United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
Classification	Protestant
Theology	Reformed
Polity	Presbyterian
Region	United States
Origin	May 28, 1958 Pittsburgh
Merger of	The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (the "Northern Presbyterians") and the United Presbyterian Church of North America
Separations	Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in 1981
Merged into	The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1983)
Members	2,351,119 in 1982

The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA) was a very large branch of the Presbyterian faith in the United States. It existed from May 28, 1958, until 1983. This church was formed when two other Presbyterian groups joined together. These were the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) and the United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA). They merged in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1958. This joining was a big step in bringing together different parts of the Presbyterian family.

How the Church Was Formed

Before 1958, both the PCUSA and the UPCNA were thinking about joining with other Reformed Churches. The PCUSA had even talked about merging with the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). They also considered joining with the Episcopal Church. Both groups also spoke with the Reformed Church in America. These discussions showed a desire for different churches to work together.

Key Moments in History

When the two churches merged, the PCUSA had churches all over the United States. The UPCNA had many churches in Western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio. A good example of their union was when two nearby schools for religious studies, called seminaries, combined. They formed the new Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

The UPCUSA first followed the Westminster Confession of Faith. This was a traditional set of beliefs for Presbyterian churches. However, as part of the 1958 merger, they decided to update their beliefs. Instead of just changing the old confession, they wrote a new one. This new set of beliefs was called the Confession of 1967. It was influenced by newer ways of thinking about faith.

The church also changed its promises for new leaders. Before 1967, leaders had to agree that the old beliefs were exactly what the Bible taught. After 1967, the promise changed. Leaders agreed to accept the main ideas of the Reformed faith. They saw these new beliefs as good guides for what the Bible teaches. Even with some disagreement, most church groups approved these new ideas.

Church Views on Social Issues

The UPCUSA, especially its leaders, strongly supported ideas like civil rights and feminism. These were about making sure all people had equal rights. Eugene Carson Blake was a key leader in the UPCUSA. He was very active in the civil rights movement. He even took part in the famous 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom with Martin Luther King Jr..

In 1964, the UPCUSA made history by electing Edler Garnet Hawkins as its leader, called a moderator. He was an African American pastor. This was a very important step for the church. Later, in 1974, Katie Cannon became the first African-American woman to be ordained as a minister in the UPCUSA.

Working with Other Churches

The UPCUSA was very active in working with other Christian churches. This effort is called ecumenical work. In 1960, Eugene Blake suggested a plan for several major churches to unite. These included the UPCUSA, The Methodist Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, and the United Church of Christ.

This idea led to discussions called the "Consultation on Church Union." It was later renamed the "Churches of Christ Uniting." The UPCUSA also joined bigger groups like the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. Eugene Blake even became the leader of the World Council of Churches in 1966.

Joining with the PCUS

As the UPCUSA became more open to new ideas, talks began again about merging with the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). The PCUS had separated from the main Presbyterian Church during the Civil War in 1861. Over time, the PCUS also started to become more open to new ideas. For example, they began allowing women to become ministers in 1964.

There had been attempts to merge these two churches before, but they failed. However, they started working together more closely. They had joint mission boards and even created a new hymnal together. In 1970, a "Plan of Union" was written.

In 1983, the churches finally voted on the merger. All 151 UPCUSA groups voted yes. Most of the PCUS groups also voted yes. On June 10, 1983, the two churches officially joined. They formed a new denomination called the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Well-Known Members

Many important leaders and thinkers were part of the UPCUSA. These included Eugene Carson Blake, Robert McAfee Brown, and William Sloane Coffin. Even a United States President, Dwight Eisenhower, was a member of the church.

See also

• List of Moderators of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
• United Presbyterian Church in the USA synods and presbyteries 1968