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{{Infobox Christian denomination| name = Presbyterian Church in Ireland| image = Presbyterian church in ireland logo.png| imagewidth = 300px| caption = Modern logo of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland| main_classification = Protestant| polity = [Presbyterian polity| founder = James I of England| founded_date = 1610| founded_place =| separated_from =| parent =
Church of Scotland (separated [1951)]| area =
Ireland and [Northern Ireland, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in
Ireland, and the largest
Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland.
Membership
PCI has a membership of approximately 300,000 people in 550 Congregation (worship) across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, though the bulk of the membership is in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest church in Northern Ireland, the first being the
Roman Catholic ChurchConfusion can arise from the fact that overall, the majority of the people of Northern Ireland are members of the various
Protestant churches such as the
Presbyterianism Church,
Church of Ireland,
Methodist Church and several others. Therefore the Roman Catholic Church is smaller than the combined Protestant denominations in Northern Ireland.. In the
Republic of Ireland the church is the second largest
protestant denomination, after the
Church of Ireland. All the congregations of the church are represented up to the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (the church's government).
History
Presbyterianism in
Ireland dates from the time of the
Plantation of Ulster in 1610. During the reign of
James_I_of_England of Ireland (James VI of Scotland) a large number of
Scotland Presbyterians emigrated to Ireland. The first move away from the Church of Scotland, of which the Presbyterians in Ireland were part, saw the creation of the Presbytery of Ulster in 1642 by chaplains of a Scottish army which had arrived to crush the rising of 1641. Under Oliver_Cromwell congregations multiplied and new presbyteries were formed. After the Restoration, nonconforming ministers were removed from parishes of the Established Church, but the Irish administration could not afford to alienate such a substantial Protestant population and Presbyterianism was allowed to continue in the country, with the stipends of ministers paid through the
regium donum - literally 'the King's gift'.
William_III_of_England rewarded Presbyterian support against
James_II_of_England (James VII of Scotland) with an increase in the
regium donum. From the 1690s, Presbyterian congregations, now organised in the Synod of Ulster, enjoyed practical freedom of religion, confirmed by the Toleration Act of 1719. However, their members remained very conscious both of continuing legal disabilities under the
Penal Laws (Ireland) and of economic hardship as many were tenant farmers and objected to the payment of tithes to support the
Church of Ireland. Throughout the eighteenth century, many Presbyterians were involved in movements for reform, which culminated with their prominent involvement in the United Irishmen.S. J. Connolly ed.,
The Oxford Companion to Irish History (OUP, 1998), see also R. F. G. Holmes
Our Irish Presbyterian Heritage (Belfast, 1985) and P. Brooke,
Ulster Presbyterianism: the historical perspective (Dublin, 1987)
The eighteenth century saw significant tensions within the Synod of Ulster, which was divided between the Old Lights and the New Lights. The Old Lights were conservative Calvinism who believed that ministers and ordinands should subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith. The New Lights were more liberal and were unhappy with the Westminster Confession and did not require ministers to subscribe to it. The New lights dominated the Synod of Ulster during the eighteenth century, allowing the more conservative
Church_of_Scotland dissenters,
United_Presbyterian_Church_of_Scotland and
Covenanters to establish a strong presence in Ulster.Ian McBride,
Scripture Politics: Ulster Presbyterians and Irish Radicalism in the Late Eighteenth Century, (Oxford, 1998)
In the nineteenth century, a belief that some of those who did not subscribe to the Westminster Confession were in fact Arianism provoked a new phase of the conflict. I. R. McBride, '"When Ulster Joined Ireland": Anti-Popery, Presbyterian Radicalism and Irish Republicanism in the 1790s',
Past and Present 157(1997), pp.70-1 This ended when seventeen ministers opposed to subscription seceded with their congregations to form the Remonstrant Syond. This led to the restoration of obligatory subscription to the Westminster Confession within the Synod of Ulster and facilitated union with the Seceders in 1840 to create the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The united church was active in missionary activity both at home and abroad, particularly benefitting from the evangelical Ulster Revival of 1859. D. W. Miller, ‘Did Ulster Presbyterians have a devotional revolution?’ in J. H Murphy (ed.), Evangelicals and Catholics in Nineteenth Century Ireland (Dublin, 2005)pp52-4.
