Presbyterian polity

Presbyterianism (from Greek πρεσβύτερος presbyteros, the Elder) is a form of church government in which the Church is directed at several levels by committees of elders and pastors. The Presbyterian Church constitution is common especially in the Reformed churches. Presbyterianism stands between the hierarchical Episcopalian ( line by bishops ) and the Congregationalism in which the communities are completely independent.

History

The Presbyterianism goes back to the church order of the Huguenots, which was introduced in 1559 by the National Synod in Paris. The reformer John Knox established the special Scottish expression in 1560 in the First Book of Discipline, the 1578 has been conducting for the Church of Scotland, together with the Second Book of Discipline. From Scotland from the Presbyterianism spread (in the narrow sense) from other parts of the United Kingdom, and finally in the whole Anglo-Saxon world.

When Wesel Convention 1568 Church Constitution was adopted in the Netherlands for the Reformed Church in modified form. The Reformed Churches in West Germany refused itself to this model, which led to the introduction of presbyteries structures in all German regional churches in the 19th and 20th centuries. The church orders of the Reformed Churches of Switzerland are also related to this model.

The offices

A prerequisite of the Presbyterian Church constitution is the view expressed by John Calvin Four offices doctrine that the Church can not be conducted solely by the clergy but by a combination of different offices. In addition to the pastors who preach the word of God, and the teachers ( " docteurs "), which instruct the congregation in the Christian faith, are elders ( " anciens " ) is responsible for the exercise of church discipline; next to organize deacons care for the poor. In many Presbyterian churches in addition to the pastors and teachers ( who were later mostly regarded as identical ) also ordained elders and deacons. Both pastors and elders are the successor to the elders that they often are summarized in Anglo-Saxon Presbyterian churches with the common term and as teaching elders and ruling elders distinction in the New Testament πρεσβύτεροι mentioned seen.

The governing bodies

In Presbyterianism, there are governing bodies at three or four stages, each delegate members to the next higher committee:

  • The session (English session), the management of the local community
  • The presbytery (English presbytery ), which directs a group of municipalities in a limited local area ( in the Netherlands is spoken here of Classis )
  • In larger churches regional synods
  • A General Assembly or General Synod as the supreme governing body of the church.

Each governing body is made up of pastors and elders. In the local community, the parish priest usually has the Presidency, in higher bodies pastors and elders are mostly represented in the same large numbers and on an equal footing.

The individual municipality is legally and financially independent, but committed to the Church Constitution and the confession of the church.

The elders of a church are elected by the community. Ordained priest are also elected by the community, but must be confirmed by the presbytery.

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