Presbyterianism

===Europe===
====Scotland====
[[John Knox]] (1505–1572), a [[Scottish people|Scot]] who had spent time studying under [[John Calvin|Calvin]] in Geneva, returned to [[Scotland]] and urged his countrymen to reform the Church in line with [[Calvinism|Calvinist]] doctrines. After a period of religious convulsion and political conflict culminating in a victory for the [[Lords of the Congregation|Protestant party]] at the [[Siege of Leith]] the authority of the [[Catholic Church]] was abolished in favour of [[Scottish Reformation|Reformation]] by the legislation of the [[Scottish Reformation Parliament]] in 1560. The Church was eventually organised by [[Andrew Melville]] along Presbyterian lines to become the national [[Church of Scotland]]. [[King James VI and I]] moved the Church of Scotland towards an episcopal form of government, and in 1637, James' successor, [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] and [[William Laud]], the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], attempted to force the Church of Scotland to use the [[Book of Common Prayer]]. What resulted was an armed insurrection, with many Scots signing the ''[[Solemn League and Covenant]]''. The [[Covenanter]]s would serve as the government of Scotland for nearly a decade, and would also send military support to the [[Roundhead|Parliamentarians]] during the [[English Civil War]]. Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, [[Charles II of England|Charles II]], despite the initial support that he received from the Covenanters, reinstated an episcopal form of government on the church.

[[File:Covenanters in a Glen.jpg|thumb|An illegal [[conventicle]], ''Covenanters in a Glen''|upright=1.4]]

However, with the [[Glorious Revolution]] of 1688 the Church of Scotland was unequivocally recognised as a Presbyterian institution by the monarch due to Scottish Presbyterian support for the aforementioned revolution and the [[Acts of Union 1707]] between Scotland and England guaranteed the Church of Scotland's form of government. However, legislation by the [[United Kingdom parliament]] allowing [[patronage]] led to splits in the Church. In 1733, a group of ministers [[First Secession|seceded from the Church of Scotland]] to form the Associate Presbytery, another group seceded in 1761 to form the [[Relief Church]] and the [[Disruption of 1843]] led to the formation of the [[Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)|Free Church of Scotland]]. Further splits took place, especially over theological issues, but most Presbyterians in Scotland were reunited by 1929 union of the established Church of Scotland and the [[United Free Church of Scotland]].

There are now eight Presbyterian denominations in Scotland today. These are, in order of size: the [[Church of Scotland]], the [[Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)|Free Church of Scotland]], the [[United Free Church of Scotland]], the [[Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland]], the [[Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)]], the [[Associated Presbyterian Churches|Associated Presbyterian Church]], the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland]], and the [[International Presbyterian Church]]. Combined, they have over 1500 congregations in Scotland.

Within Scotland the term '[[kirk]]' is usually used to refer to a local Presbyterian church. Informally, the term 'The Kirk' refers to the Church of Scotland. Some of the values and ideals espoused in Scottish Presbyterian denominations can be reflected in this reference in a book from Norman Drummond, chaplain to the Queen in Scotland.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Drummond|first1=Norman|title=The Power of Three: Discovering what really matters in life|date=2010|publisher=Hachette (Hodder & Stoughton)|location=London|isbn=978-0-340-97991-4|language=en}}</ref>