PCI today
The current (2006-07) Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the David Clarke (minister), who is the minister of Terrace Row Presbyterian Church in
Coleraine.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a founding member of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches, has over 560 congregation (worship) in 21 presbyteries across Ireland.
The PCI is involved in education, evangelism, social service and mission in a number of areas around the world;
The headquarters of the church are at Church House, Belfast in
Belfast. Plans to relocate to a new development in May Street have been cancelled.
The 21 presbyteries are: Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Derry/Strabane, Donegal, Down, Dromore, Dublin/Munster, East Belfast, Foyle, Iveagh, Monaghan, Newry, North Belfast, Omagh, Route, South Belfast, Templepatrick, and Tyrone.
Church and worship
Apart from the seats for worshippers (not shown above), the inside of the church is dominated by four items of furniture.
- The Pulpit is the place from which the sermon is delivered and it reflects the important place given to teaching the Word of God in the church's life.
- The Bible Stand holds the bible in a prominent place in the church. The bible is the source of all authority in the life of the church.
- The Communion Table occupies the central place in the church. The associated chairs are occupied by the minister and elders during the service of Holy Communion.
- The Baptismal Font is used during baptisms, which is the rite of entry into church membership. Children are regarded as sharing the promise of salvation with adults in the church and have as much right to be baptised as adults. ('Infant Baptism' does not guarantee admission to Full Membership. Full Membership is only accepted on Profession of a personal Faith.)
Service
The
Bible is central in the Presbyterian Church, along with Prayer and Praise. The worship is a mix of
prayers, hymns,
psalms, paraphrases,
Scripture readings and
sermons. In recent years, psalms and paraphrases have been used less but are still an important part of worship. The order of service varies from church to church but it generally involves a hymn, followed by a prayer, followed by a childrens address and a children's hymn. This is then followed by an expository sermon by the minister and another hymn, then another prayer and a closing hymn. Most Presbyterian churches mix more traditional hymns with modern praise songs, and many churches now have praise bands with a variety of instruments, as well as the traditional organ.
Logo and motto
The motto of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is "Ardens sed Virens" - "burning but flourishing". It is usually seen alongside the Burning Bush, the church's symbol. A burning bush was included in the more modern logo (top).
Main article :
Burning Bush
According to the
Bible, in
Exodus 3:2, Moses heard the voice of
God coming from a
burning bush that was not consumed by
fire. This occurred after he had to flee Egypt, and was when he was called to go and demand the release of the
Israelites.
Bodies to which the PCI is affiliated
Footnotes
Books
Finlay Holmes
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland: A Popular History. (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: The Columba Press, 2000) ISBN 1-85607-284-3
Laurence Kirkpatrick
Presbyterians in Ireland: An Illustrated History. (Holywood, Co. Down: Booklink, 2006) ISBN 0955409713
Ian McBride,
Scripture Politics: Ulster Presbyterians and Irish Radicalism in the Late Eighteenth Century, (Oxford: Calrendon Press, 1998) ISBN 0198206429
See also
Other Presbyterian Churches in Ireland
External links
- Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Church Website
- The Presbyterian Herald Online - Church Newspaper
- pciYOUTH - Youth Website of the PCI
Local churches
- Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church, Finaghy
- First Ballymena Presbyterian Church
- Buckna Presbyterian Church
- New Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine
- Donegal Presbyterian Church
- Carlisle Road Presbyterian Church
- Ebrington Presbyterian Church
- Newmills Presbyterian Church
- Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church
- Knock Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- Loughgall Presbyterian Church
- Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- Second Presbyterian Church, Comber
- Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- First Larne Presbyterian Church
- Greystone Road Presbyterian church (Antrim)
- Abbots Cross Presbyterian Church, Newtownabbey
{{Infobox Christian denomination| name = Presbyterian Church in Ireland| image = Presbyterian church in ireland logo.png| imagewidth = 300px| caption = Modern logo of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland| main_classification =
Protestant| polity = [Presbyterian polity| founder =
James I of England| founded_date = 1610| founded_place =| separated_from =| parent = Church of Scotland (separated [1951)]| area =
Ireland and [Northern Ireland, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland.
