United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America - Definition and Overview

The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA or UPUSA) was the northern branch of Presbyterianism in the United States. It was formed by the union of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (the mainline Northern Presbyterian Church) with the United Presbyterian Church of North America (a smaller church of Covenanter-Seceder tradition) in 1958. The UPCUSA originally held to the Westminster Confession of Faith and catechisms, but added several more confessions as doctrinal guides (as opposed to strict "standards") in its Book of Confessions, as well as creating the Confession of 1967 as a contemporary statement of the beliefs of the UPCUSA.

The UPUSA was a strong supporter of progressive causes, such as civil rights and feminism. It had been in negotiations with the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS - the Southern Church) from the beginning to merge the two churches, and this was finally accomplished in 1983 as the two denominations became one as the Presbyterian Church USA.