The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is a Reformed evangelical Christian denomination in the United States. The PCA was established in 1973 by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern Presbyterian Church) who wanted to maintain a more orthodox Calvinist theology. Here is an overview of the PCA’s history, beliefs, practices, and church government structure.
History of the PCA
The PCA has its roots in theological controversies within the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) in the early 20th century. Tensions mounted over liberal trends in PCUS seminaries and increased ecumenical participation with non-Reformed churches. In response, conservative Presbyterians began withdrawing from the PCUS and established independent Bible Presbyterian synods.
In December 1973, representatives from 260 PCUS churches founded the National Presbyterian Church, which later became the Presbyterian Church in America. They were joined by several existing Bible Presbyterian synods. The founders wanted to create a Presbyterian denomination that was faithful to the Bible and the Reformed tradition without liberal compromises.
Over the next decades, the PCA grew both internally and through merging with other Presbyterian denominations. Today it is one of the larger Presbyterian denominations in the U.S. with over 1600 churches and 370,000 members.
Beliefs and Theology
The PCA affirms historic Presbyterian theology rooted in a high view of Scripture. Their doctrinal standards are the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, which outline classic Reformed theology.
Here are some key beliefs in the PCA:
- The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God.
- There is one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, fully God and fully man, born of the virgin Mary.
- God created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing).
- Humanity rebelled against God through the fall of Adam, inheriting a sinful nature.
- People are redeemed from sin only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
- The Holy Spirit indwells believers, enabling them to obey and serve God.
- Jesus Christ will physically return to judge all mankind.
- The righteous will receive eternal life and the unrighteous eternal punishment.
The PCA embraces covenant theology, infant baptism, and amillennial eschatology. They reject liberal theologies that compromise biblical authority.
Church Government
The PCA has a Presbyterian church government structure. The denomination is governed through a series of courts with specific jurisdictions:
- Session – Elders oversee an individual church.
- Presbytery – Made up of representatives from PCA churches in a geographic area.
- General Assembly – The highest court composed of commissioners from each Presbytery.
Elders and deacons are ordained offices in the PCA. Elders provide spiritual oversight and teach Scripture in local congregations. Deacons care for the physical needs of church members.
The PCA affirms the leadership of male elders based on an understanding of male headship in the family and church. While women cannot be ordained as elders or deacons, they actively serve in many other roles.
Worship and Sacraments
Worship services in the PCA follow a traditional Protestant liturgy with hymns, Scripture readings, prayer, preaching, and observance of the sacraments. Worship is centered around the preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and baptism.
The PCA observes two sacraments instituted by Christ:
- Baptism – Primarily infant baptism, though they also permit adult believer’s baptism. Baptism signifies entrance into the New Covenant community.
- Lord’s Supper – Commemorates Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross and provides spiritual nourishment to believers.
Weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper is encouraged but not required. PCA churches often use wine and bread, allowing paedocommunion.
Christian Education
Christian education is emphasized in the PCA at all age levels. Many churches have Sunday School programs for Bible teaching. Some also operate Christian day schools for K-12th grade.
For spiritual training, the PCA established Covenant Theological Seminary and more recently Reformed Theological Seminary. These schools uphold Reformed theology and Presbyterian polity.
An increasing number of PCA churches utilize small groups or Bible studies for discipleship and community formation. There is also robust publishing of Reformed Christian books and curriculum materials by PCA ministries.
Missions and Outreach
The PCA has an active mission arm seeking to spread the gospel and plant churches both domestically and internationally. Their sending agency is Mission to the World which has hundreds of missionaries serving in dozens of countries.
Individual PCA churches are strongly encouraged to do local outreach and evangelism such as mercy ministry, community development projects, college campus ministries, and pro-life advocacy. Some churches also engage in church planting efforts.
Relationship to Other Churches
The PCA is in full communion with several other conservative Presbyterian denominations in North America. This includes the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Korean American Presbyterian Church, and Korean Presbyterian Church in America (Koshin).
The PCA is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals but is not part of the mainline ecumenical movement. However, they cooperate with other Christians where principles allow.
Prominent PCA Figures
Many influential Christian pastors, theologians, and authors have been associated with the PCA tradition over the years. Here are a few noteworthy figures:
- J.I. Packer – British theologian and author.
- R.C. Sproul – Founder of Ligonier Ministries.
- Tim Keller – Pastor and author based in NYC.
- Alistair Begg – Senior pastor of Parkside Church in Ohio.
- Michael Horton – Professor and host of The White Horse Inn radio program.
- Sinclair Ferguson – Scottish theologian and pastor.
- Joel Beeke – President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
Recent Controversies and Debates
The PCA has experienced some internal tensions and controversies in recent years:
- Women’s roles – There are disagreements on what positions women can serve in and how to apply biblical gender role texts.
- Ecumenism and cooperation – Some think the PCA should have closer ties with other Reformed groups while others believe the differences are still too great.
- Social issues – PCA churches take varying approaches to addressing topics like racism, political affiliations, and social justice concerns.
- Worship styles – Debates over contemporary vs traditional worship occasionally arise though most PCA churches lean traditional.
For the most part, the PCA has maintained unity despite some tensions over secondary issues. Their common commitment to Reformed theology and Presbyterian polity serves as a unifying center.
Conclusion
In summary, the Presbyterian Church in America is a conservative Reformed denomination birthed out of theological controversies in the 20th century. They uphold the authority of Scripture, Reformed theology, and Presbyterian church government. The PCA emphasizes missions, Christian education, evangelism, and the need for vital biblical teaching and worship. Over its 50-year history, the PCA has become one of the larger Presbyterian denominations in America today.