Membership
PCI has a membership of approximately 300,000 people in 550 Congregation (worship) across both
Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland, though the bulk of the membership is in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest church in Northern Ireland, the first being the
Roman Catholic ChurchConfusion can arise from the fact that overall, the majority of the people of Northern Ireland are members of the various Protestant churches such as the Presbyterianism Church, Church of Ireland,
Methodist Church and several others. Therefore the
Roman Catholic Church is smaller than the combined Protestant denominations in Northern Ireland.. In the Republic of Ireland the church is the second largest
protestant denomination, after the Church of Ireland. All the congregations of the church are represented up to the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (the church's government).
History
Presbyterianism in Ireland dates from the time of the
Plantation of Ulster in 1610. During the reign of
James_I_of_England of Ireland (James VI of Scotland) a large number of Scotland Presbyterians emigrated to Ireland. The first move away from the Church of Scotland, of which the Presbyterians in Ireland were part, saw the creation of the Presbytery of Ulster in 1642 by chaplains of a Scottish army which had arrived to crush the rising of 1641. Under Oliver_Cromwell congregations multiplied and new presbyteries were formed. After the Restoration, nonconforming ministers were removed from parishes of the Established Church, but the Irish administration could not afford to alienate such a substantial Protestant population and Presbyterianism was allowed to continue in the country, with the stipends of ministers paid through the
regium donum - literally 'the King's gift'.
William_III_of_England rewarded Presbyterian support against
James_II_of_England (James VII of Scotland) with an increase in the
regium donum. From the 1690s, Presbyterian congregations, now organised in the Synod of Ulster, enjoyed practical freedom of religion, confirmed by the Toleration Act of 1719. However, their members remained very conscious both of continuing legal disabilities under the Penal Laws (Ireland) and of economic hardship as many were tenant farmers and objected to the payment of tithes to support the Church of Ireland. Throughout the eighteenth century, many Presbyterians were involved in movements for reform, which culminated with their prominent involvement in the
United Irishmen.S. J. Connolly ed.,
The Oxford Companion to Irish History (OUP, 1998), see also R. F. G. Holmes
Our Irish Presbyterian Heritage (Belfast, 1985) and P. Brooke,
Ulster Presbyterianism: the historical perspective (Dublin, 1987)
The eighteenth century saw significant tensions within the Synod of Ulster, which was divided between the Old Lights and the New Lights. The Old Lights were conservative
Calvinism who believed that ministers and ordinands should subscribe to the
Westminster Confession of Faith. The New Lights were more liberal and were unhappy with the Westminster Confession and did not require ministers to subscribe to it. The New lights dominated the Synod of Ulster during the eighteenth century, allowing the more conservative
Church_of_Scotland dissenters,
United_Presbyterian_Church_of_Scotland and Covenanters to establish a strong presence in Ulster.Ian McBride,
Scripture Politics: Ulster Presbyterians and Irish Radicalism in the Late Eighteenth Century, (Oxford, 1998)
In the nineteenth century, a belief that some of those who did not subscribe to the Westminster Confession were in fact Arianism provoked a new phase of the conflict. I. R. McBride, '"When Ulster Joined Ireland": Anti-Popery, Presbyterian Radicalism and Irish Republicanism in the 1790s',
Past and Present 157(1997), pp.70-1 This ended when seventeen ministers opposed to subscription seceded with their congregations to form the Remonstrant Syond. This led to the restoration of obligatory subscription to the Westminster Confession within the Synod of Ulster and facilitated union with the Seceders in 1840 to create the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The united church was active in missionary activity both at home and abroad, particularly benefitting from the evangelical Ulster Revival of 1859. D. W. Miller, ‘Did Ulster Presbyterians have a devotional revolution?’ in J. H Murphy (ed.), Evangelicals and Catholics in Nineteenth Century Ireland (Dublin, 2005)pp52-4.
