Standard Ordination Exams
The General Assembly currently requires that everyone who serves in the ministry of Word and Sacrament, whether they proceed to ordination through the preparation for ministry process or are received from another denomination, must complete five standard examinations.
The Bible Content Examination assesses general knowledge of the Bible and its themes. It is usually completed early in seminary training and can be used to direct certain courses of study within the person’s theological education.
The remaining four tests, referred to collectively as the “Senior Ordination Exams,” are designed to assess a person’s ability to integrate academic theological study with the practical work of ministry in a pastoral context in the areas of Biblical Exegesis, Theological Competence, Worship and Sacraments, and Church Polity.
Handbook on Ordination Examinations
The Handbook on Ordination Examinations is designed to serve as a resource for inquirers/candidates, presbytery committees, and ministers of other denominations who may be taking the PC(USA)’s ordination exams.
The Handbook contains basic information about ordination exams — the purpose of the five examinations, how to register for exams, dates of administration, testing sites, fees, etc. It also offers helpful materials for those preparing to take the four senior ordination examinations, such as instructions for the exams, tips on preparing for and writing exams, resources to be used, sample copies of evaluation sheets, an outline of the evaluation process, and the process for appealing the final evaluation of an exam.
Presbyteries Cooperative Committee on Exams
The Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates (PCCEC) is a permanent committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The committee is responsible for:
- composing the five standard examinations for ordination
- establishing the process for administering the exams
- organizing and working with reading groups to grade exams,
- recording the scores,
- distributing the scores to the student’s proctor for exams, seminary, and presbytery.
All of the above is done on behalf of the presbyteries. (See Book of Order, G-14.0430 — 14.0432). See a current roster of the PCCEC.
Examinations Task Force
As part of its recommendations following from its self-study to the 218th General Assembly (2008), the PCCEC has established a task force to “explore new models of national ordination examinations.” Learn more about this task force and its work.
Self-Study report for PCCEC
Report of the Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates, to the 218th General Assembly (2008)