Church
Third Presbyterian
Presbyterian: a neutral profile of what this congregation describes about its beliefs.
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Public details for this congregation.
TraditionPresbyterianAbout →
Sourcing statusTradition default
Beliefs on file942 positions
Statement of faithNot on file
Where they stand
Each position below is labelled by how it was sourced, so you can weigh it for yourself.
VerifiedConfirmed by the church
From their statement of faithEstimated, not verified
Tradition defaultEstimated, not verified
Showing 68 of 942 positions across 18 topics. Expand any topic to see the rest.
God & the Trinity59 positions
- Analogical LanguageAffirmsTradition defaultHuman language about God is analogical: true but never capturing God univocally as it captures creatures.Estimated, not verified
- Apophatic PriorityAffirmsTradition defaultWhat God is in himself is ultimately beyond human comprehension, so negative ("God is not...") statements are more reliable than positive ones.Estimated, not verified
Christ69 positions
- Assumed Fallen Human NatureStrongly rejectsTradition defaultChrist assumed a fully fallen human nature (subject to the effects of the Fall) in order to heal it from within.Estimated, not verified
- Assumed Unfallen Human NatureStrongly affirmsTradition defaultChrist assumed an unfallen, sinless human nature, untouched by original sin/corruption.Estimated, not verified
Sin & the fall61 positions
- Adams Sin Brought Physical DeathStrongly affirmsTradition defaultPhysical death entered the human race as a consequence of Adam's sin; humans were not originally subject to death.Estimated, not verified
- All Sin Deserves Death EquallyStrongly affirmsTradition defaultEvery sin, however small, deserves God's condemnation/death: there is no class of sin that does not by nature merit it.Estimated, not verified
Salvation73 positions
- Active Obedience ImputedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultChrist's lifelong law-keeping (his "active obedience"), not only his death, is imputed to the believer as their positive righteousness.Estimated, not verified
- Annihilationism Conditional ImmortalityStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe finally lost are ultimately destroyed/cease to exist rather than suffering everlasting conscious torment (annihilationism / conditional immortality).Estimated, not verified
The Holy Spirit48 positions
- Assurance Is Normal For BelieversStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSettled assurance of salvation is normal and to be expected for genuine believers in this life.Estimated, not verified
- Blasphemy Against Spirit UnforgivableStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThere is a specific sin against the Holy Spirit that is unforgivable.Estimated, not verified
The Church54 positions
- Apostolicity Is Doctrinal Not SuccessionalStrongly affirmsTradition defaultApostolicity consists primarily in fidelity to apostolic DOCTRINE, not in an unbroken chain of ordinations from the apostles.Estimated, not verified
- Baptism Is The Entry Into The ChurchStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBaptism is the rite of entry/incorporation into the visible church.Estimated, not verified
Sacraments & ordinances47 positions
- Anointing Sick Is A SacramentRejectsTradition defaultAnointing of the sick with oil is a sacrament conveying grace, healing, and forgiveness to the seriously ill.Estimated, not verified
- Baptism Aspersion ValidStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBaptism by sprinkling (aspersion) is a fully valid mode.Estimated, not verified
Worship & liturgy36 positions
- Bowing And ProstrationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBowing, prostration, or full physical reverence before the altar, icons, or sacrament is fitting in worship.Estimated, not verified
- Cessationism No Charismatic GiftsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe miraculous sign gifts (tongues, prophecy, healing) ceased with the apostolic age and have no place in worship today.Estimated, not verified
Last things29 positions
- A Literal Mark Of The Beast Is ComingAffirmsTradition defaultA literal future "mark of the beast" will be imposed as a condition of economic participation.Estimated, not verified
- Apocalyptic Prophecy Read Literally FuturisticallyRejectsTradition defaultThe prophecies of Daniel and Revelation should be read primarily as literal predictions of still-future events.Estimated, not verified
Scripture62 positions
- Authority Creeds SubordinateStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe ecumenical creeds and confessions are authoritative only insofar as they faithfully summarize Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Authority Holy Tradition OrthodoxStrongly rejectsTradition defaultScripture is rightly read only within Holy Tradition: the Fathers, councils, liturgy, and consensus of the Church.Estimated, not verified
Revelation, creation & science34 positions
- Adam Special Creation From DustStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe first human was specially and directly created by God from the dust, not biologically descended from earlier hominins.Estimated, not verified
