Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Wikipedia
Presbyterianism is the religion of a number of different Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, and organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Christ.
Presbyterianism evolved primarily in Scotland before the Act of Union in 1707. Most of the few Presbyteries found in England can trace a Scottish connection. Although some adherents hold to the theology of Calvin and his immediate successors, there are a range of theological views within contemporary Presbyterianism.
Modern Presbyterianism traces its institutional roots back to the Scottish Reformation. Local congregations are governed by Sessions made up of representatives of the congregation, a conciliar approach which is found at other levels of decision-making (Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly). Theoretically, there are no bishops in Presbyterianism; however, some groups in Eastern Europe, and in ecumenical groups, do have bishops. The office of elder is another distinctive mark of Presbyterianism: these are specially commissioned non-clergy who take part in local pastoral care and decision-making at all levels.
The roots of Presbyterianism lie in the European Reformation of the 16th century, with the example of John Calvin's Geneva being particularly influential. Most Reformed churches who trace their history back to Scotland are either Presbyterian or Congregationalist in government.
In the twentieth century, some Presbyterians have played an important role in the Ecumenical Movement, including the World Council of Churches. Many Presbyterian denominations have found ways of working together with other Reformed denominations and Christians of other traditions, especially in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Some Presbyterian churches have entered into unions with other churches, such as Congregationalists, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Methodists.
- Presbyterian Church USA
- Worship — Service for the Lord's Day (Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church), an article describing an order of worship typical of mainline English-speaking Presbyterian congregations.
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
- Cumberland Presbyterian Churches
- Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Presbyterian Church in America
- Spanish Reformed Churches I.R.E.
- Mizoram Presbyterian Church, Mizoram, India (Mizo language)
- Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing
- Machen, J. Gresham (1923). Christianity and Liberalism.
- Greenbush Presbyterian Church
- Presbyterian Church in Brazil (I.P.B.)
- Ghost Ranch-A Presbyterian Retreat and Educational Center
- [4]
[edit] Archives
- Historical Center of the Presbyterian Church in America, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN, USA
- Presbyterian Church Archives of Aotearoa, New Zealand, Opoho, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Foreign Missions Archives for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives and Records Office, Toronto, Canada
- Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Presbyterian Church in Ireland Archives, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat
- The Historian of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Annotations
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[This annotation was posted by Steve H for 5 Mar, 1659/60:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1660/03/05/index.php#c2587 ]
Presbyterianism : some background
Presbyterianism is a Scottish (and English) version of Calvinist Protestantism. Parallel churches in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands are called -
[And general info on Presbyterian ‘Covenanters’ in the Civil War, posted by Hhomeboy for 5 Mar., 1659/60:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1660/03/05/index.php#c2561 ]
Re: Parliamentary Presbyterians and the Covenant (from the 6th edition of the Columbia Encyclopedia):
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Presbyterians in 17th-c politics
[And this from vk for the 29 April 1660 entry:]It’s absolutely necessary to remember that the term Presbyterian had two distinct meanings at this time (that is, 1644-1660). It could refer to the religious movement, or it could refer to one of the two political parties in the Commons. In late 1644 the entire Commons divided into Presbyterians vs. Independants.
The Presbyterians had two major goals: 1) they wanted a single national church , with a Presbyterian government, instead of toleration for sects independant of the national church; and they wanted to negotiate for peace with the King. The Independants wanted toleration and they wanted to defeat the King on the field and then force demands on him.
By late 1648, when the King had been defeated, the Presbyterians were the majority in the Commons, and were pressing Charles I to accept the Treaty of Newport. The Independants were the minority, but they had almost complete influence over the army. The army wanted to put the King on trial and the Presbyterian majority was blocking this. So the army threw the Presbyterians out of the House and they had no role for ten years.
Once the Presbyterians came back in February - and presumably formed the majority again - they picked up where they left off: they wanted a King who accepted the terms of the Treaty of Newport, which included the establishment of a national Presbyterian church among other things.
Now the new election has also reintroduced the ‘cavaliers’, those who never wanted to tamper with the Episcopal church in the first place. The presumably want episcopacy back. The Independants want toleration: they don’t want to be forced to join any church, Episcopal or Presbyterian.
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see discussion may 11th:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1662/05/11/index.php -
Calvin’s Reformed churches were called Presbyterian because the church authority is vested in of duly ordained *Elders*, ET of the New Testament Gk *presbyteroi* (not by bishops, ET of the Gk *episkopoi*, “overseers” > Episcopal governance). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyterianism
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from JWB:
see index [below] for many names of these de-listed vicars many were scholars.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZocAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA55&vq=plague&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1#PPR52,M1