Hastings College is a private Presbyterian college in Hastings, Nebraska .
125-531: The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and pre-professional programs and one graduate degree, a Master of Arts in Teaching. Hastings College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission's North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1916. It has been accredited by
250-512: A moderator at each assembly who moderates the rest of the sessions of that assembly meeting and continues to serve until the next assembly convenes (two years later) to elect a new moderator or co-moderator. Currently, the denomination is served by Co-Moderators Cecelia Armstrong and Anthony Larson, who were elected at the 226th General Assembly (2024). They followed Ruth Santana-Grace and Shavon Starling-Louis, elected in 2022. They followed Elona Street-Stewart and Gregory Bentley, elected in 2020. At
375-624: A sacrament . The sacrament is called chrismation in Eastern Christianity . In the East it takes place immediately after baptism ; in the West , when a child reaches the age of reason or early adolescence, or in the case of adult baptism immediately afterwards in the same ceremony. Among those Christians who practise teenage confirmation, the practice may be perceived, secondarily, as a coming of age rite . In many Protestant denominations, such as
500-512: A PCUSA minister, many of these conservatives would establish what became known as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1936. Although the 1930s and 1940s and the ensuing neo-orthodox theological consensus mitigated much of the polemics during the mid-20th century, disputes erupted again beginning in the mid-1960s over the extent of involvement in the civil rights movement and the issue of ordination of women , and, especially since
625-519: A Teaching Elder, but the Office of the General Assembly does maintain and publish a national directory with the help of each presbytery's stated clerk. This directory is also published bi-annually with the minutes of the General Assembly. A pastor cannot be a member of the congregation he or she serves as a pastor because his or her primary ecclesiastical accountability lies with the presbytery. Members of
750-399: A geographical region to form a synod . Each synod contains at least three presbyteries, and its elected voting membership is to include both elders and Ministers of Word and Sacrament in equal numbers. Synods have various duties depending on the needs of the presbyteries they serve. In general, their responsibilities (G-12.0102) might be summarized as: developing and implementing the mission of
875-570: A head the following year when, in response to the New York Presbytery's decision to ordain a couple of men who could not affirm the virgin birth, the PCUSA's General Assembly reaffirmed the "five fundamentals": the deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, the vicarious atonement, the inerrancy of Scripture, and Christ's miracles and resurrection. This move against modernism caused a backlash in the form of
1000-560: A laying on of hands for the imparting of the Spirit – performed after the water-bath and as a complement to this bath – existed already in the earliest apostolic times. These texts are Acts 8:4–20 and 19:1–7, and Hebrews 6:1–6. In the Acts of the Apostles 8:14–17, different ministers are named for the two actions. It is not deacon Philip , the baptiser, but only the apostles who were able to impart
1125-451: A life-threatening emergency) by any baptized member of the church; however, only a priest or bishop may perform the mystery of chrismation. If someone who has been baptized in extremis survives, the priest then performs the chrismation. The Catholic Church does not confirm converts to Catholicism who have been chrismated in a non-Catholic Eastern church, considering that the sacrament has been validly conferred and may not be repeated . In
1250-459: A minister member or elected member of the presbytery as moderator with the concurrence of the local church session. The moderator presides over the session as first among equals and also serves as a "liturgical" bishop over the ordination and installation of elders and deacons within a particular congregation. The session guides and directs the ministry of the local church, including almost all spiritual and fiduciary leadership. The congregation as
1375-415: A new Presbyterian denomination that allows ordination of women but is more conservative theologically than PC(USA). In 2013 the presbyteries ratified the General Assembly's 2012 vote to allow the ordination of openly gay persons to the ministry and in 2014 the General Assembly voted to amend the church's constitution to define marriage as the union of two persons instead of the union of a man and woman, which
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#17328518007601500-440: A nominating committee of the congregation; in addition, nominations from the floor are permissible. Elders are then elected by the congregation. All elders elected to serve on the congregation's session of elders are required to undergo a period of study and preparation for this order of ministry, after which the session examines the elders-elect as to their personal faith; knowledge of doctrine, government, and discipline contained in
1625-588: A pattern set in the first congregation of Christians in Jerusalem described in the Book of Acts in the New Testament , the church is governed by presbyters (a term and category that includes elders and Ministers of Word and Sacrament, historically also referred to as "ruling or canon elders" because they measure the spiritual life and work of a congregation and ministers as "teaching elders"). The elders are nominated by
1750-542: A procession, circling three times around the Gospel Book , while the choir chants each time: "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia" (Galatians 3:27). The reason the Eastern Churches perform chrismation immediately after baptism is so that the newly baptized may receive Holy Communion, which is commonly given to infants as well as adults. An individual may be baptized in extremis (in
1875-498: A representative form of government, known as presbyterian polity , with four levels of government and administration, as outlined in the Book of Order . The councils (governing bodies) are as follows: At the congregational level, the governing body is called the session , from the Latin word sessio , meaning "a sitting". The session is made up of the pastors of the church and all elders elected and installed to active service. Following