- Angels Created BeingsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAngels and other spiritual beings are part of God's created order, made by God.Estimated, not verified
- Barth No Natural TheologyRejectsTradition defaultThere is no genuine knowledge of God available through nature or human reason apart from God's revelation in Jesus Christ.Estimated, not verified
- Charismatic Gifts CeasedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe miraculous and revelatory gifts (prophecy, tongues, healing) ceased with the apostolic age and are not normative today.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Continuous Creatio ContinuaRejectsTradition defaultGod is best understood as creating continuously and in cooperation with an evolving, partly self-creating world (creatio continua), rather than as having finished creation.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Ex NihiloStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod created the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo), not from pre-existing matter.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Ongoing ProvidenceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod continually sustains the universe in being; creation is not merely a past event but an ongoing dependence on God.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Purposeful TeleologyStrongly affirmsTradition defaultCreation has a real divine purpose and direction (telos), not merely the appearance of order arising from undirected processes.Estimated, not verified
- Day Age InterpretationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe "days" of Genesis 1 represent long ages or epochs, allowing for an old earth while keeping the sequence broadly historical.Estimated, not verified
- Deism No Special RevelationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultGod created the world and established its laws but does not intervene with miracles or verbal revelation; he is known through reason and nature alone.Estimated, not verified
- Environmental Stewardship Creation CareStrongly affirmsTradition defaultCaring for the created order (environmental stewardship) is a genuine theological duty flowing from the doctrine of creation.Estimated, not verified
- Evolution Unguided No GodStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBiological evolution is an entirely unguided, purposeless process requiring no divine involvement of any kind.Estimated, not verified
- Fine Tuning Design EvidenceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe fine-tuning of the universe's physical constants is real evidence of intelligent design or a divine designer.Estimated, not verified
- General Revelation ConscienceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe human conscience and moral sense are a form of God's revelation, giving real knowledge of right and wrong written on the heart.Estimated, not verified
- General Revelation RealStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod genuinely reveals something of himself through the natural world and the created order, apart from Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Genesis Intended As HistoryStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGenesis 1-3 is intended as an account of actual historical events, not primarily as theological symbol, poetry, or myth.Estimated, not verified
- God Sole CreatorStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe one triune God is the sole creator of everything that exists, including all spiritual and material reality.Estimated, not verified
- Historical Adam EveStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAdam and Eve were real, historical individuals, the literal first human beings.Estimated, not verified
- Historical Fall EventStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe fall of humanity into sin was a real historical event by the first humans, not merely a symbol of the universal human condition.Estimated, not verified
- Humanity MonogenismStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAll human beings descend from a single original couple (monogenism).Estimated, not verified
- Image Of God SpecialStrongly affirmsTradition defaultHumans bear the image of God in a way that sets them qualitatively apart from all other animals, by a special divine act or endowment.Estimated, not verified
- Intelligent Design DetectableAffirmsTradition defaultCertain features of biology exhibit "irreducible" or "specified" complexity that is best explained by intelligent design and could not arise by unguided evolution.Estimated, not verified
- Material Creation GoodStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe material, physical world is intrinsically good as God made it, not evil, illusory, or a prison for the soul.Estimated, not verified
- Miracles Continue TodayRejectsTradition defaultGod still performs miracles today (healings, signs, answered prayer beyond natural explanation) as he did in biblical times.Estimated, not verified
- Miracles Possible In PrincipleStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod can and does act in the world in ways that supersede or suspend ordinary natural causes (genuine miracles are possible).Estimated, not verified
