with its roughly three dozen churches being folded into two of the ARP church’s other Presbyteries (and its assets absorbed by those entities).
At stake? The future of dozens of congregations, thousands of worshippers… and millions of dollars.
What prompted this schism? The ongoing intra-church drama traces its origins to June of 2022, when pastor Matt Miller of Greenville, S.C. leveled seismic charges against former ARP minister Charles Wilson related to the alleged physical and sexual abuse of his two daughters – both of whom are now adults.
Over the past two years, these allegations have mushroomed into a much broader battle between warring factions within the ARP – with some accusing the denomination’s leadership of opportunistically exploiting the situation to seize control of Second Presbytery, purportedly in contravention of the ARP’s governing constitution.
Meanwhile, ARP leaders have accused Second Presbytery of “a continued culture of intimidation and guile” and a “culture of intrigue” as its leaders allegedly attempted to cover up the allegations against Wilson.
Yeah… and you thought church soap operas in South Carolina were limited to those cults of personality on the coast?
According to official ARP documents (.pdf) posted online, Wilson was accused of engaging in a “pattern of verbally, physically, and sexually abusive behavior toward (his daughters) from the time of their early childhood and continuing into their teenage and young adult years.”
Addressing Wilson directly, the church accused him of “routinely exposing yourself or touching (his daughters) or requiring them to touch you in an inappropriate and sexual manner; and estrangement from them from their early adult years and continuing to the present,” per the documents.