What We Believe
Core Beliefs
The Trinity:
We believe in God as Creator and Caretaker; in Jesus Christ as divine Savior and Lord; and in the Holy Spirit as God present and at work everywhere in creation.
Sin and Salvation:
Human beings disobey God, like Adam and Eve, and are in need of spiritual rebirth. God initiates salvation, sending the Holy Spirit to all persons, calling them to repentance and faith. They have a choice of acceptance or rejection. “Whoever believes” is redeemed. Persons are set into right relations with God by faith, and not by works. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not something earned or merited.
Christian Growth:
Beginning Christians are like babes in Christ, they have only just been born. All Christians need to grow continually throughout their years in capacity to receive God’s grace, and in the ability to live the Christian life.
The Bible:
The holy scriptures are the 66 books contained in the Old and New Testaments. They tell the story of our faith in all its richness. As we read and study the scriptures through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves addressed by God and God’s purposes for us and the world. As such, the scriptures are the authoritative guide for Christian living. We do not limit ourselves to any one translation of the Bible but seek always for a deeper understanding of God’s word addressing us through the words of scripture.
The Church:
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church considers itself to be a part of the Holy Universal Church, consisting of all who have made covenant with God through Jesus Christ. We are one of the many communions who belong to God.
The Sacraments:
The Sacraments are celebrations of the covenant in which Christ mysteriously is present and active. We accept two Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. Through God’s presence, work, and will, they are made effective. The elements of water, fruit of the vine, and bread are signs and symbols and remain what they are. The Sacraments are not essential to salvation but are necessary means of grace. The Sacraments are central to Christian worship.
Death and Resurrection:
We do not believe in the natural immortality of the soul. Eternal life is a gift from God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are raised with him through our conversion. Eternal life is a living relation with God (John 17:3) which continues more completely after death when full redemption shall be ours in the resurrection of the body.
Who Are Cumberland Presbyterians?
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church dates its beginning back to the period known as the "Great Awakening". An outgrowth of the Revival of 1800, the founders disagreed with the Presbyterian church on issues such as predestination and the educational requirements for ministers on the frontier. They believed the scriptures supported a "who-so-ever will" gospel with God's grace available to all who would accept it.
Three ministers founded the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1810 in a log cabin located in what is now Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson, Tennessee. The church grew rapidly, spreading the gospel in the expanding frontier and supplied ministers to meet the needs of the many pioneering families.
Today, the denomination supports various institutions including Bethel University in McKenzie, TN, Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN, and the Cumberland Youth and Family Services in Denton, TX. The denomination hosts missionaries in various parts of the world. Cumberland Presbyterian churches are located throughout the United States and the world.