- Natural Knowledge Of God Saving InsufficientStrongly affirmsTradition defaultWhatever knowledge of God nature provides is insufficient for salvation; saving knowledge requires special revelation in Christ and Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Natural Theology Proofs ValidLeans toward rejectingTradition defaultRational arguments (e.g., cosmological, teleological, moral) can validly demonstrate, or strongly support, the existence of God from observable reality.Estimated, not verified
- Physical Death Human Consequence Of SinStrongly affirmsTradition defaultHuman physical death is a consequence of sin; humans were created to be immortal in body and would not have died apart from the fall.Estimated, not verified
- Presuppositional ApologeticsAffirmsTradition defaultOne cannot reason to God from religiously neutral premises; all knowledge must start by presupposing the triune God revealed in Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Providence Through Natural LawStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod ordinarily acts through natural laws and secondary causes, which are themselves his ongoing governance, rather than by frequent direct intervention.Estimated, not verified
- Resurrection Bodily HistoricalStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe resurrection of Jesus was a real, bodily, historical event, not merely a symbol of hope or the disciples' inner experience.Estimated, not verified
- Science Faith ConcordismAffirmsTradition defaultProperly interpreted Scripture and properly conducted science will agree, and apparent conflicts arise from misreading one or the other.Estimated, not verified
- Special Revelation NecessaryStrongly affirmsTradition defaultA clear and reliable knowledge of God and his saving purposes requires God's special, verbal self-revelation, not merely general revelation.Estimated, not verified
- Universe Eternal No BeginningStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe universe (or some physical reality) is eternal and had no absolute beginning.Estimated, not verified
Life & bioethics58 positions
- Abortion Gravely Wrong In PrincipleStrongly affirmsTradition defaultDeliberately ending a pregnancy by killing the unborn is in itself a grave moral wrong.Estimated, not verified
- Abortion Permitted To Save Mothers LifeAffirmsTradition defaultAbortion is morally permissible when continuing the pregnancy would directly threaten the mother's life.Estimated, not verified
Sexuality & marriage50 positions
- Abortifacient Contraception WrongStrongly affirmsTradition defaultContraceptive methods that may act after fertilization (potential abortifacients) are morally wrong even if other contraception is permitted.Estimated, not verified
- Annulment Recognizes Invalid MarriageRejectsTradition defaultSome unions that appeared to be marriages were never valid marriages, and the church can rightly declare them null (annulment).Estimated, not verified
Society & politics45 positions
- Active Nonviolent Resistance ObligatoryAffirmsTradition defaultChristians should actively resist injustice through nonviolent means (protest, civil disobedience, noncooperation), not merely abstain from violence.Estimated, not verified
- Capital Punishment LegitimateAffirmsTradition defaultThe civil authority may rightly execute criminals for grave crimes.Estimated, not verified
Angelology Demonology52 positions
- Angelic Fall Caused By PrideStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe angels fell primarily through pride: refusing subjection to God / seeking to exalt themselves.Estimated, not verified
- Angelic Fall Predates Human FallAffirmsTradition defaultThe angelic rebellion occurred before the fall of humanity, and the serpent's temptation issued from an already-fallen angel.Estimated, not verified
Anthropology53 positions
- Body Essential To PersonStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe body is essential to being a complete human person, not an accidental or dispensable container for the soul.Estimated, not verified
- Body GoodStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe material human body is intrinsically good as created by God.Estimated, not verified
Covenant Law Israel51 positions
- Abrahamic Covenant Foundational And OngoingStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe Abrahamic covenant is foundational and its promises remain operative for the people of God today.Estimated, not verified
- Baptism Replaces Circumcision Covenant SignStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBaptism is the New Covenant counterpart to circumcision, marking entrance into the covenant community.Estimated, not verified
Mariology Saints61 positions
- All Believers Are SaintsStrongly affirmsTradition default"Saints" in the New Testament sense means all believers, not a special canonized class.Estimated, not verified
- Altar Relics Required Or ProperStrongly rejectsTradition defaultIt is fitting (or required) that altars contain the relics of saints.Estimated, not verified
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