Who are We Presbyterians?
"In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God's new heaven and new earth praying, 'Come, Lord Jesus.' "
----- From A Brief Statement of Faith
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States with just under 3 million members. It is distinctly a confessional and a connectional church and is distinguished by the representation of laymen and laywomen, known as elders, in its government.
We Presbyterians are Christians who place our hope and trust in the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The source of our church's faith and beliefs is the Bible. We also are further guided by historic Christian Confessions, such as the Apostle's Creed and the Westminster Confession. We affirm the ancient truths of Christianity and seek to apply those foundations to daily living and issues in our world today.
Presbyterians are Believers
WE BELIEVE in the Great Ends of the Church, as set forth in our Book of Order:
"the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world."
WE BELIEVE in a theology of mission, as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith:
"...Christ hath commissioned his Church to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations. All believers are therefore under obligation...to contribute their prayers, gifts, and personal efforts to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the whole earth."
Presbyterians are Doers
WE DO mission and its related functions in "good Presbyterian order" through the structures of our General Assemly, synods, presbyteries, and local churches, which provide accountabilty in a connectional system.
WE DO mission ----locally, nationally, globally---- by setting priorities for our available resources, guided by the emphases given by our General Assembly, the annual meeting of clergy and lay commissioners who represent the prebyteries of the church. Through the General Assembly, all Presbyterians have a voice in setting directions for mission and, through their General Mission Giving, have a vital responsibility in carrying out what the General Assembly has mandated.
The Seal of the Presbyterian Church (USA) contains the following symbolic components:
Cross : Represents the incarnate love of God in Jesus Christ, and his passion and resurrection.
Bible : Highlights the emphasis which the Reformed tradition has placed on the role of Scripture as a means of knowing God's Word.
Descending Dove : Represents and affirms the role of the Spirit in both inspiring and interpreting Scripture in the life of the church. The dove also symbolizes Christ's baptism by John and the peace and wholeness to which his death and resurrection bring to a broken world.
Pulpit : Captures the important role of preaching in the history of Presbyterian worship.
Flames : The flames represent both a symbol of revelation in the Old Testament when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, and a suggestion of the begining of the Christian church when Christ manifested himself to his apostles at Penecost and charged them to be messengers of the good news of God's love.
Implied triangular configuration : The triangle is a traditional symbol of the Trinity (God, Father, and Holy Spirit). It also suggests the nature of Presbyterian government, with its concern for balance and order.
Fish & Chalice : Looking more closely at some of the components of the design, viewers discover that in the body the descending dove, one can also discern the form of a fish, an early-Christian sign for Christ. For some, the overall design evokes the calligraphy of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. Still others see a baptismal font or a communion chalice (cup) in the design.
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