'''Chart of splits and mergers of the Scottish Presbyterian churches'''
{{chart top|width=100%|Splits and mergers of the Scottish Presbyterian churches}}
{{chart/start|align=center}}
{{chart| | | | | | | | |CS| CS=[[Church of Scotland]] ([[Scottish Reformation Parliament|1560]])}}
{{chart| | | | |CO|-|-|(| CO=[[Covenanters]] ([[Rescissory Act 1661|1661]])}}
{{chart| | | | | |)|-|-|.|!| |CS=[[Church of Scotland]] (1688)}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | |CS| |CS=[[Church of Scotland]] ([[Glorious Revolution in Scotland|1688]])}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |)|-|-|EP |EP=[[Episcopal polity|Episcopalians]] (1689)}}
{{chart| | | | |RP| | |!| | | |!|RP=[[Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland|RPCS]] (1690)}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |!| | |EC|EC=[[Scottish Episcopal Church]] ([[Scottish Episcopalians Act 1711|1711]])}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |!| | | |`|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |!|}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |)|-|-|-|SE| SE=[[First Secession|Associate Presbytery]] (1733)}}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |!| | |,|-|^|-|.| | }}
{{chart| | | | | |!| | | |!| |BR| |AN| BR=[[Burgher (Church history)|Burghers]] (1747)| AN=[[Anti-Burgher]]s (1747)}}
{{chart|RC|-|-|b|-|-|-|(| | |!|!| |!|!| RC=[[Relief Church]] (1761)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!| |,|'|NL|`|.| NL=[[Old and New Lights|New Lights]] (1800s)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!| |!| | |!| | |!}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!| |!| |US| |!| US=[[United Secession Church]] (1820)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!| |!| | |!| | |!}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!|,|b|-|-|b|-|-|(}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | |CS|!| | |!| | |!| CS=Church of Scotland (1822)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!|,|'| | |!| |OS| OS=[[Original Secession Church|Original<br/>Secession<br/>Church]] (1827)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | |CS| | | |!| | |!| CS=Church of Scotland (1839)}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |!| | | | |!| | |!}}
{{chart| |!| | | |!| | | |)|-|FC|!| | |!| FC=[[Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)|Free Church of Scotland]] ([[Disruption of 1843|1843]])}}
{{chart| |!| |,|-|b|-|-|-|b|-|-|b|-|'| | |!}}
{{chart| |US| |!| | | |!| | |!|,|-|-|-|(| US=[[United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)|United<br/>Presbyterian<br/>Church]] (1847)}}
{{chart| | |!| | |!| | | |!| |FC| | | |!| FC=Free Church of Scotland (1852)}}
{{chart| | |!| | |)|-|-|-|b|-|.|!| | | | |!| }}
{{chart| | |!| | |!| | | |!| |FC| | | |!| FC=Free Church of Scotland (1876)}}
{{chart| | |!| | |!| | | |!| | |!| | | | |!| }}
{{chart| | |!| | |!| | | |!| | |)|-|FP|!| FP=[[Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland]] (1893)}}
{{chart| | |!| |,|b|-|-|-|b|-|-|(| | |!| |!| }}
{{chart| | |UF|!| | | |!| |FC| |!| |!| UF=[[United Free Church of Scotland]] (1900)| FC=[[Free Church of Scotland (since 1900)|Free Church of Scotland]] (1900)}}
{{chart| | | |)|-|b|-|-|.|!| | |!| | |!| |!| }}
{{chart| | | |!| |!| | |CS| |!| | |!| |!| CS=Church of Scotland (1929)}}
{{chart| | | |!| |!| | | |!|,|-|b|-|-|b|-|'| }}
{{chart| | | |!| |!| | |CS| |!| | |!| CS=[[Church of Scotland]] (1956)}}
{{chart| | | |!| |!| | | |!| | |!| | |)|AP| AP=[[Associated Presbyterian Churches|Associated<br/>Presbyterian<br/>Churches]] (1989)}}
{{chart| | | |!| |!|FP|b|-|-|(| | |!| |!| FP=[[Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)|Free<br/>Church of Scotland<br/>(Continuing)]] (2000)}}
{{chart/end}}
{{chart bottom}}

====England====
{{Main|English Presbyterianism}}
In England, Presbyterianism was established in secret in 1592. [[Thomas Cartwright (Puritan)|Thomas Cartwright]] is thought to be the first Presbyterian in England. Cartwright's controversial lectures at [[Cambridge University]] condemning the [[episcopal polity|episcopal]] hierarchy of the [[Elizabethan era|Elizabethan]] Church led to his deprivation of his post by Archbishop [[John Whitgift]] and his emigration abroad. Between 1645 and 1648, a series of ordinances of the [[Long Parliament]] established Presbyterianism as the polity of the [[Church of England]]. Presbyterian government was established in London and Lancashire and in a few other places in England, although Presbyterian hostility to the [[Execution of Charles I|execution]] of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] and the establishment of the republican [[Commonwealth of England]] meant that Parliament never enforced the Presbyterian system in England. The [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration of the monarchy]] in 1660 brought the return of [[Episcopal polity|Episcopal church government]] in England (and in Scotland for a short time); but the Presbyterian church in England continued in Non-Conformity, outside of the established church. In 1719 a major split, the [[Thomas Bradbury (minister)|Salter's Hall controversy]], occurred; with the majority siding with [[nontrinitarian]] views. [[Thomas Bradbury (minister)|Thomas Bradbury]] published several sermons bearing on the controversy, and in 1719, "An answer to the reproaches cast on the [[dissenting minister]]s who subscribed their belief of the Eternal Trinity." By the 18th century many English Presbyterian congregations had become [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] in doctrine.

