The Presbyterian Church in America

The Presbyterian Church in America
has a rich and diverse heritage spanning more than three centuries..

Early 1600s
Presbyterian communities were located in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia. Some Presbyterian communities were founded in New England, but most Puritan immigrants in New England became Congregationalists.

Mid to Late 1600s: First Organization
During this period, it's believed that the first permanent Presbyterian churches were established on Long Island.

In 1683, the Rev. Francis Makemie, often referred to as the "Father of American Presbyterianism," traveled from Ireland to Maryland, where he established a church at Rehoboth. Later, he organized Presbyterian churches throughout the colonies, founding an inter-congregational system of government by elders.

1706: The First American Presbytery
Formed in Philadelphia, this ruling body became the Synod of Philadelphia in 1716.

1729: Basic Documents Adopted
The Synod of Philadelphia adopted the Westminster Confession and Catechisms.

1740s: An Early Schism
The "Great Awakening" (a period of religious renewal) divided church liberals and conservatives over the issues of revivalism and education of ministers.

1758: The Breach Healed
Conservatives and liberals reunited at the Synod of New York and Philadelphia.

1780s: Basic Documents Amended
The Westminster Confession, the Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Directory for the Worship of God were amended.

1788: General Assembly Organized
The assembly adopted "The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America" as its official name, and held its first meeting in 1789.

1801
The Presbyterian Church joined with the Congregationalist Church in a "Plan of Union" to provide ministers to the settlers moving west of the Appalachians.

1810
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established, allowing more flexible training of ministers for frontier communities.

1837
The General Assembly voided the Plan of Union. Half of the Presbyterians (the Old School) favored non-involvement in the slavery issue. The other half (the New School) accepted a more liberal, abolitionist policy.

1857
The New School condemned slavery. Its Southern members withdrew and formed the United Synod of the Presbyterian Church.

1861
Part of the Old School became the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America rather than support the federal government's policy on slavery.

End of 1861
There were 4 separate branches of the Presbyterian Church in America.

New School Church in the North		Old School Church in the North
New School Church in the South		Old School Church in the South

1864: The Southern Branches Merge
The Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America joined with several smaller synods and became the Presbyterian Church in the United States.

1869: The Northern Branches Merge
The Old and New Schools of the North joined to become The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

Although the Northern and Southern branches did not formally reunite, friendly relations were re-established. In 1882, a formula of reconciliation was adopted, and an annual exchange of delegates began. Tension between the two groups continued throughout the late 1800s.

1903: The Westminster Confession Revised
The Presbyterian Church of the United States of America (PCUSA) invited all Presbyterians to reunite.

1906: Early 20th Century Merger
A majority of the members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church joined the PCUSA.

1958: UPCUSA formed
The PCUSA and the United Presbyterian Church of North America merged to form the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA).

1963-73: Reorganization
During this period, major reorganization of synods and administration took place.

1967: A New Book of Confession
The General Assembly of the UPCUSA, the largest Presbyterian body in the world, adopted a new Book of Confession for its nearly 3.3 million members.

1969: Church Constitution Amended
The Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) would now allow individual presbyteries to belong to both the southern-based PCUS and the northern based UPCUSA

1982: 2 Conservative Groups Unite
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which separated from the sothern-based PCUS in 1973, merged with the northern-based Reformed Presbyterian Church-Evangelical Synod (RPCES).

1983: 2 Largest Presbyterian Churches Reunited
In June 1983, the joining of the southern-based PCUS and the northern based UPCUSA was celebrated in Atlanta. This occasioin marked the reuniting of 2 churches separated over 120 years earlier by the Civil War, and was a major step toward the goal of a United Church.

Today
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has approximately 2.4 million members, 11,100 congregations and 14,000 ordained and active ministers. Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.