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Definition:
The Presbyterian Church is a Protestant denomination which developed from the
doctrines of Calvinist Churches of Switzerland and France. Presbyterianism itself was
founded by John Knox in Scotland in 1557 and the standard expression of doctrines and
faith can be found in the Westminster Confession of Faith. This was drawn up by a
group of 151 laymen, clergy and scholars who were appointed to the task by the English
Parliament in 1643.
Strictly speaking, the term "Presbyterian" refers not so much to a particular set of doctrines but instead to a particular form of church government. For Presbyterians, their church is governed by a group of elders, or presbyteros. There are teaching elders, who are the ordained ministers, and ruling elders who are elected from the ranks of church members. In each individual church, the elders are invested with supreme authority in all spiritual matters. Presbyterians do not, however, believe that theirs is the "One True Church" or that their system of church government is the only one authorized by the New Testament.
The first Presbytery in America was established in Philadelphia in 1706. Presbyterians formed a large percentage of those involved in the American Revolutionary War - so much so that at one point, according to some reports, it was labeled the "Presbyterian rebellion" in the British House of Commons. The Presbyterian form of representative government was evidently an inspiration to those setting up the rules for civil government, and the Presbyterian Reverend John Witherspoon was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence (something regarded with no little pride by Presbyterians today).
Presbyterians believe that the Bible was "inspired," in the sense that God speaks through human authors and that, because the source is ultimately God, that these scriptures are infallible. As with other Protestant churches, belief and practice are derived from the Bible and not from tradition, which is accorded a very minor role. Presbyterians engage in infant baptism, although they do not believe that a person has to be baptized in order to go to heaven.
Some of the wording in the Westminster Confession of Faith implies a belief in predestination, but this particularly doctrine was decisively rejected in the Declaratory Statement of 1903. This states, in part, that humans are "fully responsible" for their acceptance or rejection of salvation from God and that no one is condemned except through sin.
Presbyterians are today the largest and most theologically liberal of all American Protestant denominations. The church does not attempt to legislate for its members any personal moral issues - thus, questions about things like birth control and abortion are left up to the individual. Presbyterians also ordain women as ministers and they are permitted to hold any church office.
The generally liberal attitudes are not, however, necessarily characteristic of all Presbyterians. Like most churches, there exists both conservative and liberal factions within the church - and their division does, at times, threaten to cause an internal schism. A current debate between conservatives and liberals involves the question of whether or not Jesus is the "savior of the world."
Conservatives favor a short, simple statement to the effect that faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation and that Jesus is the only way to God. Rev. Nancy Gillard of Missouri, for example, endorses the statement "Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and all people everywhere are called to place their faith, hope and love in him." Liberals, however, favor a more complex theological statement which does not, in the words of Rev. James Belle of North Carolina, "reduce Jesus to sound bites."
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