The
Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. (The larger
Uniting Church in AustraliaThe Uniting Church in Australia was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia, and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
includes some congregations that were formerly Presbyterian).
Presbyterian Christianity came to Australia with the arrival of Presbyterians from different Presbyterian denominations in
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
at the end of the 18th century.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia was formed when Presbyterian Churches from various Australian states federated in 1901.
The
Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. (The larger
Uniting Church in AustraliaThe Uniting Church in Australia was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia, and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
includes some congregations that were formerly Presbyterian).
Beginnings
Presbyterian Christianity came to Australia with the arrival of Presbyterians from different Presbyterian denominations in
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
at the end of the 18th century.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia was formed when Presbyterian Churches from various Australian states federated in 1901. The churches that formed the Presbyterian Church of Australia were the Presbyterian Churches of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia. These state churches were incorporated by Act of Parliament for property holding purposes.
Church Union
In 1977 two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the
Congregational Union of AustraliaThe Congregational Union of Australia was a Congregational denomination in Australia.Two hundred and sixty of its congregations joined the Uniting Church in Australia, which was formed in 1977 by the union of congregations of the Congregational Union, Methodist Church of Australasia, and...
, and the
Methodist Church of AustralasiaThe Methodist Church of Australasia was a Methodist denomination based in Australia.It ceased to exist in 1977 when most of its congregations joined with the many congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia to form the Uniting Church in...
joined to form the
Uniting Church in AustraliaThe Uniting Church in Australia was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia, and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
. Much of the third that did not join the Uniting Church did not agree with its
liberal viewsLiberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onwards...
, although a number remained because of cultural connections.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia’s
official web site stated that the church has over 50,000 adults and children within its communion, more than 600 ministers, deaconesses and theological students, and 740 congregations.
At the last Commonwealth census (2001) nearly 720,000 people describes themselves as being Presbyterian. This makes Presbyterianism Australia’s fourth largest denomination, although not all Presbyterians are members of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. See also
List of Presbyterian Denominations in Australia.
Church organisations
The Presbyterian Church of Australia’s missionary organisation is Mission Partners, formerly the Australia Presbyterian World Mission. This organisation has more than 170 cross-cultural missionaries.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia has established
ArabArab people or Arabs are an ethnic group whose members identify along linguistic, cultural or genealogical grounds...
ic,
ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98 percent of the population of the Republic of China , 75 percent of the...
,
Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. The fifteen small islands in this South Pacific Ocean country have a total land area of 240 square kilometres , but the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone covers 1.8 million square kilometres...
,
IndonesiaThe Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, with the world's largest population of Muslims.Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n,
JapaneseThe are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries are referred to as...
, Korean,
SamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa , is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai'i...
n and
SudanSudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
ese congregations, as well as a Deaf Presbyterian Church.
The
Presbyterian Inland MissionThe Presbyterian Inland Mission is the successor in the Presbyterian Church of Australia to the work of the Australian Inland Mission, founded by Rev. John Flynn. The equivalent in the Uniting Church is called Frontier Services....
continues the work of the
Australian Inland MissionThe Australian Presbyterian Mission was founded by the Presbyterian Church of Australia to reach those "beyond the farthest fence" with God's Word. It is better known as the Australian Inland Mission . Rev...
founded by
John FlynnJohn Flynn may refer to:*John Flynn , former baseball player*John Flynn , American film director*John Flynn , Irish footballer*John Flynn , Fianna Fáil politician from Kerry...
in 1912. Padres patrol
outbackThe Outback is the remote arid areas of Australia, although the term colloquially can refer to any lands outside of the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas deemed "the bush".-Overview:The outback is...
QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
,
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
,
South AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
and
Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
, and hopes to expand into the
Northern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
when resources become available.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia publishes the monthly
Australian Presbyterian magazine, and provides social and educational services.
Schools
The following schools have links with or are run by the Presbyterian Church of Australia. The closeness and formality of association varies.
Australian Capital Territory
- Covenant College
Covenant College is an independent Christian primary and high school located in Gordon in the Australian Capital Territory and run by the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
, Tuggeranong
New South Wales
- Cooerwull Academy
The Cooerwull Academy was an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Bowenfels, a small town on the western outskirts of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia....
, LithgowLithgow is situated in New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales...
(Now closed)
- Presbyterian Ladies College
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls. The school is located in Armidale, a large rural town with a population of 28,000 in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia.PLC Armidale currently caters for approximately...
, ArmidaleArmidale is a university and cathedral city in northern New South Wales, Australia, in Armidale Dumaresq Council. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It is located approximately half way between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway,...
- Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls in Croydon, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, Australia...
, CroydonCroydon is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Croydon is located 11 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district...
- The Scots College
For other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
- The Scots School
The Scots School, Bathurst , is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school, with campuses in Bathurst and Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia....
, BathurstBathurst is a regional centre in the state of New South Wales, Australia approximately 200 km west of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Regional Council Local Government Area. It has a population of approximately 37,000 It is the oldest inland settlement in Australia.-History:The...
- St Andrews Christian School, Grafton
Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1855, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached by road, rail or air...
http://www.standrewscs.nsw.edu.au
Queensland
- Fairholme College
Fairholme College is an independent, day and boarding school for girls, located in Toowoomba, one of Australia's largest provincial cities, in South East Queensland, Australia....
, ToowoombaToowoomba is a city in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an urban population of 95,265...
The following schools in Queensland are conducted by
the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association.
- Brisbane Boys' College
Brisbane Boys' College , is an independent, Presbyterian and Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Toowong, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
, ToowongToowong is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia which is located 5 km west of the Brisbane CBD. At the centre of Toowong is a commercial precinct including Toowong Village and several office buildings...
