The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) was a reformation development out of various main line denominations in Australia, beginning in the early 1950’s, and culminating in the institution of the EPC in 1961. It was originally constituted as the Reformed Evangelical Church. The name was changed because it was found that Australian society was not familiar with the term “reformed” in its historical and church connection. Many associated the word with reform or correctional schools for example.
The EPC began in a remarkable way. Groups of earnest Christian people in the states of Tasmania and Queensland, deeply moved in heart and mind, came together from such Churches as the Baptist, Brethren, Salvation Army, Congregational, Anglican, general Presbyterian and Methodist denominations. What caused them to come together, was their grief over the departure from fundamental Christian truths by their respective denominations. There was much spiritual compromise in those denominations. There was a tragic compromise of such truths as the Bible being our only rule of faith and practice; the sinfulness of man; the need of the new birth and faith in Christ, and other essential Protestant and historic Christian beliefs. These beliefs of our Christian mothers and fathers were either being ignored or abandoned by many, especially the leaders of those large denominations.