Pastor Carl’s new book, Principles of Presbyterian Polity, has just been published by Westminster/John Knox Press!

The word “polity” means government – so, Presbyterian polity is Presbyterian church government.

The book is intended as a textbook for seminary polity classes – such as the ones Pastor Carl teaches at New Brunswick and Princeton Theological Seminaries – but there’s much in it that’s of interest to ruling elders, deacons, or anyone else who wants to know more about how Presbyterian congregations are governed.

From the publisher’s description:

“Pastors, 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 “what” 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.”

For a limited time, the book is ON SALE, 35% OFF, at the PCUSA Store website for $13 (regular price is $20) – which is cheaper than Amazon.com. (You can read excerpts from the book on the Amazon website.) There will soon be an opportunity to order the book through the church office (also at a discounted price), and perhaps even a book-signing event after church on an upcoming Sunday. Watch this space for more details…