The Presbyterian Handbook, Revised Edition

By Westminster John Knox Press

The Presbyterian Handbook, Revised Edition provides historical and up to date theological information about Presbyterian beliefs alongside fun-filled facts and practical tips on being a churchgoing follower of Jesus Christ. Complete with illustrations, the book presents a wonderful combination of vast truths, complex details, and bits of humor about Presbyterian understanding of the Christian life. This unique and incredibly handy resource is perfect for Presbyterian youth, adults, students, families, and all those interested in learning about much of what encompasses life in the church.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Release date: Feb 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781611646573

Book preview

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About Cool Calvin

Having some fun and depicting John Calvin with designer shades indicates that even though theology is serious stuff, we should nonetheless remember that it is not our theology that saves us, but Jesus Christ. Therefore, our life in the church can be buoyant, and our theological wranglings can be done with a sense of humor and love for our neighbor.

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© 2006, 2016 Geneva Press

Part of this book was originally published as The Lutheran Handbook © 2005 Augsburg Fortress.

Revised edition

Published by Geneva Press

Louisville, Kentucky

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 — 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Geneva Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Or contact us online at www.genevapress.com.

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible are copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission.

Sources for the charts on pages 69, 70–72, and 74–77 include reference materials from Information Please, Cool Calvin New York Times Public Library/Hyperion, Rose Publishing, Time-Life, and Wadsworth Group/Thomas Learning.

Book design by James Satter and Ann DeVilbiss

Interior illustrations: Brenda Brown and Fernando Ruiz

Cover design by Dean Nicklas

Cover illustration: Fernando Ruiz

Contributing writers: Julie Bowe, Suzanne Burke, Lou Carlozo, Giacomo Cassese, Mark Gardner, Wes Halula, Sara Henrich, Mark Hinton, Sue Houglum, Rolf Jacobson, Susan M. Lang, Andrea Lee, Daniel Levitin, Terry Marks, Catherine Malotky, David Maxwell, Donald K. McKim, Jeffrey S. Nelson, Rebecca Ninke, Eliseo Pérez-Álvarez, Dawn Rundman, Jonathan Rundman, Ted Schroeder, Ken Sundet-Jones, Hans Wiersma

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Geneva Press.

Title: The Presbyterian handbook.

Description: Revised edition. | Louisville, KY : Geneva, 2016. | Part of this book was originally published as the Lutheran handbook, c2005 Augsburg Fortress—T.p. verso. | Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015041302 (print) | LCCN 2015040919 (ebook) | ISBN 9781611646573 () | ISBN 9780664262365 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Presbyterian Church—Handbooks, manuals, etc. | BISAC: RELIGION / Christianity / Presbyterian. | RELIGION / Christianity / Denominations. | RELIGION / Christianity / Calvinist.

Classification: LCC BX9175.3 (print) | LCC BX9175.3 .P74 2016 (ebook) | DDC 285/.1—dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015041302

Cool Calvin The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.

Most Geneva Press books are available at special quantity discounts when purchased in bulk by corporations, organizations, and special-interest groups. For more information, please e-mail [e-mail].

CONTENTS

This Book Belongs To

About My Congregation

Preface

Church Stuff

How to Be a Visitor

How to Welcome a Visitor

How to Get to Know Your Pastor

How to Survive for One Hour in an Unair-conditioned Church

How to Respond When Someone Sits in Your Pew

How to Use a Worship Bulletin

How to Sing a Hymn

How to Sing a Praise Song

How to Listen to a Sermon

How to Respond to a Disruption during Worship

Sacraments

The Anatomy of a Baptism

Infant and Younger Children

Adult and Older Children

How to Receive the Lord's Supper

Six Questions and Answers about the Lord's Supper

How to Pass the Plate

How to Share the Peace in Church

How to Stay Alert in Church

What to Bring to a Church Potluck (by Region)

Presbyterian Origins

The Presbyterian Family in the United States

Five Big-Time Presbyterian Ancestors

Five Facts about Life in Medieval Times

History's Six Most Notorious Heretics

How to Avoid Getting Burned at the Stake

Charts and Diagrams

World Religions

Comparative Religions

Family Tree of Christianity

U.S. Christian Denominations

Comparative Denominations

The Seasons of the Church Year and What They Mean

The Seasons of the Church Year (diagram)

PC(USA) Symbol

Everyday Stuff

How to Understand the Relationship between the Law and Grace

How to Know What God Wants You to Do with Your Life

How Presbyterians Understand Evangelism

How to Pray

How to Work for Peace and Justice on Behalf of People Who Are Poor and Oppressed

How to Identify a Genuine Miracle

Three Essential Personal Spiritual Practices

How to Forgive Someone

How to Care for the Sick

How to Identify and Deal with Evil

How to Avoid Gossip

How to Resolve Interpersonal Conflict

How to Console Someone

How to Cope with Loss and Grief

The Top Ten Attributes to Look for in a Spouse

How to Be Saved (by Grace through Faith and Not by Your Good Works)

How to Understand the Trinity as One God in Three Persons

What Is Predestination?

