Introduction to Polity

About this course

This course introduces students to the polity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a living system that shapes the life, governance, and ministry of the church. Grounded in the Book of Order, the course explores how authority, accountability, and shared leadership function within sessions, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly.

Emphasis is placed on understanding polity not merely as rules to be followed, but as a theological framework that supports ordered ministry, faithful discernment, and the church’s witness in the world. The course equips Commissioned Ruling Elders to navigate church structures with confidence, clarity, and pastoral wisdom in local and presbytery contexts.