2000-472: A vessel of oil, bestowing the Holy Spirit upon it, which was then distributed to all of the presbyters (priests) for their use when they baptized. The same chrism is in use to this day, never being completely depleted but newly consecrated chrism only being added to it as needed (this consecration traditionally is performed only by the primates of certain autocephalous churches on Great Thursday ) and it
2125-421: A whole has only the responsibility to vote on: 1) the call of the pastor (subject to presbytery approval) and the terms of call (the church's provision for compensating and caring for the pastor); 2) the election of its own officers (elders and deacons); 3) buying, mortgaging, or selling real property. All other church matters such as the budget, personnel matters, and all programs for spiritual life and mission, are
2250-627: Is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States . It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and members of the LGBT community as elders and ministers. The Presbyterian Church (USA) was established with the 1983 merger of the Presbyterian Church in the United States , whose churches were located in
2375-600: Is a separate denomination whose congregations can also trace their history to the various schisms and mergers of Presbyterian churches in the United States . Unlike the more conservative Presbyterian Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) supports the ordination of women and affirms same-sex marriages . It also welcomes practicing gay and lesbian persons to serve in leadership positions as ministers, deacons, elders, and trustees. The Presbyterian Church (USA)
2500-684: Is also known as the Presbyterian Historical Society . Six agencies carry out the work of the General Assembly, two of which (OGA and PMA) are being unified, with a new staff reporting structure that seems to imply that OGA and PMA have been dissolved. These are the Office of the General Assembly (OGA), the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation , the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program, the Board of Pensions,
2625-440: Is believed that chrism in use today contains some small amount of the original chrism made by the apostles. When Catholics and traditional Protestants, such as Lutherans, Anglicans and Methodists, convert to Orthodoxy, they are often admitted by chrismation, without baptism; but, since this is a matter of local episcopal discretion , a bishop may require all converts to be admitted by baptism if he deems it necessary. Depending upon
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#17328518007602750-429: Is conferred by another bishop. In addition, the law itself confers the same faculty on the following: [W]ithin the confines of their jurisdiction, those who in law are equivalent to a diocesan Bishop (for example, a vicar apostolic ); in respect of the person to be confirmed, the priest who by virtue of his office or by mandate of the diocesan Bishop baptises an adult or admits a baptised adult into full communion with
2875-405: Is elected annually and is either a minister member or an elder commissioner from one of the presbytery's congregations. The Moderator presides at all presbytery assemblies and is the chief overseer at the ordination and installation of ministers in that presbytery. The stated clerk is the chief ecclesial officer and serves as the presbytery's executive secretary and parliamentarian in accordance with
3000-465: Is normally on infants . The sacred tradition of the Orthodox Church teaches that the Apostles themselves established the practice of anointing with chrism (consecrated oil) in place of the laying on of hands when bestowing the sacrament. As the numbers of converts grew, it became physically impossible for the apostles to lay hands upon each of the newly baptized. So the Apostles laid hands upon
3125-461: Is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ for the conferral of sanctifying grace and the strengthening of the union between the individual and God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraphs 1302–1303, states: It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on
3250-418: Is open to Presbyterian high school students throughout the world. The very first Youth Triennium was held in 1980 at Indiana University and the conference for teens is an effort of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the nation; Cumberland Presbyterian Church ; and Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America , the first African-American denomination to embrace Presbyterianism in
3375-402: Is received into the church, whether by baptism or chrismation, they will often take the name of a saint, who will become their patron saint . Thenceforward, the feast day of that saint will be celebrated as the convert's name day , which in traditional Orthodox cultures is celebrated in lieu of one's birthday. The Orthodox rite of chrismation takes place immediately after baptism and clothing
3500-530: Is sacramental. Church ordinances are understood as administering grace and must be conducted by properly ordained clergy members through apostolic succession reaching back through Peter to Christ, although the line of authority differs from Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. Baptism by water is understood as representing the death of the old person and their resurrection from that death into a new life in Christ. Through baptism by water, sin, and guilt are washed away as
3625-495: Is taken is henceforth considered to be a patron saint . The Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches refer to this sacrament (or, more properly, Sacred Mystery ) as chrismation, a term which western rite Catholics also use; for instance, in Italian the term is cresima . Eastern Christians link chrismation closely with the sacred mystery of baptism, conferring it immediately after baptism, which
3750-538: Is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, having 1,140,665 active members and 18,173 ordained ministers (including retired ones) in 8,705 congregations at the end of 2022. This number does not include members who are baptized but not confirmed , or the inactive members also affiliated. For example, in 2005, the Presbyterian Church (USA) claimed 318,291 baptized but not confirmed members and nearly 500,000 inactive members in addition to active members. Its membership has been steadily declining over
3875-460: The Auburn Affirmation — a document embracing liberalism and modernism. The liberals began a series of ecclesiastical trials of their opponents, expelled them from the church and seized their church buildings. Under the leadership of J. Gresham Machen , a former Princeton Theological Seminary New Testament professor who had founded Westminster Theological Seminary in 1929, and who was
