Presbyterianism

American  

[prez-bi-teer-ee-uh-niz-uhm, pres-] / ˌprɛz bɪˈtɪər i əˌnɪz əm, ˌprɛs- /

noun

1. church government by presbyters or elders, equal in rank and organized into graded administrative courts.

2. the doctrines of Presbyterian churches.

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Etymology

Origin of Presbyterianism

First recorded in 1635–45; presbyterian + -ism

Example Sentences

Although North Korea has relentlessly suppressed religion and vilified American missionaries, the origins of this hereditary cult are found in a surprising place: Protestant Christianity, and in particular, postbellum American Presbyterianism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

This topic pulls together the Reformation, pro-slavery Presbyterianism and Christian Reconstructionism.

From Salon • May 26, 2024

He later became a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a small, conservative denomination that broke away from mainstream Presbyterianism and emphasizes a fundamentalist reading of the Bible.

From Washington Post • May 16, 2022

The last of the 13, Dwight Eisenhower, proved the Mainline’s influence by being baptized into Presbyterianism early in his presidency, like a 16th-century prince accepting the state religion to claim a vacant throne.

From New York Times • Jan. 23, 2021

He prolonged his visit to make a thorough acquaintance with American Presbyterianism, and this, followed by a similar tour in Europe, fitted him to become the real founder of the Presbyterian Alliance.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 1 "Bisharin" to "Bohea" by Various