|
Presbyterian
Religion
A Brief Overview of the Presbyterian Faith
Presbyterians trace their beginnings back to the 16th
century and the Protestant Reformation. The writings
of a French lawyer and later theologian named John
Calvin are the basis of the Presbyterian religion
and heritage today.
Some
of the principles that John Calvin wrote about continue
to be at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. The Presbyterian
Church U.S.A. website, the largest of the Presbyterian
denominations, lists their beliefs as follows:
- Sovereignty of God or God is the supreme
authority throughout the universe.
- The authority of the scripture described
as 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.
- Justification by grace through faith
and the priesthood of all believers meaning salvation
(justification) through Jesus is God's generous
gift to [everyone] and not the result of [individual]
accomplishments.
Presbyterians
have a Book of Confessions in addition to the Bible
that contains statements confessing their beliefs.
These statements cover their understanding of God
and what God expects of them, in accordance with the
fundamental beliefs above. It is left to each individual
to understand what these principles mean in their
own lives.
Other
facts about the Presbyterian Faith:
There
are several different Presbyterian Sects throughout
the world; some of the largest are The Presbyterian
Church U.S.A., Presbyterian Church in America, Associate
Reformed Presbyterian Church, Cumberland Presbyterian
Church and the The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Each
sect adheres to different writings of John Calvin
and varies on their interpretations. The different
denominations vary when it comes to topics such as
covenant theology vs. dispensationalism, temperance,
ecumenism and premillennialism.
|