What does it mean to be a Presbyterian?
The Presbyterian expression of Christian faith is distinctive in three ways:
1) Presbyterians stress the sovereignty of God. We believe that God is ultimately in control of our lives. While we celebrate the gift of free will that our creator has given us, we affirm that the Lord is “carrying” us and guiding us in the way he wants us to go. This means, in practice, that the world is “not on our shoulders”, that the world and our place within it are overseen by a loving yet all-powerful God.
2) Presbyterians stress the authority of the Scriptures as a guide to faith and life. While tradition is helpful for understanding the Christian faith, it is not the ultimate authority for our lives. “Sola Scriptura” (Scripture) was the rallying cry for John Calvin, Martin Luther, and the other reformers who founded Protestant Christianity over 400 years ago.
3) Presbyterians stand for a faith informed by intellect, study and reason. While reason alone can never bring a person to faith, Presbyterians believe that faith and reason are compatible, that God honors the serious, disciplined study of his word and his world.
Connect to the PCUSA Website here.