Presbyterian Beliefs and Practices
Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and
the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began
with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized
much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.
Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland.
From there, the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe and the
British Isles. Many of the early Presbyterians in America came from England,
Scotland, and Ireland. The first American Presbytery was organized at
Philadelphia in 1706. The first General Assembly was held in the same city in
1789. The first Assembly was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, the only
minister to sign the Declaration of Independence.
What is distinctive about the Presbyterian Church?
Presbyterians are distinctive in two major ways: they
adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed theology and a form
of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both
ministers and church members.
Presbyterian theological beliefs
Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin remain
at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God,
the authority of the Scripture, justification by grace through faith and the
priesthood of all believers. That means that we believe that God is the supreme
authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God's purpose for
humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New
Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation through Jesus is
God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is
everyone's job--ministers and lay people alike--to share this Good News with
the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all
levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.
