The First and Second Books of Discipline were amongst the constitutional foundation documents of the Scottish Reformation, and for four and a half centuries have been relied on to guide the polity of Presbyterian churches around the world. Their scholarly editing and publication a generation ago helped to revive serious study in the Church's constitutional law; and this reprint makes very important material available in a time of immense organisational change in the Church. Rev Dr Marjory A MacLean Deputy Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Updated 2022 EditionPastors, church leaders, and students of Presbyterian polity will find this a useful guide to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) governance based on foundational principles. Recent changes in the PC(USA) Constitution have meant fewer rules and more flexibility in governance, making it imperative that leaders understand the historical principles that guide the church. Wilton explains the Book of Order's historic principles of church order in accessible language, providing readers with a lively appreciation of the revolutionary principles that guided the Presbyterian experiment in the New World and are still the beating heart of church life today. Principles of Presbyterian Polity is written from the conviction that it is not enough merely to know the "hat" of polity; a deep, intuitive understanding of the “why†is just as vital. Church leaders will come away with a greater understanding of the Book of Order and have confidence using it in practical situations.