Presbyterian theology: what is it?

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Presbyterian theology, based on John Calvin’s teachings, emphasizes salvation through faith alone, democratic election of priests, and acceptance of the Bible as the medium for understanding God’s presence. The church accepts only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and Presbyterian colleges offer courses related to theology, missionary work, and pastoral counseling.

Presbyterian theology derives from Protestantism and finds its origins in the teachings of John Calvin. The fundamental principle governing Presbyterian theology is that salvation comes from faith alone, not from the veneration of images and saints or from praying for the dead. Some of the most prominent leaders of the Presbyterian Church were John Knox in Scotland and Ulrich Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger in Switzerland.

The term “Presbyterian” comes from presbyteros, which is the Greek word for “elder.” The organization of the Presbyterian Church is similar to that of the Protestant churches which adopted the ideas of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Priests, who are democratically elected by the local Christian communities by both men and women, administer the Presbyterian Church. They are also members of Church councils, presbyteries, synods, the National Council and the Supreme Council.

The theology of the Presbyterian Church accepts both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. Among the emphases of this type of theology are divine election, the sovereignty of God, the importance of the sacraments, and the perfect balance between piety and intellectual culture. While this theology derives from Calvin’s teachings, it does not teach that God predestined some people to salvation and others to damnation. Presbyterians consider that although all human beings deserve punishment for their sinful nature, God has decided to pick a number for salvation and let others go their own way.

In Presbyterian theology, only two sacraments instituted by Jesus are accepted: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Presbyterians believe that baptism is a sacrament instituted by Jesus, in which a person who enters the church receives a new birth and forgiveness of sins. Baptism is done in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and can only be done once in a lifetime. Water is used as an external element of baptism, but immersion is not required. The Lord’s Supper commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and the external elements – bread and wine – symbolize Jesus’ body and blood respectively.

In Presbyterian theology, the Bible is the medium by which Christians learn of God’s presence in all aspects of human life, from the earliest times to the present day. Presbyterians believe that God’s everlasting goodness and abiding love of his creation can be understood by studying the Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments are used by Presbyterians.

Presbyterian colleges exist in all countries where this church has a presence. Many of them offer their children a traditional education according to the moral tenets of Presbyterianism. For individuals interested in obtaining a theology degree, Presbyterian colleges offer courses related to Presbyterian theology, missionary work, and pastoral counseling.




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