A number of new Presbyterian Churches were founded by [[Scottish people|Scottish]] immigrants to England in the 19th century and later. Following the 'Disruption' in 1843 many of those linked to the Church of Scotland eventually joined what became the Presbyterian Church of England in 1876. Some, such as Crown Court (Covent Garden, London), St Andrew's (Stepney, London) and [[Swallow Street]] (London), did not join the English denomination, which is why there are Church of Scotland congregations in England such as those at [[Crown Court Church|Crown Court]], and [[St Columba's Church, London|St Columba's]], Pont Street (Knightsbridge) in London. There is also a congregation in the heart of London's financial district called London City Presbyterian Church that is affiliated with the Free Church of Scotland.

In 1972, the Presbyterian Church of England (PCofE) united with the [[Congregational Church in England and Wales]] to form the [[United Reformed Church]] (URC). Among the congregations the PCofE brought to the URC were Tunley (Lancashire), [[Aston Tirrold]] (Oxfordshire) and John Knox Presbyterian Church, Stepney, London (now part of [[Stepney Meeting House]] URC) – these are among the sole survivors today of the English Presbyterian churches of the 17th century. The URC also has a presence in Scotland, mostly of former [[Congregational church|Congregationalist]] Churches. Two former Presbyterian congregations, [[Downing Place United Reformed Church, Cambridge#St Columba's Church|St Columba's, Cambridge]] (founded in 1879), and [[St Columba's United Reformed Church, Oxford|St Columba's, Oxford]] (founded as a chaplaincy by the PCofE and the [[Church of Scotland]] in 1908 and as a congregation of the PCofE in 1929), continue as congregations of the URC and university chaplaincies of the [[Church of Scotland]].

In recent years a number of smaller denominations adopting Presbyterian forms of church government have organised in England, including the [[International Presbyterian Church]] planted by evangelical theologian [[Francis Schaeffer]] of the [[L'Abri|L'Abri Fellowship]] in the 1970s, and the [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales]] founded in the North of England in the late 1980s.

====Wales====
In [[Wales]], Presbyterianism is represented by the [[Presbyterian Church of Wales]], which was originally composed largely of [[Calvinistic Methodists]] who accepted Calvinist theology rather than the [[Arminianism]] of the Wesleyan Methodists. They broke off from the Church of England in 1811, ordaining their own ministers. They were originally known as the Calvinist Methodist connexion and in the 1920s it became alternatively known as the Presbyterian Church of Wales.

====Ireland====

Presbyterianism ({{lang-ga|Preispitéireachas}}, {{lang-sco|label=[[Ulster Scots dialect|Ulster Scots]]|Prisbytairinism}}) is the largest Protestant denomination in [[Northern Ireland]] and the second largest on the island of Ireland (after the [[Anglican]] [[Church of Ireland]]),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kiprop |first1=Victor |title=Religion Demographics Of Northern Ireland |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/religion-demographics-of-northern-ireland.html#:~:text=%20Religion%20Demographics%20of%20Northern%20Ireland%20%201,religion%20of%20Northern%20Ireland.%20It%20is...%20More%20 |website=www.worldatlas.com |date=16 April 2019 |publisher=World Facts |access-date=2 September 2021}}</ref> and was brought by Scottish [[Plantation of Ulster|plantation settlers]] to [[Ulster]] who had been strongly encouraged to emigrate by James VI of Scotland, also [[James I of England|James I of Ireland and England]]. An estimated 100,000 Scottish Presbyterians moved to the northern counties of Ireland between 1607 and the [[Battle of the Boyne]] in 1690.{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}} The Presbytery of Ulster was formed in 1642 separately from the established Anglican Church. Presbyterians, along with [[Catholic]]s in Ulster and the rest of Ireland, suffered under the discriminatory [[Penal Laws against Irish Catholics|Penal Laws]] until they were revoked in the early 19th century. Presbyterianism is represented in Ireland by the [[Presbyterian Church in Ireland]], the [[Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland]], the [[Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster]], the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland]] and the [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Ireland)|Evangelical Presbyterian Church]].

====France====
There is a Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) in central Paris: [[The Scots Kirk, Paris|The Scots Kirk]], which is English-speaking, and is attended by many nationalities. It maintains close links with the Church of Scotland in Scotland itself, as well as with the [[Reformed Church of France]].

====Italy====
{{further|Waldensians}}

The Waldensian Evangelical Church (Chiesa Evangelica Valdese, CEV) is an Italian Protestant denomination.
The church was founded in the 12th century, and centuries later, after the Protestant Reformation, it adhered to Calvinist theology and became the Italian branch of the Presbyterian churches. As such, the church is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.