Presbyterian polity

[1] In contrast to the other two forms, authority in the presbyterian polity flows both from the top down (as higher assemblies exercise limited but important authority over individual congregations, e.g., only the presbytery can ordain ministers, install pastors, and start up, close, and approve relocating a congregation) and from the bottom up (e.g., the moderator and officers are not appointed from above but are rather elected by and from among the members of the assembly).

Much of the history of the Church of Scotland and the nation itself is bound up with the relation between Episcopalianism, which the Protestant monarchs favoured, and the Presbyterianism of the reformers.

Thus, the ministers and "elders" govern together as a group, and at all times the office is for the service of the congregation, to pray for them and to encourage them in the faith.

Presbyterians typically have viewed this method of government as approximating that of the New Testament and earliest churches.

[12]: Chapter 1 In every Church completely organized, that is, furnished with all the officers which Christ has instituted and which are necessary for carrying into full effect the laws of his kingdom, there ought to be three classes of officers, viz: at least one Teaching Elder, Bishop, or Pastor — a bench of Ruling Elders — and Deacons.

The first to "minister in the Word and Doctrine", and to dispense the sacraments; — the second to assist in the inspection and government of the Church; — and the third to "serve tables"; that is, to take care of the Church's funds destined for the support of the poor, and sometimes to manage whatever relates to the temporal support of the gospel and its ministers.Depending upon the specific denomination, teaching elders may also be referred to with terms such as "Minister of Word and Sacrament".

[citation needed] However, in many churches, ruling elders retain their ordination for life, even though they serve fixed terms.

[15] In addition to sitting on the session and other church courts, ruling elders have duties as individuals.

Again, Miller (1831) explains, [12]: Chapter 9 It is their duty to have an eye of inspection and care over all the members of the congregation; and, for this purpose, to cultivate a universal and intimate acquaintance, as far as may be, with every family in the flock of which they are made "overseers".In some denominations they are called Ministers of Word and Sacrament, and in others they are called Teaching Elders.

Until the 20th century, only men had been eligible for ordination as elders or ministers of the word and sacrament.

This is widely not the case any longer, although it is usually considered a demarcation issue, distinguishing "liberal" from "conservative" Presbyterian denominations.

In some churches, deacons exercise responsibility for practical matters of finance and fabric, either separately or together with the elders.

A session is a corporate body of teaching and ruling elders elected by a particular church.

In some Continental Reformed churches, deacons are members of the consistory; others, such as the Christian Reformed Church in North America, distinguish between the consistory, comprising the pastor and elders, and the council, which comprises the pastor(s), the elders, and the deacons.

[16] In most denominations the pastor serves as Moderator and presides over the session (primus inter pares), in which all elders have an equal vote.

Although it is the responsibility of the Moderator (minister), Session Clerks often have the ability to assist in keeping meetings on track due to skills which are received from experience and the Holy Spirit.

In presbyterianism, congregations are united in accountability to a regional body called the presbytery, or, in Continental Reformed terminology, the classis, which comes from the Latin word for "fleet".

As with the moderators of synods and assemblies, the moderatorship is a primus inter pares position appointed by the presbytery itself.

The stated or principal clerk takes minutes and deals with the correspondence of the presbytery, and is often appointed for an indefinite term.

However, the United Church of Canada does not bear the formal ecclesiastical structure of classic Presbyterianism.

General assemblies meet less regularly than their subordinate courts, often annually, or in the case of the Presbyterian Church (USA), every other year.

There may be issues arising between annual General Assemblies which require urgent attention.