By The Editors | January 19, 2023 In our first full calendar year, Presbyterian Polity received over 35,200 visitors who logged a total of more than 61,100 views across the site. Thank you for spending some time with us. We hope that what you have read helped you as you have prayed for, served, and … More The Top 10 Polity Posts of 2022
By Zachary Garris | January 18, 2023 It is no secret there are two stated differences to the Westminster Standards that presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) commonly rule as permissible exceptions. These two differences pertain to images of Jesus and recreation on the Sabbath. While there have been many battles over subscription … More The Sabbath and Subscription in the PCA
by Zachary Groff | January 11, 2023 The attention garnered by proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) has spotlighted a particularly interesting data point concerning the denomination as it enters its 50th year of existence: the PCA is comprised of 88 presbyteries. How did this come about? When the … More How a Presbytery Is Born
By Ryan Biese | December 5, 2022 I was reared Lutheran (ELCA). In my experience growing up and attending several different Lutheran congregations, the worship was fundamentally the same.[1] Regardless of whether we attended a relatively conservative or relatively liberal congregation, the order of worship essentially did not change. It did not even matter whether … More Beware the Latitude of the Pharisees
By Jared Nelson | October 13, 2022 “Grassroots Presbyterianism” has become a common description of the polity of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The term generally communicates the understanding that the PCA has been a bottom-up denomination that was formed with a conscious effort to give more power to the Presbyteries rather than the … More Grassroots Presbyterianism & Amending BCO 34-1
By Scott Edburg | September 9, 2022 As the 88 presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) begin deliberations on the actions of the 49th General Assembly in Birmingham, their presbyters may be overwhelmed by the number of proposed constitutional amendments that must be considered before the 50th General Assembly in Memphis. There are … More Proposed Constitutional Amendments before the PCA in 2022
by James Norris | September 8, 2022 This year’s General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) voted to affirm an amended version of Overture 15, which is now being considered by the denomination’s presbyteries as Item 1. It seeks to add the following language to the Book of Church Order (BCO): 7-4. Men … More Three Reasons to Adopt PCAGA49’s Overture 15
by Jason Dorsey | September 8, 2022 For 25 years, I have had the great privilege of being involved in church-planting with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in regions outside of the Southeast. Though I have struggled over these last six years to keep my current church alive and thriving, there is yet a … More 10 Reasons for the Dearth of Church-Planting in the PCA
by Zachary Groff | September 6, 2022 What makes this church over here Presbyterian and that church over there Episcopalian or Lutheran or Congregational or Baptist or Pentecostal or Anglican or Independent? In other words, what’s in a name? From where do we derive the nomenclature which we have adopted to describe various expressions of … More Presbyterianism & the Regional Church
By Jared Nelson | June 21, 2022 For my own edification, I have made a habit to read through the book of Proverbs in preparation for General Assembly each year. A few years ago, I wrote out certain Proverbs which I need to remember when interacting with others, speaking privately or publicly, and maintaining my … More Proverbs for Presbyters