The Presbyterian Church established itself in the Cleveland area in 1807, among the earliest Protestant denominations, and developed rapidly. Presbyterianism originated in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin of Switzerland and John Knox of Scotland.

Where and when was Presbyterianism founded?

Founding: The roots of Presbyterianism trace back to John Calvin, a 16th-century French theologian and minister who led the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland beginning in 1536.

Who founded Presbyterianism in America?

The U.S. Presbyterian Church traces its beginnings to the earliest Presbyterian churches in the American colonies. These were established in the 17th century by those New England Puritans who preferred the presbyterian system of church polity (government) to that of New England Congregationalism.