Mercersburg Theology

Mercersburg theology was a system of American theology developed in the German Reformed Church during the mid-to-late 19th century. It was characterized by Christocentrism, a Calvinist perspective on the Lord's Supper, and an emphasis on the liturgical aspects of worship.1

This movement, which attempted to counter popular Protestant revivalism, was significantly influenced by theologians like John Williamson Nevin and Philip Schaff. Nevin, in particular, criticized the revivalist methods of the era and advocated for the importance of church life and the sacramental dimensions of Christianity, including doctrines related to Baptism and the Eucharist. The theology took its name from Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, the former site of the Theological Seminary of the German Reformed Church, where these ideas were partly formulated.21