Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) is also known as the “Southern Presbyterian Church.” A mainline Presbyterian denomination and is a reformed denomination, formed from the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America (1861–1866) and Presbyterians who had belonged to border synods of the Old School branch of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbyterian Church governs under the General Assembly has remained the major judicatory body among Presbyterian bodies from 1788 until the present day.
Presbytery is the legislative and judicial body of a geographical district in Presbyterian Church government. A district, or presbytery, is made up of a given number of congregations. This body consists of an equal number of teaching and ruling elders from each church, all of whom have the power to cast a vote.
History:
The present-day Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (PCUSA) can trace its roots back to 1788 and the formation of the Presbyterian General Assembly, and the Presbytery, gathered in 1706.
The Second Great Awakening caused a chasm for the Presbyterians, whose leadership opposed the emotional approach rather than the theological approach. Many members left to join the Restoration Movement, which later became the Disciples of Christ. Still others became Baptists, Methodists or Shakers. These members withdrew to form the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1803–1810. This was a separate body whose General Assembly voted in 1906 to rejoin and then became to be called the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
The major Presbyterian bodies in both the North and South had changed, late nineteenth century, becoming more closely organized. There were more programs added the life of churches became progressively formal.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was the site of the struggles between fundamentalists and modernists. The Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy was a religious controversy in the 1920s and 30s within the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America that later created divisions in most American Christian denominations. The major American denomination was torn by conflict over the issues of theology and ecclesiology or doctrines pertaining to the Church itself as a community.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was formed on June 10, 1983. It was formed from the Presbyterian Church US, who had rejected uniting with the Northern Presbyterians in the 1950s, to join with the United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Belief:
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. has its theology based on Scripture, as interpreted through the Westminster Confession of Faith.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone they worship and serve.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes God comes to us in free and undeserved favor in the person of Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose for us that we might belong to God and serve Christ in the world. Following Jesus, Presbyterians are engaged in the world and in seeking thoughtful solutions to the challenges of our time.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes their 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.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes in the justification by Grace through Faith. Their salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes it is everyone’s job – ministers and lay people alike – to share this Good News with the whole world. The
Presbyterian Church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. believes God is the supreme authority throughout the universe.
Reference:
Official Website for Presbyterian Church U.S.A. can be found: http://www.pcusa.org/
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) .” Becker Bible Studies Library Aug 2013.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2450,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013, Aug) “Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2450,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013) “Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) .” Becker Bible Studies Library (August), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2450, (accessed).