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4000-472: The Anglican , Lutheran , Methodist and Reformed traditions, confirmation is a rite that often includes a profession of faith by an already baptized person. Confirmation is required by Lutherans, Anglicans and other traditional Protestant denominations for full membership in the respective church. In Catholic theology, by contrast, it is the sacrament of baptism that confers membership, while "reception of
4125-590: The Catechism of the Catholic Church also mentions, as an effect of confirmation, that "it renders our bond with the Church more perfect". This mention stresses the importance of participation in the Christian community. The "soldier of Christ" imagery was used, as far back as 350, by St Cyril of Jerusalem. In this connection, the touch on the cheek that the bishop gave while saying " Pax tecum " ( ' Peace be with you ' ) to
4250-511: The Church of Scotland embraced Reformed theology and presbyterian polity . The Ulster Scots brought their Presbyterian faith with them to Ireland, where they laid the foundation of what would become the Presbyterian Church in Ireland . Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought Presbyterianism to North America as early as 1640, and immigration would remain a large source of growth throughout
4375-475: The Eastern Orthodox Church the sacrament may be conferred more than once and it is customary to receive returning or repentant apostates by repeating chrismation. When discussing confirmation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) uses the term ordinance owing to their origins in a Protestant environment, but the actual doctrine describing their ordinances and their effects
4500-564: The Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ , are fairly progressive on matters such as doctrine, environmental issues, sexual morality, and economic issues, though the denomination remains divided and conflicted on these issues. Like other mainline denominations, the PC(USA) has also seen a great deal of demographic aging, with fewer new members and declining membership since 1967. In
4625-540: The Fourth Lateran Council , Communion, which continued to be given only after confirmation, was to be administered only on reaching the age of reason. Some time after the 13th century, the age of confirmation and Communion began to be delayed further, from seven, to twelve and to fifteen. In the 18th century, in France the sequence of sacraments of initiation was changed. Bishops started to impart confirmation only after
4750-613: The Gift of the Holy Ghost , granting the individual the permanent companionship of the Holy Ghost as long as the person does not wilfully drive him away through sin. The ceremony is significantly simpler than in Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches and is performed by an ordained clergyman as follows: Other actions typically associated with confirmation in Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, such as
4875-840: The Old Side–New Side Controversy that lasted from 1741 to 1758. In the South, the Presbyterians were evangelical dissenters , mostly Scotch-Irish , who expanded into Virginia between 1740 and 1758. Spangler in Virginians Reborn: Anglican Monopoly, Evangelical Dissent, and the Rise of the Baptists in the Late Eighteenth Century (2008) argues they were more energetic and held frequent services better attuned to
5000-675: The Reformed tradition that came before him in the form of the sermons and writings of Huldrych Zwingli . From Calvin's headquarters in Geneva , the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe. John Knox , a former Roman Catholic priest from Scotland who studied with Calvin in Geneva, took Calvin's teachings back to Scotland and led the Scottish Reformation of 1560. Because of this reform movement,
5125-614: The Southern and border states , with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America , whose congregations could be found in every state. The church maintains a Book of Confessions , a collection of historic and contemporary creeds and catechisms, including its own Brief Statement of Faith . It is a member the World Communion of Reformed Churches . The similarly named Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
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5250-519: The United States achieved independence from Great Britain , Presbyterian leaders felt that a national Presbyterian denomination was needed, and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) was organized. The first general assembly was held in Philadelphia in 1789. John Witherspoon , president of Princeton University and the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence ,
5375-470: The canonical age for confirmation in the Latin Church Catholic Church, the present 1983 Code of Canon Law , which maintains unaltered the rule in the 1917 Code, lays down that the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion (generally taken to be about 7), unless the episcopal conference has decided on a different age, or there is a danger of death or, in
5500-578: The colonial era . Another source of growth were a number of New England Puritans who left the Congregational churches because they preferred presbyterian polity. In 1706, seven ministers led by Francis Makemie established the first American presbytery at Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania , which was followed by the creation of the Synod of Philadelphia in 1717. The First Great Awakening and
5625-480: The pneuma through the laying on of hands: Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John , who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit. Further on in
5750-401: The revivalism it generated had a major impact on American Presbyterians. Ministers such as William and Gilbert Tennent , a friend of George Whitefield , emphasized the necessity of a conscious conversion experience and pushed for higher moral standards among the clergy. Disagreements over revivalism, itinerant preaching , and educational requirements for clergy led to a division known as
5875-506: The "newly illumined" (i.e., newly baptized) in their baptismal robe . The priest makes the sign of the cross with the chrism (also referred to as myrrh ) on the brow, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, breast, hands and feet of the newly illumined, saying with each anointing : "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit . Amen." Then the priest will place his epitrachelion (stole) over the newly illumined and leads them and their sponsors in
