Oxford Handbook of Presbyterianism

Presbyterianism emerged during the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. It spread from the British Isles to North America in the early eighteenth century. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Presbyterian denominations grew throughout the world. Today there are an estimated 35 million Presbyterians in dozens of countries. <em>The Oxford Handbook of Presbyterianism</em> provides a state of the art reference tool written by leading scholars in the fields of religious studies and history. These thirty five articles cover major facets of Presbyterian history theological beliefs worship practices ecclesiastical forms and structures as well as important ethical political and educational issues. Eschewing parochial and sectarian triumphalism prominent scholars address their particular topics objectively and judiciously.<br>