Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Formed by the 1983 reunion of northern and southern Presbyterian churches. Its Book of Confessions includes the Westminster Standards.
- U.S. size
- ≈ 1.1 million (PC(USA) statistics, 2023 (approx))
- Founded
- 1983 reunion; U.S. roots 1706
- Church government
- Presbyterian, with sessions, presbyteries and a General Assembly
- Ordains women as pastors
- Yes
- Official site / locator
- www.pcusa.org
Core beliefs
| Topic | What they teach | Scripture they cite |
|---|---|---|
| Scripture & authority | Scripture alone, summarized in the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity. | 2 Tim 3:16; Isa 8:20 |
| Salvation | By grace through faith, rooted in God's sovereign election (the 'doctrines of grace'). | Eph 1:4-5; Rom 8:29-30; John 6:44 |
| Baptism | A sign and seal of the covenant. Children of believers are baptized. | Col 2:11-12; Gen 17:7; Acts 2:39 |
| Lord's Supper | Christ is spiritually present and received by faith through the Spirit. | 1 Cor 10:16; John 6:63 |
| Worship | Simple and Word-centered, often governed by the 'regulative principle'. | John 4:24; Deut 12:32 |
| Mary & saints | Mary is honored as a faithful believer. There is no invocation of saints. | 1 Tim 2:5 |
| Spiritual gifts | Usually cessationist: the miraculous sign-gifts ceased with the apostles. | Heb 2:3-4; 1 Cor 13:8-10 |
About these numbers: figures are approximate and come from each body's own most recent report or the National Council of Churches' Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. Bodies count members differently (baptized, confirmed, adherents, publishers), and some historically Black denominations have not published new figures in years. See also the Pew Religious Landscape Study and the ARDA. Belief summaries are our own short descriptions. Please read each church's own confession.