6000-509: The 16th-century Thirty-nine Articles lists confirmation among those rites "commonly called Sacraments" which are "not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel" (a term referring to the dominical sacraments, i.e. baptism and the Holy Eucharist ), because they were not directly instituted by Christ with a specific matter and form, and they are not generally necessary to salvation. The language of
6125-445: The 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, the General Assembly of PC(USA) adopted several social justice initiatives, which covered a range of topics including: stewardship of God's creation, world hunger, homelessness, and LGBT issues. As of 2011 the PC(USA) no longer excludes Partnered Gay and Lesbian ministers from the ministry. Previously, the PC(USA) required its ministers to remain " chastely in singleness or with fidelity in marriage ." Currently,
6250-573: The 1990s, over the issue of ordination of homosexuals. The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America was joined by the majority of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church , mostly congregations in the border and Southern states, in 1906. In 1920, it absorbed the Welsh Calvinist Methodist Church. The United Presbyterian Church of North America merged with the PCUSA in 1958 to form the United Presbyterian Church in
6375-484: The 223rd Assembly in St Louis, MO, Co-Moderators Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and Cindy Kohmann were elected. See a complete listing of past moderators at another Misplaced Pages Article. A Stated Clerk of the General Assembly is elected to one or more four-year terms and is responsible for the Office of the General Assembly which conducts the ecclesiastical work of the church. The Office of the General Assembly carries out most of
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#17328518007606500-696: The Bronco Village student apartments (2005); the Morrison-Reeves Science Center, opened in late 2009. McCormick Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and the Hastings College Historic District designation, made in 2017, includes 12 buildings on campus for their historic significance in the college's post World War II growth. The Hastings 24 athletic intercollegiate varsity teams are called
6625-600: The Broncos. The college is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) since the 1969–70 academic year. 40°35′30″N 98°22′23″W / 40.59167°N 98.37306°W / 40.59167; -98.37306 Presbyterian Church (USA) The Presbyterian Church (USA) , abbreviated PCUSA ,
6750-500: The Catholic Church. One of the effects of the sacrament is that "it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross". This effect was described by the Council of Trent as making the confirmed person "a soldier of Christ". The same passage of
6875-447: The Catholic Church; in respect of those in danger of death, the parish priest or indeed any priest. "According to the ancient practice maintained in the Roman liturgy, an adult is not to be baptized unless he receives Confirmation immediately afterward, provided no serious obstacles exist." Administration of the two sacraments, one immediately after the other, to adults is normally done by
7000-450: The Church of the New Testament . In the Gospel of John chapter 14, Christ speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (John 14:15–26). Later, after his Resurrection , Jesus breathed upon them and they received the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), a process completed on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). In Christianity, this Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit was held as the sign of
7125-831: The Confession of 1967, the Westminster Confession and Westminster Shorter Catechism , the Heidelberg Catechism , the Second Helvetic and Scots Confessions and the Barmen Declaration . An attempt to reunite the United Presbyterian Church in the USA with the Presbyterian Church in the United States in the late 1950s failed when the latter church was unwilling to accept ecclesiastical centralization . In
7250-510: The Constitution of the church, and the duties of the office of elder. If the examination is approved, the session appoints a day for the service of ordination and installation. Session meetings are normally moderated by a called and installed pastor and minutes are recorded by a clerk, who is also an ordained presbyter. If the congregation does not have an installed pastor, the Presbytery appoints
7375-430: The General Assembly met annually; since 2004, the General Assembly has met biennially in even-numbered years. It consists of commissioners elected by presbyteries (not synods), and its voting membership is proportioned with parity between elders and Ministers of Word and Sacrament. There are many important responsibilities of the General Assembly. Among them, The Book of Order lists these four: The General Assembly elects
7500-453: The LDS Church occurs shortly following baptism, which is not considered complete or fully efficacious until confirmation is received. There is an analogous ceremony also called confirmation in Reform Judaism . Various secular organizations also offer secular coming-of-age ceremonies as an alternative to Christian confirmation, while Unitarian Universalists have a similar Coming of Age ceremony . The roots of confirmation are found in
7625-439: The Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts. In the Roman Catholic Church, the sacrament is customarily conferred only on persons old enough to understand it, and the ordinary minister of confirmation is a bishop . "If necessity so requires", the diocesan bishop may grant specified priests the faculty to administer the sacrament, although normally he is to administer it himself or ensure that it
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#17328518007607750-403: The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education since 1964. The Hastings College campus consists of 40 buildings on 120 acres (49 ha). The college's first building was McCormick Hall, constructed in 1883 and still in use today. More recent additions include the Jackson Dinsdale Art Center, built in 2016; Osborne Family Sports Complex/Fleharty Educational Center, built in 2002;
7875-410: The New School and Old School respectively. By the 1838, the Old School–New School Controversy had divided the PCUSA. There were now two general assemblies each claiming to represent the PCUSA. In 1858, the New School split along sectional lines when its Southern synods and presbyteries established the pro-slavery United Synod of the Presbyterian Church. Old School Presbyterians followed in 1861 after
8000-427: The OGA and PMA, currently planned for summer of 2025. The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) currently has oversight over the Stated Clerk and OGA, but COGA is scheduled to be dissolved on December 31, 2024, along with the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board. A new Unification Management Office is planned to manage the integration of PMA and OGA. In March 2024, the former OGA Communications Director
