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What is a Presbyterian?
In the biblical book of Acts, the
Apostle Paul founded congregations in the Greek-speaking areas of what is
today Turkey and Greece. He selected elders to govern the churches. The
Greek word for elder is presbuteros, from which we get
presbyterian.
Today the word presbyter
refers to ministers as well as the lay persons ordained as elders to serve
on the church council (the session). Members of the congregation elect the
elders as well as the pastor (with approval of the district-wide governing
body called the presbytery).
Presbyterians make up one of the
ten largest denominations in the United States: the Presbyterian Church
(USA).
What do Presbyterians
believe?
Along with traditional beliefs as
expressed in the Apostles Creed, Presbyterians believe in:
-
the Bible as the uniquely
authoritative book explaining the divinity of Jesus and His role as our
Savior.
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democratic decision-making. (The
pastor does not run the church; a church council — whose members are
elected by the congregation
—
makes most of the decisions.)
-
equality of men & women
before God. (Thus, the ordination of women as pastors, elders, and
deacons.)
-
higher education for ministers.
(A pastor typically has a master’s degree, as indicated by the academic
gown worn during the worship service.)
-
public service. (Nine Presidents
of the United States, two Vice Presidents, and twelve of the fifty-six
signers of the Declaration of Independence have been Presbyterians.)
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fullest use of God’s gifts. Since
colonial
times, we have been
known for being industrious and
inventive. Some of the world’s largest enterprises have been founded by
Presbyterians (IBM,
Time,
Wal-Mart, International
Harvester, Westinghouse…)
You may have heard of some
Presbyterians:
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Presidents Andrew Jackson, James
Polk, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin
Harrison and Woodrow Wilson. (Abraham Lincoln belonged to no church but
attended a Presbyterian church in Washington, D.C.)
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Actors Jimmy Stewart, Dale Evans,
Steve Allen.
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Actresses Helen Hayes, Greer
Garson, Ginger Rogers.
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Authors Robert Louis Stevenson,
Pearl Buck, and Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom’s Cabin).
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Astronauts John Glenn, Jim Irwin,
and Sally Ride.
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And one of the world’s favorite
teachers, Mister Rogers (the Rev. Fred Rogers).
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