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 older Presbyterian groups joined together. These were the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (often called the "Northern Presbyterians") and the United Presbyterian Church of North America.

They merged at a meeting in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in May 1958. Leaders from the "Northern" Presbyterian Church worked hard to make this happen. It was like a family reunion for these two groups, which had separated a long time ago. Both groups had roots in the British Isles.

What Led to the Church Merger?

Before the merger, both the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the United Presbyterian Church of North America were thinking about joining with other Reformed Churches. From 1937 to 1955, they explored different possibilities.

The "Northern" Presbyterian Church had talked about merging with the Presbyterian Church in the United States. They also considered joining with the Episcopal Church. Both Presbyterian groups had also been in touch with the Reformed Church in America. They also spoke with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

How Did the UPCUSA Grow and Change?

When the two churches merged, the "Northern" Presbyterian Church had congregations in all 50 states. The United Presbyterian Church of North America had many churches in Western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio. One big change after the merger was combining two nearby seminaries. These schools, which train church leaders, became the new Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

New Beliefs and Rules

For many years, the UPCUSA followed the Westminster Confession of Faith. This was a set of beliefs and rules for the church. However, one part of the 1958 merger agreement was to update this old confession. Instead of just changing the old one, a special group created a brand new set of beliefs.

This new set was called the Confession of 1967. It was influenced by a way of thinking called neo-orthodoxy. The church also added other important statements of faith to what they called the Book of Confessions.

Changes to Ordination Vows

The UPCUSA also changed the promises people make when they become church leaders. Before 1967, leaders had to agree that the old Confession of Faith truly taught what the Bible said. After 1967, the promise changed. New leaders agreed to accept the main ideas of the Reformed faith. They also promised to be guided by the church's confessions.

Some members, especially those with more traditional views, strongly disagreed with these changes. They also worried about the church's focus on social issues. Despite this, most of the church's regional groups, called presbyteries, approved the new documents.

What Were the UPCUSA's Views on Society?

The UPCUSA, especially its leaders, often supported new ideas and social changes. They were strong supporters of civil rights and feminism. These movements aimed to give equal rights to all people, regardless of race or gender.

Leaders for Change

Eugene Carson Blake was a key leader in the UPCUSA from 1954 to 1966. He was very active in the civil rights movement. He even took part in the famous August 28, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom with Martin Luther King Jr..

The next year, the UPCUSA did something very important. They elected Edler Garnet Hawkins as their moderator. He was an African American pastor. He held this important position until 1970.

In the early 1970s, the church faced some controversy. This happened when it provided financial support to groups working for social change. Some members disagreed with these decisions. On April 24, 1974, Katie Cannon became the first African-American woman to be ordained as a minister in the UPCUSA. This happened in Shelby, North Carolina.

How Did the UPCUSA Work with Other Churches?

The UPCUSA was very active in working with other Christian churches. This effort is called ecumenism.

Efforts to Unite Churches

In December 1960, Eugene Blake, a UPCUSA leader, gave a speech. He suggested a plan to unite the UPCUSA with several other large churches. These included The Methodist Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, and the United Church of Christ.

Following Blake's idea, the UPCUSA invited these churches to talk about uniting. This led to something called the "Consultation on Church Union." It was later renamed the "Churches of Christ Uniting." The UPCUSA was also part of bigger groups like the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. Blake even became the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches in 1966.

The UPCUSA and PCUS Join Together

As the UPCUSA became more open to new ideas, talks began about merging with the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). The PCUS had separated from the main Presbyterian Church in 1861 because of the Civil War. The PCUS had also started to become more open to new ideas in the 1950s and 1960s. For example, they began allowing women to become ministers in 1964.

There had been an attempt to merge the UPCUSA and PCUS in 1954, but it didn't work. However, the two churches started working together more closely. They combined their foreign mission efforts and created a new hymnal in 1955. By 1970, they had drafted a "Plan of Union."

In December 1973, a new, more traditional Presbyterian group formed. This led many traditional members to leave the PCUS. This sped up the plans for the merger. Also, in 1981, some traditional members left the UPCUSA to form the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. This also helped push the merger forward.

Finally, in 1983, the churches voted on the merger. All 151 regional groups in the UPCUSA approved it. In the PCUS, 53 groups approved it, and 8 did not. On June 10, 1983, the first meeting was held for the new combined church. It was named the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Who Were Some Famous Members?

Many important leaders and thinkers were part of the UPCUSA. These included Eugene Carson Blake, Robert McAfee Brown, Lloyd John Ogilvie, William Sloane Coffin, and David H. C. Read. Even 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