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Presbyterian Church

Britannica.com - Presbyterian Church

"The larger of the two groups united to form the URC in 1972 was the Congregational Church in England and Wales. Congregationalism emerged as a separate denomination in the 17th century and the oldest congregations within the URC trace their history to that time.

A characteristic of Congregationalism was the emphasis on the 'gathered church', the understanding that Christians were called together out of an ungodly society to serve God. With that went a rejection of hierarchy and the belief that the governance of each congregation lay in the hands of its members under obedience to God. Far from being a recipe for indiscipline, such an understanding lays a heavy responsibility on those who become members of a local church. Today, the promises made by new members still reflect that depth of commitment and the 'Church Meeting' still takes precedence in arranging the affairs of the local church.

The URC's Congregational heritage also includes its links with the Council for World Mission, a partnership for mutual help and support in mission between 32 Churches worldwide. Every year, missionaries from partner denomination come to work in Britain through the URC.

Presbyterianism had existed as a denomination in England since the 17th century and the foundational Presbyterian documents drawn up during the English Revolution became a pattern for Presbyterians around the world. Even so, Presbyterianism declined in England - though not in Scotland! - and by the 19th century most Presbyterian congregations south of the border existed as a result of Scottish emigration. The Presbyterian Church of England, the other partner in the 1972 union came into existence in 1876 by bringing together a number of strands within England.

From its Presbyterian antecedent the URC inherited the emphasis on order and structure in church government which characterises Presbyterian churches throughout the world. In the case of the URC, that structure manifests itself through the General Assembly, Provincial Synods and District Councils.

The new church also received with gratitude the gift of Eldership, through which members are chosen by local churches and ordained to spiritual leadership at the local level and share with ministers the pastoral care and oversight of the local church.

The Churches of Christ came into being in the USA during the early part of the 19th century as a protest against sectarian separations between Christian denominations. Their beliefs combined a commitment to Christian unity with a return to their understanding of New Testament Christianity, including Believer's Baptism and weekly Holy Communion. They were also characterised by the extensive use of nonstipendiary ordained ministers. The movement spread to Britain in the 1830s and in the 20th century made significant contributions to the leadership of the ecumenical movement.

The newly-formed URC united with the Reformed Churches of Christ in 1981, though the Churches of Christ had already played a significant role as observers in the talks leading to the 1972 union. The new Union led to the URC's unique twin-track approach to baptism which seeks to give equal respect to the views of those who hold to infant and believers' baptism.

Though a relatively small force in world terms the Churches of Christ always had a lively international commitment which has carried over to the URC. In 2004 the World Convention of Churches of Christ will meet in Brighton, with the URC as hosts.

The ecumenical pilgrimage goes on - the year 2000 sees the union of the URC and the Congregational Union of Scotland (CUS). The CUS was formed in 1812, though Congregational churches appeared in Scotland during the 1790s, founded out of a combination of evangelical enthusiasm and dissatisfaction with the established Church of Scotland.

In 1843 another major strand came into being with the formation of the Evangelical Union (EU), founded by Presbyterian congregations who questioned the strict interpretation of Calvinism and sought a greater freedom of conscience for individuals. The CUS and EU grew increasingly close over the latter half of the century and united in 1896. The new CUS was to be characterised over the next century by its ecumenical openness and forward-looking polices, including the ordination of the first woman minister in Scotland in1928.

Now the CUS brings to the URC a new way of working which recognizes a growing consciousness of national identity in both Scotland and Wales. New national Synods of both countries will speak with a distinctive voice for the whole Church in their own contexts.

It is difficult to believe that this union will be the end of the ecumenical pilgrimage for a Church which really does believe that it is better together....

The URC was formed in 1972 by the union of the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England. It continued to express its deep commitment to the visible unity of the whole Church in subsequent unions in 1981 with the Re-formed Churches of Christ and in 2000 with the Congregational Union of Scotland, through continuing talks with other traditions and in more than 400 local churches united with other denominations. Though one of the smaller 'mainstream' denominations in Britain, the URC has contributed to the life and leadership of ecumenical institutions to a degree belying its size. The Church comprises some 150,000 adults and 100,000 children and young people in more than 1750 congregations spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales, served by some 1100 ministers, paid and unpaid, both women and men.

The URC stands in the historic Reformed tradition, the largest single strand of Protestantism, with more than 70 million members world-wide. Along with other Reformed churches the URC holds to the Trinitarian faith expressed in the historic Christian creeds and finds its supreme authority for faith and conduct in the Word of God in the Bible, discerned under guidance of the Holy Spirit. The URC's structure also expresses its faith in the ministry of all God's people through the structure of democratic Councils by which the Church is governed.

Theologically, the URC is a broad church. Its membership embraces evangelical, charismatic and liberal understandings of the Christian faith."