Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Discussion topic from Rebel Without a Pew

Rebel Without A Pew wants to know:
How long have youbeen Presbyterian??
If you weren't Presbyterian, what would you be instead??

14 comments:

Robert said...

As long as I can remember. My dad, my uncle, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, my great-great-grandfather, my great-great-great grandfather, (you get the point) were/are all Presbyterian Ministers. Further, my wife and my brother are both currently attending Columbia Seminary. I have a feeling that some of my cousins are going to end up in Seminary also.

So, you could say that I am true-blue PCUSA.

Miranda said...

Thought I can't say that I have been Presbtyerian since birth, it is the only church I have ever attended. My mother likes to say that she was born a Presbyterian but it took her 30 years to relise it.

Jody Harrington said...

Another cradle Presbyterian here. My great-great grandfather was a minister in the Church of Scotland.

If I weren't a Presbyterian, I'd probably be some other Reform-flavor denomination with a presbyterian-like polity such as the RCA or Dutch Reformed Church.

Karen Sapio said...

I was baptized in the Presbyterian Church at four weeks, so I guess that makes me about as cradle as you can get. My great-aunt did some geneological research on my maternal ancestors and turned up some possible evidence that a great-great-great-great-great uncle was a close buddy of Ulrich Zwingli's. My dad's side of the family is Jewish. If it weren't for the whole Jesus thing, I could easily be that if I wasn't Presbyterian. But of course the Jesus thing is huge so . . . .

Gannet Girl said...

So we need someone in here who's a newbie -- I guess I fit the bill. I grew up vaguely Methodist, was an official Methodist from about ages 30-40, and then started going to a Presby church, which I avoided joining for for a good decade. I think I've actually belonged to the church for about 3 years; been an elder for one.

We've had several Mennonites show up at our church; maybe if I weren't PCUSA I'd be a Mennonite. I might be a Catholic but that no-women-priests thing is a real problem for me. I guess I'm not particualrly denominationally grounded.

Anonymous said...

Yep, another cradle roll member here. If not PCUSA, I'd go with a non-denominational congregation perhaps, not because I don't love our polity and theology, but I'd maybe go with an emergent congregation and not care about denomination.

Jules said...

I have been Presbyterian for just under 18.5 years. We walked into a little church when my son was 2 weeks old, and never looked back.

Since I am Presbyterian by the grace of God, I don't know what I'd be if I wasn't one--lost, I suppose.

Apostle John said...

Joined in 1977, shortly after getting married.

If not a Presbyterian, I would be Episcopal.

Becky Ardell Downs said...

I've grown up in the Pres. church, but I have dabbled with Quakerism, and if I wasn't so damn liturgical I'd probably go with the Friends.

Stewart said...

29 years; joined in 1976.

At the time I joined the UPCUSA, the other alternative I was considering was Baptist. But I suspect that if I had followed that route I would not have stayed Baptist long, and am not at all sure where I would have ended up.

Anonymous said...

I have been in the PCUSA for a little over 4 years. If I ever left the PCUSA (job change) it would probably be back to the RCA or SBC.

Teri said...

I grew up "unchurched" and joined a PC(USA) congregation in April 1999. Went to seminary in September 2002. hmm....

If I was going to leave the PCUSA, I'd probably go UCC. I will also admit a certain attraction to Judaism....(obviously except for the whole fight we would have about Jesus...)

Sarahlynn said...

My father is a PCUSA minister, and my grandfather was an ordained PCUSA minister (and professor of theology at McCormick and Harvard). I've been Presbyterian my whole life.

My husband was raised UCC, and I have two UCC ministers for uncles, so if I weren't Presbyterian, I'd probably be UCC.

NPE said...

I am ARP (www.arpgr.org)

If I were not Presbyterian....I would be a member of the Church Triumphant!