8125-407: The PC(USA) permits teaching elders to perform same-gender marriages. On a congregational basis, individual sessions (congregational governing bodies) may choose to permit same-gender marriages. These changes have led to several renewal movements and denominational splinters. Some conservative-minded groups in the PC(USA), such as the Confessing Movement and the Presbyterian Lay Committee (formed in
8250-411: The PCUS located in Atlanta, Georgia . The merger essentially consolidated moderate-to-liberal American Presbyterians into one body. Other US Presbyterian bodies (the Cumberland Presbyterians being a partial exception) place greater emphasis on doctrinal Calvinism, literalist hermeneutics, and conservative politics. For the most part, PC(USA) Presbyterians, not unlike similar mainline traditions such as
8375-439: The PCUSA's informal influence over American life might effectively make it an established church . The Second Great Awakening divided the PCUSA over revivalism and fear that revivalism was leading to an embrace of Arminian theology . In 1810, frontier revivalists split from the PCUSA and organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church . Throughout the 1820s, support and opposition to revivalism hardened into well-defined factions,
8500-426: The Presbyterian Church (USA) on June 10, 1983. At the time of the merger, the churches had a combined membership of 3,121,238. Many of the efforts were spearheaded by the financial and outspoken activism of retired businessman Thomas Clinton who died two years before the merger. A new national headquarters was established in Louisville, Kentucky in 1988 replacing the headquarters of the UPCUSA in New York City and
8625-478: The Presbyterian Foundation, and the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) (formerly known as the General Assembly Mission Council). Confirmed In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism , confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands . For adults, it is an affirmation of belief . The ceremony typically involves laying on of hands . Catholicism views confirmation as
8750-486: The United States of America (UPCUSA). Under Eugene Carson Blake , the UPCUSA's stated clerk, the denomination entered into a period of social activism and ecumenical endeavors, which culminated in the development of the Confession of 1967 which was the church's first new confession of faith in three centuries. The 170th General Assembly in 1958 authorized a committee to develop a brief contemporary statement of faith. The 177th General Assembly in 1965 considered and amended
8875-424: The action of baptising to others. However, Acts 19:6 then expressly states that it was Apostle Paul who laid his hands upon the newly baptised. Hebrews 6:1–6 distinguishes "the teaching about baptisms" from the teaching about "the laying on of hands". The difference may be understood in the light of the two passages in Acts 8 and 19. In the teaching of the Catholic Church, confirmation, known also as chrismation ,
9000-484: The administrative duties of the presbytery, often with the additional role of a pastor to the pastors. Presbyteries may be creative in the designation and assignment of duties for their staff. A presbytery is required to elect a Moderator and a Clerk, but the practice of hiring staff is optional. Presbyteries must meet at least twice a year, but they have the discretion to meet more often and most do. See "Map of Presbyteries and Synods" . Presbyteries are organized within
9125-556: The belief that Christianity needed to be re-interpreted in light of modern scientific theories such as evolution or the rise of degraded social conditions brought on by industrialization and urbanization ). Open controversy was sparked in 1922, when Harry Emerson Fosdick , a modernist and a Baptist pastoring a PCUSA congregation in New York City, preached a sermon entitled "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?" The crisis reached
9250-480: The beliefs of the PC(USA) by declaring the creeds by which the Church's leaders are instructed and led. Complementing that is the Book of Order which gives the rationale and description for the organization and function of the Church at all levels. The Book of Order is currently divided into four sections – 1) The Foundations of Presbyterian Polity 2) The Form of Government, 3) The Directory For Worship, and 4) The Rules of Discipline. The Presbyterian Church (USA) has
9375-507: The bishop of the diocese (generally at the Easter Vigil ) since "the baptism of adults, at least of those who have completed their fourteenth year, is to be referred to the Bishop, so that he himself may confer it if he judges this appropriate" However, if the bishop does not confer the baptism, then it devolves on the priest whose office it then is to confer both sacraments, since, "in addition to
9500-435: The bishop, the law gives the faculty to confirm to the following, ... priests who, in virtue of an office which they lawfully hold, baptize an adult or a child old enough for catechesis or receive a validly baptized adult into full communion with the Church." In Eastern Catholic Churches , the usual minister of this sacrament is the parish priest, using olive oil consecrated by a bishop (i.e. chrism ) and administering
9625-476: The boundaries of a particular synod (see below ); it may be more accurate to refer to them as "trans-geographical." Three PC(USA) synods have a non-geographical presbytery for Korean language Presbyterian congregations, and one synod has a non-geographical presbytery for Native American congregations, the Dakota Presbytery. There are currently 166 presbyteries for the 8,705 congregations in the PC(USA). Only
9750-406: The church Constitution and Robert's Rules of Order. While the moderator of a presbytery normally serves one year, the stated clerk normally serves a designated number of years and may be re-elected indefinitely by the presbytery. Additionally, an Executive Presbyter (sometimes designated as General Presbyter, Pastor to Presbytery, Transitional Presbyter) is often elected as a staff person to care for
9875-571: The church throughout the region, facilitating communication between presbyteries and the General Assembly, and mediating conflicts between the churches and presbyteries. Every synod elects a Permanent Judicial Commission, which has original jurisdiction in remedial cases brought against its constituent presbyteries, and which also serves as an ecclesiastical court of appeal for decisions rendered by its presbyteries' Permanent Judicial Commissions. Synods are required to meet at least biennially. Meetings are moderated by an elected synod Moderator with support of
