Denominational Profile

History

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.	split into Orthodox Presbyterian Church (1932)	continuedOrthodox Presbyterian Church
		split into Bible Presbyterian Church (1938)

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church was founded in 1936 by J. Gresham Machen, previously an outstanding theologian of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The church is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches.

Membership Data

Year	Clergy	Churches	Members
1937	-	65	5,000
1940	-	64	5,702
1942	-	67	6,245
1944	-	74	7,084
1946	-	73	7,555
1950	-	72	8,021
1953	97	71	8,357
1954	101	72	8,604
1955	110	72	8,754
1956	120	80	9,200
1957	123	80	9,352
1960	137	90	10,647
1961	138	92	11,175
1962	146	95	11,994
1964	148	108	12,535
1965	150	110	12,867
1968	170	130	14,038
1969	180	131	14,125
1970	190	116	14,300
1971	190	116	14,300
1972	205	123	14,781
1976	229	131	15,306
1977	237	133	15,782
1978	238	136	15,806
1979	256	146	16,265
1980	272	150	16,590
1981	288	157	17,108
1983	298	166	17,304
1984	309	168	17,660
1985	319	171	18,502
1987	334	168	19,094
1991	315	170	18,137
1994	341	181	20,151
1995	355	189	21,131
1996	366	192	21,820
1997	376	198	21,765
1998	383	199	23,002
1999	397	204	25,302
2000	406	216	26,008
2001	416	224	26,090
2002	425	237	26,448
2003	437	241	27,582
2005	449	255	27,540
2006	462	255	28,486
2007	464	263	28,780
2008	477	268	29,095
2009	485	271	29,421

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]