What is a Presbyterian?

About our Denomination

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) traces its history back to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Much of what the Presbyterian Church believes originated with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), who established much of what we have come to know as Reformed theology. 

Presbyterians made their roots in America as a result of immigrants who came from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Since the early 18th century Presbyterians have been a part of American society and culture, with some Presbyterians even making history (i.e. The Rev. John Witherspoon, who was the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence). 

What Do We Believe?

1. Trinity - We believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer).
2. Incarnation - The eternal Word of God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is fully divine and fully human.
3. Justification - Salvation is by grace alone through faith, not through our good works.
4. Scripture - The Bible is the sole and final authority for salvation and the life of faith.
5. Sovereignty of God - The Lord creates, sustains, rules and redeems the world in sovereign righteousness and love, reflecting God's majesty, holiness, and providence.
6. Election - God chooses people for salvation and service. Election is through grace alone, not because of our merit or good works.
7. Covenant - God's covenant of grace is revealed in both the Old and the New Testaments (one covenant in the whole Bible). The Sacraments are related to the theme of covenant. Baptism is God's act of bringing us, whether as infants or adults, into the covenant community.The Lord's Supper reminds us of God's covenant of grace through Christ's broken body and shed blood. The real, spiritual presence of Christ is felt to a greater degree when this sacrament is celebrated.
8. Stewardship - In gratitude for salvation through God's grace, we respond by living simply and by being good stewards of all that God has given us. We seek to be faithful steward's of God's creation by shunning ostentation and using God's gifts properly.
9. Sin - We take seriously the fact of sin in our lives and in our world, especially: the sin of idolatry, which is worshiping anything or anyone other than God, and the sin of tyranny, which denies the Lordship of Christ over all of life.
10. Obedience - We are called to live in obedience to Jesus Christ. In obedience to Christ, we work for justice and peace in the transformation of society.

What Makes Us Different?

At the center of our very being is the belief that our identity is tied to a hope that is founded on the grace of God in Jesus Christ. By this hope, we  pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us to live lives that reflect our dedication to God.

In affirming with the earliest Christians that Jesus is Lord, the Church confesses that he is its hope, and that the Church, as Christ’s body, is bound to his authority and thus free to live in the lively, joyous reality of the grace of God.

(Book of Order F-1.0204)

Want to learn more? If you want to learn more you can visit the PC(U.S.A.) website by clicking here.