10000-470: The congregation generally choose their own pastor with the assistance and support of the presbytery. The presbytery must approve the choice and officially install the pastor at the congregation, or approve the covenant for a temporary pastoral relationship. Additionally, the presbytery must approve if either the congregation or the pastor wishes to dissolve that pastoral relationship. The presbytery has authority over many affairs of its local congregations. Only
10125-505: The day of Pentecost . From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace: Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ
10250-502: The decades after independence many American Protestants , including Calvinists (Presbyterians and Congregationalists), Methodists , and Baptists , were swept up in Christian revivals that would later become known as the Second Great Awakening . Presbyterians also helped to shape voluntary societies that encouraged educational, missionary, evangelical, and reforming work. As its influence grew, many non-Presbyterians feared that
10375-489: The decision to resign include struggling efforts since 2016 to unify the OGA and PMA agencies, and struggling efforts to return to normal following the pandemic. The Stated Clerk is also responsible for the records of the denomination, a function formalized in 1925 when the General Assembly created the "Department of Historical Research and Conservation" as part of the Office of the General Assembly. The current "Department of History"
10500-424: The direction of the denomination, but wishing to continue in a Reformed, Presbyterian denomination. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which does not allow ordained female clergy, separated from Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1973 and has subsequently become the second largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), which gives local presbyteries
10625-416: The draft confession and sent a revised version for general discussion within the church. The 178th General Assembly in 1966 accepted a revised draft and sent it to presbyteries throughout the church for final ratification. As the confession was ratified by more than 90% of all presbyteries, the 178th General Assembly adopted it in 1967. The UPCUSA also adopted a Book of Confessions in 1967, which would include
10750-568: The easy access to the Eucharist for children, in his Letter Quam Singulari lowered the age of first communion to seven. That was the origin of the widespread custom in parishes to organise the First Communion for children at 2nd grade and confirmation in middle or high school . The 1917 Code of Canon Law, while recommending that confirmation be delayed until about seven years of age, allowed it be given at an earlier age. Only on 30 June 1932
10875-515: The ecumenical functions and all of the constitutional functions at the Assembly. The Stated Clerks since reunion are: James Andrews (1984–1996), Clifton Kirkpatrick (1996–2008), Gradye Parsons (2008–2016), J. Herbert Nelson (2016–2023), Bronwen Boswell (2023–2024) (interim), and Jihyun Oh (2024–). Bronwen Boswell was appointed Acting Stated Clerk in June 2023 to serve the remaining year of Nelson's term. She
11000-457: The faith on the part of someone approaching adulthood. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1308) warns: "Although Confirmation is sometimes called the 'sacrament of Christian maturity,' we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need 'ratification' to become effective." On
11125-648: The faith which "marks the completion of the congregation's program of confirmation ministry". The German language also uses for Lutheran confirmation a different word ( Konfirmation ) from the word used for the sacramental rite of the Catholic Church ( Firmung ). Lutheran churches do not treat confirmation as a dominical sacrament of the Gospel, considering that only Baptism , Eucharist and Confession and Absolution can be regarded as such. Some popular Sundays for this to occur are Palm Sunday , Pentecost and Reformation Sunday (last Sunday in October). Article 25 of
11250-400: The first Eucharistic communion. The reason was no longer the busy calendar of the bishop, but the bishop's will to give adequate instruction to the youth. The practice lasted until Pope Leo XIII in 1897 asked to restore the primary order and to celebrate confirmation back at the age of reason, a change that lasted less than two decades. In 1910, his successor, Pope Pius X , showing concern for
11375-454: The form of the original baptism, some Protestants must be baptized upon conversion to Orthodoxy. A common practice is that those persons who have been previously baptized by triple immersion in the name of the Trinity do not need to be baptized. However, requirements will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and some traditional Orthodox jurisdictions prefer to baptize all converts. When a person
11500-429: The friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith." In some churches, the responsibilities of the deacons are taken care of by the session, so there is no board of deacons in that church. In some states, churches are legally incorporated and members or elders of the church serve as trustees of the corporation. However, "the power and duties of such trustees shall not infringe upon
11625-615: The frontier conditions of the colony. Presbyterianism grew in frontier areas where the Anglicans had made little impression. Uneducated whites and blacks were attracted to the emotional worship of the denomination, its emphasis on biblical simplicity, and its psalm singing. Some local Presbyterian churches, such as Briery in Prince Edward County, owned slaves. The Briery church purchased five slaves in 1766 and raised money for church expenses by hiring them out to local planters. After
11750-502: The judgement of the minister , a grave reason suggests otherwise (canon 891 of the Code of Canon Law). The Code prescribes the age of discretion also for the sacraments of Reconciliation and first Holy Communion. In some places the setting of a later age, e.g. mid-teens in the United States, 11 or 12 in Ireland and early teens in Britain, has been abandoned in recent decades in favor of restoring
11875-406: The meantime, a conservative group broke away from the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1973, mainly over the issues of women's ordination and a perceived drift toward theological liberalism. This group formed the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Attempts at union between the churches (UPCUSA and PCUS) were renewed in the 1970s, culminating in the merger of the two churches to form