How to Explain Predestination to Your Friends

Bible Stuff

Common Translations of the Bible

60 Essential Bible Stories

How to Read the Bible

How to Interpret the Bible

How to Memorize a Bible Verse

Ten Bible Villains

Ten Bible Heroes

The Three Most Rebellious Things Jesus Did

The Seven Funniest Bible Stories

The Five Grossest Bible Stories

Five Facts about Life in Old Testament Times

Ten Important Things That Happened between the Old and New Testaments

Five Facts about Life in New Testament Times

The Five Biggest Misconceptions about the Bible

Jesus' Twelve Apostles (Plus Judas and Paul)

The Five Weirdest Laws in the Old Testament

The Top Ten Bible Miracles and What They Mean

Maps and Diagrams

The Exodus

The Holy Land—Old Testament Times

The Holy Land—New Testament Times

Paul's Journeys

Jerusalem in Jesus' Time

Noah's Ark

The Ark of the Covenant

Solomon's Temple

The Armor of God

The Crucifixion

Presbyterian Stuff

The Great Ends of the Church

The Church Reformed and Always Being Reformed

Key Presbyterian Concepts

Presbyterian Government

Presbyterian Lingo

Changes to the Form of Government

Welcoming Sexual Minorities

A New Hymnal: Glory to God

Ordination and Installation

Confessing the Faith

Creeds and Confessions

The Book of Confessions

Key Comments from the Confessions

Belhar: The Newest Confession

Tips on Interpreting the Book of Confessions

Three Creeds

The Nicene Creed

The Apostles' Creed

A Brief Statement of Faith

Important Features of A Brief Statement of Faith

For Further Study

Twelve Books for Presbyterians to Read

Notes & Stuff

Excerpt from More Presbyterian Questions, More Presbyterian Answers by Donald K. McKim

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PREFACE

Please Be Advised:

Lots of books, pamphlets, and booklets have been written through the centuries as companions for average folks who wanted help navigating their way through a complicated subject. The Boy Scout Handbook comes to mind, for example. So do The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook, Tune and Repair Your Own Piano: A Practical and Theoretical Guide to the Tuning of All Keyboard Stringed Instruments, and National Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. They stand as testimony to the average person's need for a guide to both the vast truths and complex detail that make up a particular area of interest. These books turn complicated, inaccessible ideas into simple, easy-to-understand concepts and, if necessary, into action steps that are easy to follow.

Likewise, The Presbyterian Handbook follows this format. Here, you will discover a combination of reliable, historical, and theological information alongside some fun facts and very practical tips on being a churchgoing follower of Jesus Christ, all presented in that oh-so-Presbyterian, down-to-earth, tongue-in-cheek sort of way.

You will also discover that this book is intended for learning and enjoyment. (Some Presbyterians have trouble doing the latter until they've first suffered through the former.) It's meant to spur conversation, to inform and edify, and to make you laugh. Think of the book as a comedian with a dry sense of humor and a degree in theology. It can be used in the classroom with students or at the dinner table with family or in solitude.

But however you use it, use it! It's printed on paper that accepts either ink or pencil nicely, so feel free to write and highlight in it (and there's room for notes in the back).

Anyway, the point is this: Being a follower of Jesus is hard enough without having to navigate the faith journey—let alone the maze of church culture—all alone. Sooner or later everyone needs a companion.

—THE EDITORS

CHURCH STUFF

Every well-prepared Presbyterian should have a basic understanding of Presbyterian teachings and where they came from.

Plus, since every church goes about worship in a slightly different way, it might take a little time to get the hang of things—especially if you're new to a congregation.

This section includes:

•Essential facts about the Presbyterian faith. (If you know these things, you'll know more than most.)

•Practical advice for singing hymns, taking Communion, and getting to know the people in your congregation.

•Hints for enjoying worship—even when you're having a bad day.

HOW TO BE A VISITOR

Where else does one get an hour of entertainment absolutely free? Go to worship! No reservation needed!

Whether you come from another church tradition or have no church experience at all, approach a new church like you would enter any foreign culture: with respect, patience, and a good attitude.

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Go with an open mind.

No two worship services are alike. The prayers, songs, and litanies will vary from church to church. They say most people enjoy approximately 60 percent of worship and hate the other 40 percent. The problem is your favorite part is probably someone else's worst moment. Look