4.Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church

Presbyterianism is the established religion in Scotland，which was inspired by the teachings of the Swiss Protestant reformer John Calvin（1509-1564），who started a movement that spread to France，Germany，and other parts of Europe.On the Continent，the Reformed Church came into being in response to his message.The fiery John Knox（1505？-1572），a student of Calvin’s at Geneva，brought his doctrines to Scotland.He started Presbyterianism on a radicai Calvinistic basis，uprooting every vestige of the Catholic religion in Scotland.The growth of Presbyterianism was so complete that by 1560it was the official religion of the Scottish nation.And when Puritanism took power in the 17th-century England，the Presbyterians were the largest faction within it.

The Westminster Confession（1645-1647），the most famous statement of English Calvinism，is the basis of the Presbyterian creed.Presbyterians believe that the Scriptures are“the only infallible rule of faith and practice.”They also believe in the Trinity and the existence of heaven and hell.A once important Calvinist tenet，predestination（holding that God，not the indi-vidual，determines the individual’s fate）is no longer emphasized.Church rule is democratic.The individual church is governed by the session，or Kirk session in Scotland，consisting of a“teaching elder”（an ordained minister）and“ruling elders”（members elected from the congregation）.The regional tier，the synod，which covers several presbyteries，now has a reduced role.And the ultimate authority rests with the General Assembly，the annual meeting of ministers and elders that supervises and directs overall policies.