12000-464: The messianic age foretold by the prophets (cf. Ezekiel 36:25–27; Joel 3:1–2). Its arrival was proclaimed by the Apostle Peter . Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God" (Acts 2:11; Cf. 2:17–18). After this point, the New Testament records the apostles bestowing the Holy Spirit upon others through the laying on of hands. Three texts make it certain that
12125-418: The mid-1960s) have remained in the main body, rather than leaving to form new, break-away groups. Several Presbyterian denominations have split from PC(USA) or its predecessors over the years. For example, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church broke away from the Presbyterian Church in the USA (PC-USA) in 1936. More recently formed Presbyterian denominations have attracted PC(USA) congregations disenchanted with
12250-513: The northern PCUSA's Old School and New School factions reunited as well and was known as the "Northern Presbyterian Church". The early part of the 20th century saw continued growth in both major sections of the church. It also saw the growth of Fundamentalist Christianity (a movement of those who believed in the literal interpretation of the Bible as the fundamental source of the religion) as distinguished from Modernist Christianity (a movement holding
12375-399: The old sinner dies and the new child of Christ emerges. Confirmation is understood as being the baptism by fire wherein the Holy Spirit enters into the individual, purges them of the effects of the sin from their previous life (the guilt and culpability of which were already washed away), and introduces them into the church as a new person in Christ. Through confirmation, the individual receives
12500-405: The option of allowing ordained female pastors, broke away from the United Presbyterian Church and incorporated in 1981. A PC(USA) renewal movement, Fellowship of Presbyterians (FOP) (now The Fellowship Community ), held several national conferences serving disaffecting Presbyterians. FOP's organizing efforts culminated with the founding of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO),
12625-578: The past several decades; the trend has significantly accelerated in recent years, partly due to breakaway congregations. Average denominational worship attendance dropped from 748,774 in 2013 to 431,379 in 2022. Presbyterians trace their history to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The Presbyterian heritage, and much of its theology, began with the French theologian and lawyer John Calvin (1509–1564), whose writings solidified much of
12750-580: The person he had just confirmed was interpreted in the Roman Pontifical as a slap, a reminder to be brave in spreading and defending the faith: " Deinde leviter eum in maxilla caedit, dicens: Pax tecum " ( ' Then he strikes him lightly on the cheek, saying: Peace be with you ' ). When, in application of the Second Vatican Council 's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the confirmation rite
12875-586: The powers and duties of the Session or of the board of deacons." The deacons are a ministry board but not a governing body. A presbytery is formed by all the congregations and the Ministers of Word and Sacrament in a geographic area together with elders selected (proportional to congregation size) from each of the congregations. Four special presbyteries are "non-geographical" in that they overlay other English-speaking presbyteries, though they are geographically limited to
13000-433: The presbytery (not a congregation, session, synod, or General Assembly) has the responsibility and authority to ordain church members to the ordered ministry of Word and Sacrament, also referred to as a Teaching Elder, to install ministers to (or remove them from) congregations as pastors, and to remove a minister from the ministry. A Presbyterian minister is a member of a presbytery. The General Assembly cannot ordain or remove
13125-410: The presbytery can approve the establishment, dissolution, or merger of congregations. The presbytery also maintains a Permanent Judicial Commission, which acts as a court of appeal from sessions, and which exercises original jurisdiction in disciplinary cases against minister members of the presbytery. A presbytery has two elected officers: a moderator and a stated clerk. The Moderator of the presbytery
13250-415: The priests and deacons and, where they existed, by deaconesses for women's baptism. The post-baptismal chrismation in particular was reserved to the bishop. When adults no longer formed the majority of those being baptized, this chrismation was delayed until the bishop could confer it. Until the 12th century, priests often continued to confer confirmation before giving Communion to very young children. After
13375-457: The reception of a Christian name, anointing of body parts with chrism, and the clothing of the confirmant in a white garment or chiton are conducted separately as part of a ceremony called the Initiatory . Lutheran confirmation is a public profession of faith prepared for by long and careful instruction. In English, it is called "affirmation of baptism", and is a mature and public profession of
13500-434: The recipient permanently , making it impossible to receive the sacrament twice. It accepts as valid a confirmation conferred within churches, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church , whose Holy Orders it sees as valid through the apostolic succession of their bishops. But it considers it necessary to administer the sacrament of confirmation, in its view for the only time, to Protestants who are admitted to full communion with
13625-471: The reformed tradition. Since 1907, Montreat, North Carolina has hosted a youth conference every year. In 1983, Montreat Conference Center became a National Conference Center of the PC(USA) when the northern and southern denominational churches reunited. The Constitution of PC(USA) is composed of two portions: Part I, the Book of Confessions and Part II, the Book of Order . The Book of Confessions outlines
13750-457: The responsibility of the session. In addition, the session serves as an ecclesiastical court to consider disciplinary charges brought against church officers or members. The session also oversees the work of the deacons , a second body of leaders also tracing its origins to the Book of Acts. The deacons are a congregational-level group whose duty is "to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to
13875-412: The rite of confirmation, 17, which indicates that the episcopal conference may decide "to introduce a different manner for the minister to give the sign of peace after the anointing, either to each individual or to all the newly confirmed together". In some regions it is customary for the person being confirmed to choose the name of a saint, which they adopt as their confirmation name. The saint whose name
