Most people know there are Presbyterians; some even know how
to spell the word. But the question is often asked, and
answers should be available, about exactly what makes a
person a Presbyterian or what being a Presbyterian does for a
person. Usually, answers are given either in terms of polity
or history. A Presbyterian is a spiritual and intellectual
follower of John Calvin. Or we may say that a Presbyterian is
one who orders the life of the church in a certain way. Both
are true, but neither seems very satisfactory to someone
genuinely interested in what makes a Presbyterian different
from other brands of Protestant Christianity. Such answers
also indicate that we may be uncertain about the real
contributions Presbyterians are making and have made to life
in the church.
by James H. Adams, III
Some Basics
First, it should be said that Presbyterians are Trinitarian, Protestant Christians. We believe in the Word made flesh in Christ Jesus, in the authority of the Bible, in salvation by God’s grace through our faith in Christ our Savior. We share with other Christians the theology expressed in the Apostles’ Creed. The Protestant affirmation that “God alone is Lord of the conscience” is part of our faith. There are many other beliefs that we share with other Christians. Our uniqueness does not lie here.
Our primary source of spiritual authority is the Bible. Our pastors are required to learn Hebrew and Greek, the languages in which the Bible was originally written. Some churches give equal authority to tradition, clergy, creedal statements, and religious feeling that is exclusively personal. Not true with the Presbyterians, who hold that nothing else shares the authority of Scripture.
Some Points of Distinction and Differences
Presbyterians have made some unique contributions to the whole of Christianity. These include the following:
An Affirmation of the Life of the Mind:
Religion is a spiritual matter that begins in personal experience. For some Christians this means that one should not cognitively question the nature of the experience or the way the experience is expressed. Presbyterians disagree, affirming that God created the mind and that Christians have a right and an obligation to use their minds in the search for truth and meaning.
From John Calvin to present-day theologians, many of the most outstanding Christian thinkers have been Presbyterian and/or a part of the Reformed tradition from which Presbyterianism grew. Such thinkers include the early-American theologian, Jonathan Edwards, and the twentieth-century giant, Karl Barth, a pastor in the Swiss Reformed Church who has influenced all theological thought since his time.
The affirmation of the life of the mind explains why Presbyterians spend so much time writing theological works and creeds, confessions, and other statements of faith. This affirmation of intellect affects the way we view faith. Presbyterians affirm that faith is a way of feeling, but insist that it is also a way of knowing. We recognize that no single statement of faith will ever encompass the whole of the Christian experience. This is one reason we so often look for new formulations of words and ideas to express our faith. We are interested in saying what we know and believe, in our own time and in our own words.
“democrat” in Search of Structure:
Presbyterians are democrats with a small “d.” From the time of Calvin we have affirmed the worth of all persons and sought to involve more than just the clergy in the life, governing, and leadership of the church. This viewpoint includes the secular realm as well. Calvin has been called the “father of the American Revolution.” Presbyterians were active and instrumental in that revolution because of their affirmation of the rights and worth of all persons. Presbyterians were also involved in the overthrow of the English monarchy in the 1600s for the same reasons.
But we also affirm and value structure. Though we have no bishops we are nonetheless highly structured. We have a written Constitution to which our church structures must conform. We are organized into a series of interconnected governing bodies that are responsible for the orderly life and mission of the whole church, from congregation to the General Assembly. In each and all of these structures, whatever authority is granted is elective and can be revoked. Governance is given to those whom the people trust and elect to serve them. Then those elected are expected to listen to the voices of all the people.
Emphasizing the Whole Church:
Our church structures and the theology out of which they grow point to the importance of the whole church. In our view, neither individuals nor congregations are free to do what they want regardless of the wants and needs of others. We believe that Christians and congregations are responsible to and for each other. We are connected to one another by our faith. Presbyterians consider themselves an interconnected church for this reason. There are times when, in the best interests of the whole church, individuals, congregations, or even larger bodies – presbyteries or synods – are required to do what they do not want to do, or to refrain from doing what they want to do. If persons disagree with the larger church, the Constitution provides solutions to conflict.
Presbyterians believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to individuals and that the Spirit speaks as well to the whole church or to segments of it. We believe the Spirit also speaks through the actions of the church.
The concern for the whole church explains why Presbyterians are vitally concerned for relations with all other denominations and Christian bodies and why we are so active in ecumenical endeavors. We view denominational divisions as a “scandal” in the body of Christ. We have been active in founding and working as part of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Consultation on Church Union.
A Pessimist About Human Nature:
Because Presbyterians are suspicious of any one person or body having too much authority, life in a Presbyterian community is one of shared authority. This suspicion grows out of our pessimism about human nature – human beings are fallible and fallen. We have yet to meet a person, except Jesus Christ, who lives out human nature in its perfection. We like people, but we also know what all people are capable of doing, given the opportunity.
We do not share the view that humankind is evolving toward perfection; nor do we accept the notion that any individual is making significant progress in that direction. We do not see our life in the church as an attempt to achieve perfection. The accusation that the church is full of hypocrites is usually made by cynics. But Presbyterians within the church at least will agree that the church is full of sinners.
This pessimism regarding human nature extends to human structures, including the church. We believe there is no perfect form of government, economic system, or social program. Each of these depends on human beings and, for that reason, are vulnerable to the failings of human nature.
An Enthusiast About the World:
Because we are pessimists about human nature, it may be surprising that many Presbyterians are so active in human affairs. While believing that humankind is incapable of being perfect, Presbyterians do believe that our society can and should be improved. Consequently, we are actively involved in the political, social, and economic life of the secular world.
This penchant for social activism may again be traced to Calvin and his vision for Geneva. He organized “elders” for the city whose primary task was to monitor and govern the moral life of the community. Although that particular experiment had mixed results, Presbyterians have continued to hold a vision of a world that can be better than it is.
This vision helps to explain the involvement of Presbyterians in the American Revolution and in other political and social upheavals since that time. It explains why Presbyterians today continue to demonstrate, boycott, lobby, and petition for changes that, in our view, will make the world more moral and humane. We do not believe that such changes will make the world perfect, only more just and closer to a mirror-image of the realm of God as revealed through the Scriptures.
Summary:
Anyone reading this article will recognize that what it means to be Presbyterian cannot be easily summarized. However, it has described the broad parameters of what may be called the Presbyterian form of Protestant Christianity. Much has been left out, but what is here is a beginning. If it prompts further investigation or renewed commitment, it will have accomplished its purpose. The following resources, all available from Presbyterian Publishing House, will help to fill in the gaps.
| † | We Presbyterians, a Graded Study Series on Presbyterian Heritage. |
| † | Go, Therefore: 150 Years of Presbyterians in Global Mission, by James Smylie, Dean Thompson, and Cary Patrick. |
| † | A Brief History of the Presbyterians, 4th Edition, by Lefferts A. Loetscher. |
| † | How To Spell Presbyterian, Revised Edition, by James W. Angell. |
| † | To Be a Presbyterian, by Louis B. Weeks. |
| † | Why and How the Church Makes a Social Witness Policy. Available from DMS. Send $2.00 per copy to DMS, Attention Cashier, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396 (1-800-524-2612). |
James H. Adams, III, is pastor of Rockville Presbyterian Church, Rockville, Maryland.
Reproduced from Vanguard, November, 1990.