PCI today
The current (2006-07) Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the David Clarke (minister), who is the minister of Terrace Row Presbyterian Church in
Coleraine.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a founding member of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches, has over 560 congregation (worship) in 21
presbyteries across Ireland.
The PCI is involved in education, evangelism, social service and mission in a number of areas around the world;
- India
- China (see also: Irish Presbyterian Mission)
- The Middle East
- Jamaica
- Africa
- Indonesia
- Nepal
- Brazil
The headquarters of the church are at Church House, Belfast in Belfast. Plans to relocate to a new development in May Street have been cancelled.
The 21 presbyteries are: Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Derry/Strabane, Donegal, Down, Dromore, Dublin/Munster, East Belfast, Foyle, Iveagh, Monaghan, Newry, North Belfast, Omagh, Route, South Belfast, Templepatrick, and Tyrone.
Church and worship
Apart from the seats for worshippers (not shown above), the inside of the church is dominated by four items of furniture.
- The Pulpit is the place from which the sermon is delivered and it reflects the important place given to teaching the Word of God in the church's life.
- The Bible Stand holds the bible in a prominent place in the church. The bible is the source of all authority in the life of the church.
- The Communion Table occupies the central place in the church. The associated chairs are occupied by the minister and elders during the service of Holy Communion.
- The Baptismal Font is used during baptisms, which is the rite of entry into church membership. Children are regarded as sharing the promise of salvation with adults in the church and have as much right to be baptised as adults. ('Infant Baptism' does not guarantee admission to Full Membership. Full Membership is only accepted on Profession of a personal Faith.)
Service
The
Bible is central in the Presbyterian Church, along with Prayer and Praise. The worship is a mix of
prayers,
hymns, psalms,
paraphrases,
Scripture readings and
sermons. In recent years, psalms and paraphrases have been used less but are still an important part of worship. The order of service varies from church to church but it generally involves a hymn, followed by a prayer, followed by a childrens address and a children's hymn. This is then followed by an expository sermon by the minister and another hymn, then another prayer and a closing hymn. Most Presbyterian churches mix more traditional hymns with modern praise songs, and many churches now have praise bands with a variety of instruments, as well as the traditional organ.
Logo and motto
The motto of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is "Ardens sed Virens" - "burning but flourishing". It is usually seen alongside the Burning Bush, the church's symbol. A burning bush was included in the more modern logo (top).
Main article : Burning Bush
According to the Bible, in Exodus 3:2, Moses heard the voice of
God coming from a
burning bush that was not consumed by fire. This occurred after he had to flee
Egypt, and was when he was called to go and demand the release of the Israelites.
Bodies to which the PCI is affiliated
Footnotes
Books
Finlay Holmes
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland: A Popular History. (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: The Columba Press, 2000) ISBN 1-85607-284-3
Laurence Kirkpatrick
Presbyterians in Ireland: An Illustrated History. (Holywood, Co. Down: Booklink, 2006) ISBN 0955409713
Ian McBride,
Scripture Politics: Ulster Presbyterians and Irish Radicalism in the Late Eighteenth Century, (Oxford: Calrendon Press, 1998) ISBN 0198206429
See also
- Presbyterianism
- Religion in the United Kingdom
Other Presbyterian Churches in Ireland
External links
- Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Church Website
- The Presbyterian Herald Online - Church Newspaper
- pciYOUTH - Youth Website of the PCI
Local churches
- Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church, Finaghy
- First Ballymena Presbyterian Church
- Buckna Presbyterian Church
- New Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine
- Donegal Presbyterian Church
- Carlisle Road Presbyterian Church
- Ebrington Presbyterian Church
- Newmills Presbyterian Church
- Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church
- Knock Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- Loughgall Presbyterian Church
- Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- Second Presbyterian Church, Comber
- Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, Belfast
- First Larne Presbyterian Church
- Greystone Road Presbyterian church (Antrim)
- Abbots Cross Presbyterian Church, Newtownabbey