- Clayfield College
Clayfield College is an independent, Uniting Church and Presbyterian, day and boarding school, predominantly for girls, located in Clayfield, an inner-northern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
, ClayfieldClayfield is a prestigious inner-northern suburb of Brisbane, located approximately 7 km from the CBD. Clayfield is bordered to the north by Nundah, to the East by Ascot and Hendra, to the west by Wooloowin and to the South by Albion....
- Somerville House
Somerville House is a highly selective, independent, boarding and day school for girls, located in South Brisbane, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
, South BrisbaneSouth Brisbane is an inner city suburb of Brisbane, Australia located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, directly connected to the central business district by the Kurilpa, Victoria and Goodwill bridges....
Victoria
- Belgrave Heights Christian School
Belgrave Heights Christian School is a small primary and secondary school in Belgrave Heights near Belgrave in the Dandenong Ranges 36 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located on the new driveway, Wattle Valley Road which is off Mount Morton Road, which is a continuation of...
, Belgrave HeightsBelgrave Heights is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 38 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges...
- King's College
King's College, Warrnambool, is an independent Christian school located in Warrnambool, Victoria. It was founded in 1986 and is owned by the Presbyterian Church of Victoria .-External links:*...
, WarrnamboolWarrnambool is a regional city on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. It is at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, but is more quickly reached along the Princes Highway, 265 kilometres and 3 hours from Melbourne by road or rail.-...
- Presbyterian Ladies College
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, located in Burwood, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, Burwood
- St Andrew's Christian College, Burwood
Burwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Burwood had a population of 11,886.-History:...
- Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne is a prestigious, independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
, HawthornHawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
Theological colleges
The Presbyterian Church operates the
Presbyterian Theological CentreThe Presbyterian Theological Centre is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in New South Wales. It provides theological education for candidates of the ministry and members of the laity, and is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology.The...
in Sydney, the
Presbyterian Theological CollegeThe Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches. It is an approved teaching institution...
in Melbourne and Prezra, a Bible college in
AdelaideAdelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth-largest city in Australia, with a population of more than 1.1 million. It is a coastal city situated on the eastern shores of Gulf St. Vincent, on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu...
, and the
Queensland Theological College (formerly the Consortium of Reformed Colleges) in Brisbane.
Bookshops
The Presbyterian Church operates the
Reformers BookshopReformers Bookshop is a Christian bookstore and book distributor operating in Australia, plus telephone, internet and mail order both in Australasia and world-wide....
in Sydney (as a joint venture with Stanmore Baptist Church) and the PTC Media Centre - part of the
Presbyterian Theological CollegeThe Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches. It is an approved teaching institution...
in Melbourne.
Beliefs
Ministers and elders of the Presbyterian Church of Australia are required to agree to the
Westminster Confession of FaithThe Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
as their subordinate authority under the Bible.
"Along with other true Christian churches, the Presbyterian Church believes that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.
As a result of this commitment to the Bible, we uphold the historic Christian faith.
- We believe in one God in the Trinity of the three persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
- We affirm the real historical events of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection and future return. We look to Him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
- We submit to the Scriptures as the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
- We seek to live in obedience to the Great Commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself’; and we endeavour to fulfil the Great Commission: ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.’
The Presbyterian Church is a Reformed and Evangelical denomination whose understanding of Christianity is set out in the Westminster Confession of Faith. So we stress, as the Bible does, God’s initiative in people becoming Christian believers. This stance does not lead to a lessening of human responsibility before God nor does it take away from the importance of mission and evangelism, but rather establishes the conditions under which true human response to Christ can take place.
The Presbyterian Church does not claim to be the only true church. We see ourselves as forming one small part of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ and we seek to have fellowship wherever we can with fellow Christians who share with us a common loyalty to ‘the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude verse 3)."
(Welcome to the Presbyterian Church, GAA Christian Education Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.)
Church government
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is ruled, under God, by elders, or presbyters. Presbyterian churches recognise two types of elders: teaching elders (ministers) and ruling elders. These elders meet at a local level in the Kirk Session. Only ordained ministers may preside at communion, or the Lord’s Supper, except in the rare circumstance where the presbytery licenses a ruling elder to do so. Likewise, only a minister can administer
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and, in the view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered.The usual form of baptism among the earliest Christians was for the...
. A board or committee of management handles the material concerns of the local congregation. Deacons may also be elected to provide practical care.
The minister and an elder from each parish have a seat at their regional presbytery and at their state's general assembly. The General Assembly of Australia (GA of A), composed of commissioners from each presbytery and state assembly, meets every three years. Every year each state's general assembly elects a
moderatorThe Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
, while the General Assembly of Australia elects a moderator general for a three year term.
Parishes
This is an incomplete list of the 600 or so congregregations of this denomination.
- Scots' Church, Melbourne
The Scots' Church, a Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia, was the first Presbyterian Church to be built in the Port Phillip District...
- Chinese Presbyterian Church
Chinese Presbyterian Church, also commonly known as CPC, is the oldest surviving Chinese church in Australia. It is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
- St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wingham
St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wingham is the main centre of the Wingham and Upper Manning Parish in the Presbyterian Church of Australia . The other centre is St Thomas' Presbyterian Church, Krambach .-Location:...
See also
- List of Presbyterian Denominations in Australia
- Presbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
- Australian Inland Mission
The Australian Presbyterian Mission was founded by the Presbyterian Church of Australia to reach those "beyond the farthest fence" with God's Word. It is better known as the Australian Inland Mission . Rev...
- Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia, and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
- Basis of Union
The Basis of Union is the document which formed the basis on which most congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia, Methodist Church of Australasia and Presbyterian Church of Australia united to form the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977...
External links