Editing Presbyterian Church (USA) (section)

===Formula of agreement===
[[File:FirstPresbyterianChurch SagHarbor HABS cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Old Whaler's Church (Sag Harbor)]]

In 1997 the PCUSA and three other churches of Reformation heritage: the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], the [[Reformed Church in America]] and the [[United Church of Christ]], acted on an ecumenical proposal of historic importance, known as ''[[A Formula of Agreement]]''. The timing reflected a doctrinal consensus which had been developing over the past thirty-two years coupled with an increasing urgency for the church to proclaim a gospel of unity in contemporary society. In light of identified doctrinal consensus, desiring to bear visible witness to the unity of the Church, and hearing the call to engage together in God's mission, it was recommended:

{{Blockquote |That the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], the Presbyterian Church (USA), the [[Reformed Church in America]], and the [[United Church of Christ]] declare on the basis of A Common Calling and their adoption of this A Formula of Agreement that they are in full communion with one another. Thus, each church is entering into or affirming full communion with three other churches.<ref>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Order (2009/2011). C-1.</ref>|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Order (2009/2011)|source=C-1}}

The term "full communion" is understood here to specifically mean that the four churches:
* recognize each other as churches in which the gospel is rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered according to the Word of God;
* withdraw any historic condemnation by one side or the other as inappropriate for the life and faith of our churches today;
* continue to recognize each other's Baptism and authorize and encourage the sharing of the Lord's Supper among their members; recognize each other's various ministries and make provision for the orderly exchange of ordained ministers of Word and Sacrament;
* establish appropriate channels of consultation and decision-making within the existing structures of the churches;
* commit themselves to an ongoing process of theological dialogue in order to clarify further the common understanding of the faith and foster its common expression in evangelism, witness, and service;
* pledge themselves to living together under the Gospel in such a way that the principle of mutual affirmation and admonition becomes the basis of a trusting relationship in which respect and love for the other will have a chance to grow.

The agreement assumed the doctrinal consensus articulated in A Common Calling:The Witness of Our Reformation Churches in North America Today, and is to be viewed in concert with that document. The purpose of A Formula of Agreement is to elucidate the complementarity of affirmation and admonition as the basic principle of entering into full communion and the implications of that action as described in A Common Calling.

The 209th General Assembly (1997) approved A Formula of Agreement and in 1998 the 210th General Assembly declared full communion among these Protestant bodies.