The Bible Presbyterian Church was formed in 1939-1940, predominantly through the efforts of conservative Presbyterian clergyman Carl McIntire. 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... For conservatism in the United States and Canada, see Conservatism in North America. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ...

The Bible Presbyterian Church was an offshoot of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, formed slightly earlier and a continuation of the Presbyterian Church of America (not to be confused with the similar but later Presbyterian Church in America). Once the conservative faction had left the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA), they found that there was considerable dissention among the conservatives themselves, and it became evident that there were two groups within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The first group was more closely bound to conservative modes of worship, theological formulations, and the like. This group held to the classic formulations of Reformed theology and piety and remained within the "Orthodox" faction. Along with Westminster Seminary, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) was founded by conservative Presbyterians who revolted against the modernist theology within the Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA) during the 1930s. ... The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second largest Presbyterian Protestant church body in the United States, after the Presbyterian Church (USA). ... The Presbyterian Church (USA) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. ... Along with Westminster Seminary, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) was founded by conservative Presbyterians who revolted against the modernist theology within the Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA) during the 1930s. ...

The other faction had a conservatism that was more of a cultural and political conservatism, and saw the actions of the PCUSA as symptomatic of a rejection of long-held principles of conservative Christianity by much of the larger American society. This group was essentially fundamentalist in nature, and became associated with the "Bible" faction. McIntire laid the basis for much of what was to come to be called the "Christian right" in American religion and politics. The Elections and Parties Series Democracy Representative democracy History of democracy Referenda Liberal democracy Representation Voting Voting systems Ideology Elections Elections by country Elections by calender Electoral systems Politics Politics by country Political campaigns Political science Political philosophy Related topics Political parties Parties by country Parties by name Parties by... Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ... Fundamentalism is a movement to maintain strict adherence to founding principles. ... Christian Right is a term collectively referring to a spectrum of conservative Christian political and social movements and organizations characterized by their strong support of traditional social values in the United States and other western countries. ...

Two main issues made the existence of these factions within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church evident. The first had to do with a classic Reformed piety over against a piety of fundamentalism. It came down to a conflict of the use of alcoholic beverages. The "Orthodox" side condemned drunkenness, but nevertheless, did not agree that Scripture taught total abstinence from alcoholic beverages. The "Bible" side asserted that Christians ought to abstain totally from alcohol. In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ...

The second issue was over faithfulness to Covenant Theology versus the toleration of Dispensationalism. Those on the "Bible" side had come to tolerate, and even use the popular Scofield Reference Bible whose notes taught the theological system called Dispensationalism rather than Covenant Theology historically held in Reformed churches. Scofield's notes were under considerable criticism by faculty members of Westminster Theological Seminary, who led the "Orthodox" faction. Historic premillennialism was tolerated within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, yet the Dispensational form of premillenialism was considered to be serious error. Those who came to call themselves "Bible Presbyterians" saw the serious criticisms against Scofield's notes as a swipe against historic premillennialism itself, rather than merely the Dispensational form of premillennialism, and wanted the freedom to use the Scofield Reference Bible. The formal exodus of Bible Presbyterian churches came about in 1938, only two years after the forming of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, but it was not on unkind terms, as with the original split with the PCUSA. Covenant Theology (or Federal theology) is a prominent feature in Protestant theology, especially in the Reformed churches and, in different forms, in Methodism and in some Reformed Baptist churches. ... Dispensationalism is a branch of Christian theology that teaches biblical history as best understood in light of a number of successive economies or administrations under God, which it calls dispensations, and emphasizes prophecy of the end-times and the pre-tribulation rapture view of Christs second coming. ... The Scofield Reference Bible is a widely circulated annotated study Bible that was edited and annotated by Bible scholar Cyrus I. Scofield. ... Westminster Theological Seminary is a Reformed Christian graduate educational institution with campuses located in Pennsylvania, and Texas and programs of study in New York City, London, and Seoul. ...

The larger of the two Bible Presbyterian synods took the name of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and eventually merged with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, General Synod and then with the Presbyterian Church in America. The remaining synod retained the name Bible Presbyterian Church and today is rather small but influential well beyond its numbers. Many of its leading members are activists in political circles, particularly conservative Republican ones. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second largest Presbyterian Protestant church body in the United States, after the Presbyterian Church (USA). ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party [1]), is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ...

Bible Presbyterians do not have synod-controlled boards for missions and education, but annually approve independent agencies for mission work as well as colleges and seminaries.

External links

• Bible Presbyterian Church website
• History of the Bible Presbyterian Church
• History of the Presbyterian Church in America