PCA court upholds appeal of Burk Parsons, lifts suspension

The Standing Judicial Commission of the Presbyterian Church in America on Monday released its official decision in the appealed case of Burk Parsons, pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla. Last June, Parsons was tried at length by the Central Florida Presbytery and charged with harsh behavior, a domineering attitude, and slander. The lower court indefinitely suspended Parsons from his pastoral duties. Parsons appealed the decision, triggering the involvement of the higher courts of the PCA.

Parson’s appeal was upheld on the grounds that the PCA discovered several “procedural errors by Presbytery’s Judicial Commission” as well as sin by Parsons. The Standing Judicial Commission, or SJC, reached its decision with a vote of 15 members concurring and two dissenting. Six other members of the commission were either disqualified, recused, or absent.

The ruling upheld the initial charges of harsh and domineering behavior, but reversed the charge of slander as well as the censure of indefinite suspension, stating that the record did not support a guilty verdict for slander, “nor does it support the censure of indefinite suspension.” The SJC said in its decision that it was handing Parsons a censure of admonition instead of suspension, stating that Parsons has “taken steps toward mitigating this sinful propensity,” and encouraging him to continue in those steps.

St. Andrews’ Chapel left the PCA in December 2025 as a result of their pastor’s trial, and although the church is no longer a part of the PCA, Parsons’ pastoral credentials remain with the denomination.