Who are the Presbyterians?

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has approximately 2.4 million members, 11,100 congregations and 14,000 ordained and active ministers. Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation.

We believe in  the sovereignty of God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. We believe 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 (justification) 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. 

We believe authentic worship is an expression of our search for and our response to God.  It incorporates Word and Sacrament.   It is Trinitarian, acknowledging Father, Son and Holy Spirit.   It is understood both within our church’s deep tradition, and the context of our local faith community.  Authentic worship allows people to respond to the Word, Sacraments, music and liturgy with all their being, including their emotions; it allows room for God’s Spirit to improvise.  It is at times, ecumenical and multi-cultural.  People of all ages are present. Worship is evangelical because it is good news. It is mission oriented because by it we are sent.

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.