![[Church of Scotland]](../images/r/rel-cos.gif)
by Chris Pinette, 10 June 1998
Last modified: 2023-03-11 by rob raeside
Keywords: church of scotland | burning bush | presbyterian church usa | cross | dove | flames |
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The article at
http://www.presbyterianireland.org/about/bush2.html explains the history of
the use of the Burning Bush symbol and the motto as used by the Presbyterian
Church in Ireland. The Burning Bush is used so frequently within Presbyterianism
(including Presbyterian Church flags - see for example the flag of the
Church of Scotland) that it can be regarded as the definitive
emblem of Presbyterianism worldwide.
Ron Lahav, 29 January 2009
by Chris Pinette, 10 June 1998
Flag of the Church of Scotland. This flag is also used by Presbyterian churches in Canada. It is the Saint Andrew's cross with a burning bush centered, which signifies Presbyterianism.
The flame is from the traditional symbol of the Church of Scotland - the burning bush seen by Moses.
Earl Fain IV, 3 June 1998
The symbol comes from the motto of the Presbyterian Church, nec tamen consumebatur (neither was it consumed) referring the bush that burned, but was not consumed, so will be the church that will last for ever.
Rob Raeside, 2 January 1999
The Moderator of the Church of Scotland has a similar flag except that there is a green mound beneath the bush and a
black arch across the top of the flag.
Graham Bartram, 18 January 2002
![[Cumberland Presbyterian Church seal]](../images/r/rel-cpc.gif)
from
http://www.cumberland.org/center/
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a small Presbyterian denomination whose
churches are located primarily in the Southern mountains of the United States
along the banks of the Cumberland River and whose headquarters are located in
the small town of Franklin, Tennessee (site of a sharp battle during the
American Civil War) and also at Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee, the
church's principal institution of higher education. The church's URL is
http://www.cumberland.org.
The historical tradition of the church is reflected in its seal, which consists
of two concentric circles in green; the outer one being bordered externally in
gold and internally in black. At the top of the outer circle are the words 'THE
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH' in black block lettering. At the lower right and
left respectively of this outer circle are two small gold flashes, flanking the
word and date 'FOUNDED 1810' similarly written. The central image consists of a
shamrock outlined in black, in the center of which is a Celtic or Gaelic Cross
in gold and black.
There is a note on the home page to the effect that a new logo is preparation.
Frankly I don't see the need to replace the present very striking seal, unless
it is as a result of a misplaced effort to appear trendy
Ron Lahav, 15 February 2005
There are actually two churches of this name, one historically white, the
other historically African-American. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church (white)
is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee; its upcoming General Assembly meeting is
what's in Franklin. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America is
African-American and headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. The two cooperate
closely with one another and with the much larger Presbyterian Church USA. The
Cumberland Presbyterians were a group of churches on the frontier that broke
away from the main Presbyterian body in 1810 in repudiation of the Calvinist
doctrine of double predestination.
Joe McMillan, 15 February 2005
The Free Presbyterian Church is a small but very vocal Presbyterian
denomination with branches in Northern Ireland, many parts of the
US, and in other parts of the world. The chief difference between
the Free Presbyterians and other Presbyterian denominations is
their refusal to participate in the ecumenical or charismatic
movements and their refusal to cooperate with organisations such as
the National Council of Churches in the US and other similar bodies
elsewhere because of the supposed departure of these bodies from the
true practices of Christianity. The most well-known member of this
church is the Rev Dr Ian Paisley, the Northern Ireland Unionist
political leader.
The emblem of the Free Presbyterians can be seen at
http://www.freepres.org. It differs from the Burning Bush used by
many other Presbyterian bodies in that the bush is quite large and
appears to be, if not an actual tree, then certainly a shrub of some
kind. The image is slate blue, with deep blue flecks representing
flames and a deep blue nimbus or aura around it. The Bush stands on
a plowed field, indicated by black and gray striations. At the base
of the image there is a curved black ribbon edged in blue and
divided into five segments, the largest of which contains the Church
motto in slate blue block lettering: 'ARDENS SED VIRENS,'
or 'Burning Yet Living.'
Ron Lahav, 27 February 2005
![[PC USA Flag]](../images/r/rel-pcus.gif)
from
http://www.flagguys.com/religious.html, located by Ned Smith
In the Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) are depicted eight
confessional banners. They symbolize the contents of different Christian creeds
from the Nicene Creed (325 AD) until the Confession of 1967 (p. 276 and foll.).
From the introduction to the banner section (p. 277):
"When The Book of Confessions was adopted, Richard K. Avery, pastor, and Donald
S. Marsh, choir director, of the Port Jervis, New York, Presbyterian Church
devised eight banners symbolic of the confessions. They also wrote a service of
worship explaining the history and symbolism of the eight confessions through
words and music. The banners were made by members of the Port Jervis Church. The
banner designs are copyrighted by Avery and Marsh, who should be contacted for
permission to duplicate the banners."
After these eight banners there is also depicted a banner called "A brief
statement of Faith", symbolizing the church's beliefs. The introduction text
notes about this banner:
"A Brief Statement of Faith became part of the Book of Confessions in 1991,
following its approval by the 203rd General Assembly (1991). Gay M. Sorenson,
member of the First Presbyterian Church, Port Charlotte, Florida, has devised a
banner appropriate for use with A Brief Statement of Faith. It is included here
by the permission of the copyright holder. Sorenson has chosen "He's got the
whole world in His hands" as the song that best depicts A Brief Statement of
Faith. The banner A Brief Statement of Faith is copyrighted by the First
Presbyterian Church of Port Charlotte, Florida. You may contact the church for
permission to duplicate this banner."
Martin Karner, 6 September 2004
The "Book of Confessions",
mentioned above, contains in its last chapter several beautiful illustrations of
the banners whose confessions are discussed in the front part of the book. Those
banners are not only interesting from a theological but also from a
vexillological perspective, since they do not represent political or
ecclesiastical entities but theological concepts. AFAIK this is a rather unique
approach for a flag design.
Martin Karner, 3 February 2023
![[PC USA Flag]](../images/r/rel-pca.jpg)
from
http://www.cokesbury.com, located by Ned Smith
I'm not sure how official this flag is. The logo of the PCUSA is always, as
far as I know, used by Presbyterian churches and related bodies as either blue
on white or white on blue, in both cases with red flames at the base of the
cross.
Joe McMillan, 15 November 2004
While the blue on white is by far the most common variant there are some
exceptions- for example, see
http://www.roselle.beliefnet.com for a yellow on blue version used by
a PCUSA member church, and the PCUSA website itself has yellow on blue, black on
white, and white on black versions along with the more common combination ...see
http://www.pcusa.org/pcusa/clipart/seals/ and
http://www.pcusa.org/calendar/index.jsp.
Ned Smith, 16 November 2004
I received the following reply from the PCUSA official: "To my knowledge,
Cokesbury's flag has not been adopted by the PCUSA. Cokesbury has an agreement
with the PCUSA for using the seal." So, while it is clearly not the official
flag of the PCUSA, does the PCUSA approval of its production and sale make it a
de facto flag of the church?
Ned Smith, 23 November 2004
![[PC USA Flag]](../images/r/rel-pca-up.jpg)
image located by Dave Fowler, 3 February 2023
The University of Pikeville in Kentucky has a version with the same logo on a
royal blue field.
Dave Fowler, 3 February 2023
