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What Presbyterians Believe
Scroll down to read news related to First Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church.
Members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denomination (abbreviated as PCUSA) are followers of Jesus Christ, something we share with all other Christians. We celebrate this Christ as Head of the Church. With other Christians, we believe that God has become known in human history in three ways, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, known as the Trinity.
Presbyterians are guided in their common life together by the Bible, which we believe to be the Word of God written, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ. Where this Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is the reconciler of God and humanity. By His death on a cross, He obtained forgiveness for all wrongs. By Christ's rising we believe he offers new life and eternal life. We believe that the Christian life begins in the power of an open tomb and the celebration of a good, yet just and forgiving God.
Presbyterians also lean heavily on the sovereignty of God, believing our Lord has a purpose in all arenas of life such as the arts, culture, the political arena, personal and societal ethics.
We believe the Kingdom of God is both an inner personal reality and an outward community boundaried by God's grace. A strong sense of mission involvement has always characterized Presbyterian Christianity.
Presbyterians believe there are two sacraments, both given and endorsed by Jesus Christ. The sacrament of Baptism, symbolizes our initial belonging to Christ and cleansing by Him. We believe baptism is for both adult converts and their children who are nurtured in the Christian faith. The other sacrament, the Lord's Supper, recognizes our continuing need to be reminded of the forgiving grace of God through the cross of Jesus.
Our mission is to share by our words and our deeds the life and power of Jesus Christ so that all may come to embrace Him and acknowledge Him as Lord of all.
We are governed by presbyters or elders and could best be described as a "representative democracy," which incidentally from our denomination became the pattern for U.S. government. Most Presbyterian churches also have deacons along with elders to govern the church's compassion needs as well as to oversee the church's worship and decision making.
In many ways what we believe is common to all of Christianity, and yet the above emphases also identifies us as the Presbyterian part of Christ's larger church.
Presbyterians are also guided by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which consists of two parts, The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. The Book of Confessions contains the following confessions and statements of belief:
• The Nicene Creed
• The Apostles' Creed
• The Scots Confession
• The Heidelberg Catechism
• The Second Helvetic Confession
• The Westminster Confession of Faith
• The Larger Catechism
• The Shorter Catechism
• The Theological Declaration of Barmen
• The Confession of 1967
• A Brief Statement of Faith—Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Book of Order has three sections: the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship, and Rules of Discipline.
In its Constitution, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) sets out for its members and the world to see what it believes and how it organizes itself, its officers, and its members for ministry. In its confessions, the Church expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition, a tradition rooted in key events in 16th and 17th century Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Hungary, England, Scotland and other European countries.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses its belief in many ways in its constitutional documents. One is the formulation known as the "Great Ends of the Church", which are:
1. The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind
2. The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God
3. The maintenance of divine worship
4. The preservation of the truth
5. The promotion of social righteousness
6. The exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world
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Theological Task Force Says Stay Together Despite Conflicts
The Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church was created by the 213th General Assembly (2001) "to lead the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century…" (Minutes, 2001, Part I, p. 29).
The Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church voted unanimously to approve their report to the 217th General Assembly (2006) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The vote is the culmination of the group's work, which began in December 2001. Their mandate from the General Assembly is "to lead the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century." Specific issues to be addressed include biblical authority, the nature and work of Jesus Christ, ordination standards, and power.
Click Here to access the PC(U.S.A.) website where you will find a downloadable file that answers basic questions about the task force's final report.
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