AHistoryofPresbyteriansinAmerica.docVIP

A History of Presbyterians in America By Hunter Brewer Introduction In the New Testament, Jesus tells his disciples that he will establish his church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against this institution. Over two thousand years later, the veracity of this claim is substantiated through the many congregations and denominations that make up the Church of Jesus Christ. Numbered among this group of professing believers are those who call themselves Presbyterian. The word “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word presbyteros, which means “elder.” It refers primarily to a church that is governed by elders, who are typically elected by a local congregation or by a group of congregations. Presbyterians believe this form of government is evidenced in the early church, the New Testament (Acts 20:17; Tit. 1:5-7), and the Old Testament (Num. 11). The Presbyterian Church’s roots are traced back to the Protestant Reformation and to such notable figures as John Calvin and John Knox. Knox was a restless activist who had tried earlier to point England in the direction of Calvinism. Like many others, however, he was forced to flee England overnight when, in 1553, the country returned to the Catholic faith under Henry VIII’s daughter, Mary I. The queen’s persecution of Protestant leaders earned her the title “Bloody Mary.” Knox eventually made his way to Geneva, Switzerland, with other Marian exiles. There, he sat under the preaching and teaching of the famed minister-theologian John Calvin. In Geneva they set up a congregation ruled by elders and led by two elected pastors… They also adopted a confession of faith, and order of worship, and a form of discipline which followed the teachings of Calvin. In 1559, Knox returned to Scotland, which was in the midst of socio-political and religious disarray. His intent was to spread the reforms of Geneva to the people of his homeland. By 1560, The Lords of the Congregation (a militant Protestant faction) occupied enough ci