The History of Presbyterianism in the United States

The History of Presbyterianismin the United States Part 1: The Broader Picture A – The Contextual Landscape

Master Timeline United States Europe • 1620 – Mayflower lands • 1730s-1743 – 1st Great Awakening • 1776-1783 – American Rev. • 1790-1840 – 2nd Great Awakening • 1830 – Book of Mormon • 1850-1900 – 3rd Great Awakening • 1861-1865 – American Civil War • 1870 – Scottish Common Sense • 1889 – Moody Bible Institute • 1891 – Briggs’ address • 1909 – Scofield Reference Bible • 1910 – Pres. G.A.: 5 Fundamentals • 1914-1919 – World War I • 1922 – “Shall Fund.s Win?” • 1923 – The Auburn Affirmation • 1925 – The Scopes Trial • 1929 – Westminster Theo. Seminary • 1936 – Orthodox Presbyterian Ch. • 1936 – John Mackay, Princeton Sem. • 1643 – Westminster Confession of Faith • 1650-1800 – Age of European Enlightenment & of Scottish Common Sense Philosophy • 1770s-1900 – Rise of German Higher Criticism • 1789-1799 – French Revolution • 1827 – Plymouth Brethren begin meeting • 1833 – Slavery Abolition Act of England • 1859 - Charles Darwin – Origin of Species • 1862-77 – Darby travels to the United States • 1919 – Rise of Neo-Orthodoxy United States (cont.) 1937 – Death of J. Gresham Machen - Bible Presbyterian Ch. (McIntyre) 1966 – RTS, Jackson, MI 1967 – Confession of ‘67, Book of Confessions 1973 – PCA 1983 – Union of UPCUSA & PCUS

Spiritual Context • Westminster Conf. of Faith - 1643 • Francis Makemie arrived in MD - 1683 • First Great Awakening – 1730s-1743 • Second Great Awakening – 1790-1840 • J. Smith publishes the Book of Mormon - 1830 • Third Great Awakening – 1850s-1900s • War Between the States – 1861-1865 • Jehovah’s Witnesses - 1870 • 1st World War – 1914-1919          

Francis Makemie – 1658-1708

Makemie Memorial Presbyterian ChurchSnow Hill, MD • 1st Presbyterian church to call a minister through an American Presbytery • Present Building, 1887

New Castle Presbyterian Church, New Castle, Delaware • Building, 1707

Spiritual Context • Westminster Conf. of Faith - 1643 • Francis Makemie arrived in MD - 1683 • First Great Awakening – 1730s-1743 • College of New Jersey – 1746 • Princeton Seminary - 1812 • Second Great Awakening – 1790-1840 • J. Smith publishes the Book of Mormon - 1830 • War Between the States – 1861-1865 • Jehovah’s Witnesses - 1870 • 1st World War – 1914-1919

Context of Worldwide Events • 1776-1783 – American Revolution • 1789-1799 – French Revolution • 1890s – Great Changes across the landscape • 2nd Industrial Revolution in the U.S. • A “Great Depression” (1873-1879) • 1st World War (1914-1918) • “The Great Depression” (1929-1930s & 40s) • 2nd World War (1939-1945) • Baby Boom Generation (1946-1964)

Philosophical Context • 1781 - Critique of Pure Reason, Kant • 1650-1800 – Age of Enlightenment • Late 18th & early 19th c. – Scottish Common Sense Realism, James McCosh, President, Princeton University, 1868 German Higher Criticism • Late 19th c – Frederich Nietzsche

Ideas Have Consequences “Strict Calvinists had maintained that the human mind was blinded in mankind’s Fall from innocence; in the Common Sense [philosophy ] version, the intellect seemed to suffer from a slight astigmatism only. Moreover, one of the first dictates of Common Sense philosophy was that individuals were moral agents capable of free choice. These premises … were at odds with traditional views of determinism and depravity.” (Marsden, p. 16)

Ideas Have Consequences “The Protestant doctrine of the perspicuity [ie., clarity of understanding] of Scripture provided a further basis for the belief that the common person could readily understand Biblical teaching. Common Sense paralleled this doctrine with its insistence on the perspicuity of nature. … God’s truth was unified, so it was inevitable that science would confirm Scripture. … The old order of American Protestantism was based on the interrelationship of faith, science, the Bible, morality, and civilization. It was about to crumble.” (Marsden, p. 16-17)

Master Timeline United States Europe • 1620 – Mayflower lands • 1730s-1743 – 1st Great Awakening • 1776-1783 – American Rev. • 1790-1840 – 2nd Great Awakening • 1830 – Book of Mormon • 1850-1900 – 3rd Great Awakening • 1861-1865 – American Civil War • 1870 – Scottish Common Sense • 1889 – Moody Bible Institute • 1891 – Briggs’ address • 1909 – Scofield Reference Bible • 1910 – Pres. G.A.: 5 Fundamentals • 1914-1919 – World War I • 1922 – “Shall Fund.s Win?” • 1923 – The Auburn Affirmation • 1925 – The Scopes Trial • 1929 – Westminster Theo. Seminary • 1936 – Orthodox Presbyterian Ch. • 1936 – John Mackay, Princeton Sem. • 1643 – Westminster Confession of Faith • 1650-1800 – Age of European Enlightenment & of Scottish Common Sense Philosophy • 1770s-1900 – Rise of German Higher Criticism • 1789-1799 – French Revolution • 1827 – Plymouth Brethren begin meeting • 1833 – Slavery Abolition Act of England • 1859 - Charles Darwin – Origin of Species • 1862-77 – Darby travels to the United States • 1919 – Rise of Neo-Orthodoxy United States (cont.) 1937 – Death of J. Gresham Machen - Bible Presbyterian Ch. (McIntyre) 1966 – RTS, Jackson, MI 1967 – Confession of ‘67, Book of Confessions 1973 – PCA 1983 – Union of UPCUSA & PCUS

New Covenant Presbyterian Church Preaching God’s Sovereign Grace to a World of Need 128 St. Mary’s Church Rd., Abingdon, MD 21009 410-569-0289 www.ncpres.org www.ephesians515.com

The History of Presbyterianism in the United States