Pastor of Philadelphia’s Historic Tenth Presbyterian Church Resigns

Liam Goligher gone nine years after pleading guilty to "personal conduct" charges in Lancaster PA city park

This article was updated on 2/12/2025. It was modified on 2/12/2026.

Liam Goligher is out as pastor at Philadelphia’s historic Tenth Presbyterian Church, an historic and influential congregation in the Presbyterian Church in America, but critics are asking what took so long.

Liam Goligher, preaching Nov. 26 / Video screenshot

Goligher, who arrived at Tenth in 2011, pleaded guilty in July 2014 to “personal conduct” charges in a city park in Lancaster, Penn. The Lancaster Parks and Recreation Department confirmed to MinistryWatch that “personal conduct” is language often used to identify lewd or sexual behavior.

Though the incident took place nearly a decade ago, it was made public this week by a watchdog group called Anglican Watch.

Goligher maintained his leadership position in the church for nine years since the incident.

The administrator of Tenth Presbyterian Church, Jim Hess, provided the following statement to MinistryWatch:

Dr. Liam Goligher resigned as Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church on Friday, December 1, 2023. This has been difficult news for the Tenth community. The formal dissolution of the pastoral relationship will be conducted according to the polity of the Presbyterian Church in America. Tenth Church has no further information regarding the 2014 citations of Dr. Goligher and [name redacted] other than what is publicly available. Our denomination also has a process for addressing questions which the citations could raise. Concerns related to Dr. Goligher will be referred to the Philadelphia Presbytery and those pertaining to [name redacted] to Tenth’s Session.

Goligher has disappeared from the church’s staff page, but you can still access hundreds of his sermons. It appears he last preached there on Nov. 26, delivering a sermon on Ephesians 1. Goligher has also had a long association with Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) and The Gospel Coalition. Both organizations have removed content by Goligher.

Tenth Presbyterian Church was founded in 1829, and a number of its pastors have been esteemed evangelical leaders, including Donald Grey Barnhouse (1927-1960), James Montgomery Boice (1968-2000), and Goligher’s predecessor, Philip Graham Ryken, now president of Wheaton College.In 1982, Tenth Presbyterian joined the Presbyterian Church in America.

Tenth Presbyterian has faced abuse issues of its own in recent years. Church members-turned-whistleblowers protested outside services and GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) subsequently conducted an investigation into abuse at the church. It released a 144-page report on Nov. 21 that included allegations from more than 20 current and former church members against six current and former leaders at the church.

Anglican Watch has pursued its campaign against Goligher for years, and even filed a church disciplinary complaint against him with the Philadelphia Presbytery of the PCA. The clerk of the Philadelphia Presbytery attends Tenth Presbyterian.

Anglican Watch claims Goligher manipulated and restricted the GRACE investigation so that it didn’t implicate him and says he has perjured himself by lying during the investigation.

“The Romans had lions,” wrote Anglican Watch in an undated post. “Tenth Presbyterian has lawyers. Lots of ‘em. Expensive lawyers. So, as active participants in this situation, which we believe to be a sham, we are calling BS on the church’s attorneys.”

The group has also asked the church to discipline [name redacted], the church deacon and small group leader who also pleaded guilty to the personal conduct charge.

“Avoid this church like the plague,” said the group.

Warren Cole Smith contributed to this article.

Update: After its January 18, 2025 meeting, the Philadelphia Presbytery of the PCA released the following statement: 

In the case of the Presbyterian Church in America v Liam Goligher, Liam Goligher pleaded guilty to the charges of Lying, Conduct Unbecoming of a Pastor and Elder, Harsh and Uncharitable Treatment of Colleagues and Subordinates and Spiritual Abuse and Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse. After considering the nature of Liam Goligher’s confession and indications of repentance, the Ad Hoc Judicial Commission ruling on this case inflicted the censures of deposition from office and indefinite suspension from the Lord’s Supper. 

The Presbytery appointed a pastoral care team to guide Liam Goligher in seeking full repentance and restoration to the Lord’s Supper.

In consideration of the nature of the charge of Adult Sexual Clergy Abuse to which Liam Goligher has pleaded guilty, the censures inflicted upon him and their consequences, and the clarification of evidence over time, the Presbytery decided to drop the charge of Adultery against him. 

We encourage prayer for the victims and Liam Goligher’s restoration.