The term Presbyterians originally denoted members of English-speaking Protestant churches that had adopted a presbyterial-synodal church polity (Church Order 2.). Within the Reformed confessional family, the Presbyterians represent a form of Calvinism distinct from Congregationalism. In their polity, borrowed from the Geneva church order of Calvin (1541/1561) with its four ministerial offices (Office 3.3.2.), leadership of the congregation and the church is exercised collegially in a presbytery made up of pastors and elders (presbyters; from Greek presbýteros,…
Presbyterians(709 words)
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Freudenberg, Matthias, “Presbyterians”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 05 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_025843>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20210107
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