This course provides an overview of Presbyterian Church (USA) polity, both in principle and in practice. There will be an emphasis on the use of the Constitution in the local congregation as well as the governing bodies. Basic parliamentary procedure will also be addressed. Class structure will include lectures, and discussion of case studies.
Course Objectives
- To help students become knowledgeable interpreters of the polity of the church in the local congregation.
- To instill in students an appreciation for our connectional nature.
- To equip students to become competent moderators of Session, when and where permitted by the Presbytery.
Texts for the Course:
Required Books
- The Book of Confessions
- The Book of Order, 2005-2007
- History and Theology in the Book of Order: Blood on Every Page: Leader's Guide, William Chapman
- Presbyterian Polity for Church Officers, Gray and Tucker
Recommended Books
- The Companion to the Constitution
- Robert?s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th Edition
- The Ordination Questions: a Study for Church Officers, Rice & Chinn, Geneva Press, 1996
- Finding Christ in the Book of Order, William Chapman