50 Years of the PCA

On December 4, 1973, 387 teaching and ruling elders, representing 215 churches, gathered at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, for the inaugural General Assembly of a new Presbyterian denomination. With the motto to be faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the great commission of Jesus Christ, that new Presbyterian denomination grew by God’s grace and faithfulness. While originally named the National Presbyterian Church, the new denomination later changed its name to how it is known today, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). And as the denominational seminary of the PCA, Covenant Theological Seminary celebrates the goodness of the Triune God as the PCA celebrates its 50th year.

Founded in 1956, Covenant Theological Seminary came to be the denominational seminary of the PCA during the joining and receiving of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, in 1982. Throughout its history, Covenant Theological Seminary has sought to glorify the Triune God by training his servants to walk in God’s grace, minister God’s Word, and equip God’s people – all for God’s mission. Through the prayer and support of the PCA and its churches, Covenant has been able to train thousands of Teaching Elders for the PCA and launch hundreds of church planters with Mission to North America, missionaries with Mission to the World, and campus ministers and staff with Reformed University Fellowship for a lifetime of ministry.

On his reflection of the history of the PCA, the Seminary’s President, Dr. Gibbs, shared, “From my earliest days in college when I first became acquainted with PCA through the ministry of Reformed University Fellowship, I was attracted to our denomination’s commitment to the Bible’s authority, fidelity to the Reformed tradition, and its evangelical and missional commitments. Not having grown up in the PCA, my decision to join it and be trained by its denominational seminary was aligned with my desire to contribute and serve an institution with deep roots, a big heart, and a wide reach. I’m so grateful for the PCA and its faithfulness through five decades. May God continue to preserve and prosper our common testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

Covenant Theological Seminary looks back on these last 50 years of the PCA’s history with glad and grateful hearts to our Triune God. And we look forward with eager hearts and earnest prayers for the good work our God will do in and through the PCA in the years to come. To our family and friends in the PCA, Covenant Theological Seminary wishes you a happy 50th year!