14000-558: The sacrament immediately after baptism. This corresponds exactly to the practice of the early Church, when at first those receiving baptism were mainly adults, and of the non-Latin Catholic Eastern Churches. The practice of the Eastern Churches gives greater emphasis to the unity of Christian initiation. That of the Latin Church more clearly expresses the communion of the new Christian with the bishop as guarantor and servant of
14125-775: The sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace ". The Catholic and Methodist denominations teach that in confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens a baptized individual for their faith journey. Confirmation is not practised in Baptist , Anabaptist and other groups that teach believer's baptism . Thus, the sacrament or rite of confirmation is administered to those being received from those aforementioned groups, in addition to those converts from non-Christian religions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) does not practise infant baptism, but individuals can be baptized after they reach 8 years old (the age of accountability ). Confirmation in
14250-626: The shooter in the body count . Bronwen's political perspective on the shooting has been contrasted with purely nonpolitical perspectives from other denominations. Jihyun Oh was installed in July 2024 as the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, and promoted by the Unification Commission in October 2024 to lead the interim unified agency. The Unification Commission is overseeing a unification of
14375-570: The start of hostilities in the American Civil War with the formation of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America . The Presbyterian Church in the CSA absorbed the smaller United Synod in 1864. After the war, this body was renamed the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) and was commonly nicknamed the "Southern Presbyterian Church" throughout its history. In 1869,
14500-535: The synod's Stated Clerk. There are currently 16 synods in the PC(USA) and they vary widely in the scope and nature of their work. An ongoing current debate in the denomination is over the purpose, function, and need for synods. See also the List of Presbyterian Church (USA) synods and presbyteries . The General Assembly is the highest governing body of the PC(USA). Until the 216th assembly met in Richmond, Virginia in 2004,
14625-524: The text, connection between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gesture of laying on of hands appears even more clearly. Acts 8:18–19 introduces the request of Simon the Magician in the following way: "When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands". In Acts 19, baptism of the disciples is mentioned in quite general terms, without the minister being identified. Referring to 1 Corinthians 1:17, it can be presumed that Paul left
14750-426: The traditional order of the three sacraments of Christian initiation. Even where a later age has been set, a bishop may not refuse to confer the sacrament on younger children who request it, provided they are baptized, have the use of reason, are suitably instructed and are properly disposed and able to renew the baptismal promises. The Catholic Church Anglo-Catholics teach that, like baptism, confirmation marks
14875-539: The unity, catholicity and apostolicity of his Church, and hence the connection with the apostolic origins of Christ's Church. The main reason why the West separated the sacrament of confirmation from that of baptism was to re-establish direct contact between the person being initiated with the bishops. In the Early Church, the bishop administered all three sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation and Eucharist), assisted by
15000-429: Was ineligible to apply for the stated clerk position in 2024, and has limited responsibilities focused primarily on completing plans for the 2024 GA and unification of the OGA and PMA. Her partial characterization of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump as "two lives lost at a Pennsylvania rally" blurs the distinction between perpetrator and victim, unlike definitions of mass shootings that often do not include
15125-458: Was named PCUSA Communications Director and the former PMA Communications Director was named PMA Vision Integration & Constituent Service Manager. Nelson is the first African American to be elected to the office, and is a third-generation Presbyterian pastor. Nelson announced he would not seek re-election to a third term, and stepped down as Stated Clerk in June 2023, a year before his second term ended. Reported tensions that likely influenced
15250-571: Was official permission given to change the traditional order of the three sacraments of Christian initiation: the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments then allowed, where necessary, that confirmation be administered after first Holy Communion . This novelty, originally seen as exceptional, became more and more the accepted practice. Thus, in the mid-20th century, confirmation began to be seen as an occasion for professing personal commitment to
15375-699: Was ratified (by the presbyteries) in 2015. This has led to the departure of several hundred congregations. The majority of churches leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA) have chosen to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church or ECO . Few have chosen to join the larger more conservative Presbyterian Church in America , which does not permit female clergy. Since 1983 the Presbyterian Youth Triennium has been held every three years at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, US, and
15500-457: Was revised in 1971, mention of this gesture was omitted. However, the French and Italian translations, indicating that the bishop should accompany the words "Peace be with you" with "a friendly gesture" (French text) or "the sign of peace" (Italian text), explicitly allow a gesture such as the touch on the cheek, to which they restore its original meaning. This is in accord with the Introduction to
15625-572: Was the first moderator . Not all American Presbyterians participated in the creation of the PCUSA General Assembly because the divisions then occurring in the Church of Scotland were replicated in America. In 1751, Scottish Covenanters began sending ministers to America, and the Seceders were doing the same by 1753. In 1858, the majority of Covenanters and Seceders merged to create the United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA). In
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