Historically, Presbyterian and Reformed Churches have embodied a distinctive way of being the Christian community. Dr. John H. Leith, professor of theology at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, identified nine motifs or themes of this ethos.

First, there is an emphasis upon the majesty of God and therefore upon the praise of God. "A case can be made that the central theme of Calvinist theology, which holds it all together, is the conviction that every human being has every moment to do with the living God" (p. 70).

"The God with whom man has to do is the Creator of heaven and earth who maintains all things in their being and who governs them by his will. God is energy, force, and life. He is purpose, intention, and will. He is the Lord God, who 'comes with might,' 'who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,' and before whom 'the nations are as nothing' and 'are accounted by him as less than nothing' (Isaiah 40:10, 12, 17). This is the Creator God who works mightily in human history to accomplish his purposes. The chief end of man is to glorify God" (pp. 70-71).

"The glory of God and his purposes in the world are more important than the salvation of one's own soul. Personal salvation can be a very selfish act" (p. 72).

"This emphasis upon God the Creator and Lord gave depths to life. Man does not live on the surface of universal history. Human life is not the simple product of history and of natural forces. Personhood is rooted in the will and intention of God. God thought of every person before he was called into being and gave to him his individuality, his identity, and his name. Human existence is rooted in eternity, and its end is the praise of God. Hence the Christian lives in the quiet confidence that God is greater than all the battalions of earth and that life is at God's disposal" (pp. 73-74).

How can we best embody this in the lives of the churches we serve today?

To read more, see John H. Leith, An Introduction to the Reformed Tradition: A Way of Being the Christian Community, revised edition (Atlanta: John Knox, 1981), Chapter 3, "The Ethos of the Reformed Tradition," pp. 70-88.

For more information, click on this link to Westminster John Knox Press:

An Introduction to the Reformed Tradition.

To learn more about Dr. Leith, click on this link to the Foundation website, including a memorial, a selected bibliography, and a link to audio recordings of thirty-seven of his sermons and lectures:

John Haddon Leith.