We are part of a Reformed Movement

Presbyterians also claim the names “Reformed” and “Protestant.” Our denomination came out of the Protestant Reformation, a major religious movement that occurred in the early and middle years of the 16th century. At that point in history, the Christian church had divided into two main branches – the Eastern church (Greek and Russian Orthodox) and the Western church (Roman Catholic). In the 16th century, church leaders began to protest the corruption of the Christian church and to seek its reform. They were called Protestants because they were bearing witness(in Latin, pro plus testare: to bear witness) to what they regarded as New Testament Christianity.

The chief leaders in the Reformation movement were Luther, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli and Cranmer. These leaders were intense, courageous, zealous and assertive. They believed that people were put right in the sight of God by God’s grace alone. They said people received God’s grace by faith and not by anything that they had done. These Reformers believed that all people had access to God through prayer and the Bible (use of the vernacular). They also believed that God’s forgiveness could be received directly, without the intervention of a priest. The Reformers claimed the indwelling of Christ in the believer and stressed the sovereignty of God. They will always be recognized for their hope and confidence in the power of a loving God and for recovering the priesthood of all believers.

Two important Reformers

Many Presbyterian churches in Canada are named after Reformers, particularly John Calvin (a Frenchman) and John Knox (a Scot who was influenced by Calvin’s teachings).