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Denominations

Short profiles of Christian denominations in the U.S.

About the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Date Founded:  The first Presbytery in 1706. The first General Assembly in 1789.

Membership/Number of Clergy:  2,675,873/21,161

Headquarters:  100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Schools & Seminaries:  

Colleges:  The PC(USA) supports but does not control a number of colleges that have historically attracted racial and ethnic minorities: Johnson C. Smith University, Knoxville College, and Stillman College.

Seminaries:  Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Columbia Theological Seminary, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, McCormick Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, San Francisco Theological Seminary, Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary .  Seminaries affiliated by covenant agreement:  Auburn Theological Seminary, Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico.

Publications:  The publishing arm of the church, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), publishes These Days devotional magazine, Presbyterians Today, and Mission Crossroads.  Publications focusing on the PC(USA) but published by non-affiliated organizations include The Presbyterian Outlook and The Layman.

Website:  http://www.pcusa.org

Social Media:  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Core Beliefs:  "The sovereignty of God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers. Our 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. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job — ministers and lay people alike — to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike."

There is a listing of 51 topics and detailed beliefs explained at http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/today/what-do-presbyterians-believe/

Short History:  The PC(USA) is currently the largest Presbyterian denomination.  It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the so-called “southern branch,” and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the so-called “northern branch” which had split apart over the issue of slavery prior to the Civil War.

Local Churches:  There are 48 PC(USA) churches in Jefferson County and Southern Indiana.  Use the church finder at http://www.pcusa.org/search/congregations/  to find one to visit.

Symbol of the PCUSA

Symbol of the Presbyterian Church USA