Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest James S. Currie, Executive Secretary Originally, this column was going to focus on the reunion in 1983 between the northern and southern branches of the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA and PCUS) and the role union presbyteries played, particularly in what is now the Synod of the Sun. That plan was stalled when consideration was given to the various splits, unions, and reunions that have taken place over the years. We’ll come back to this...

Late last month it was announced that as of July 31, 2026 Memphis Theological Seminary, the school of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, will close its doors. Because the Cumberland church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) are partners in the PHSSW, this is an especially painful decision. The Society has met on that campus twice in recent years – in 2010 and again in 2025.  Although theological education has been part of the Cumberland tradition from its earliest years (Finis Ewing...

Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest James S. Currie, Executive Secretary A couple of years ago a visit to the office of Mark Tuschak, Vice-President of Advancement at Schreiner University, reminded some visitors that as much attention should be paid to those who make small donations to an institution as to those who make large gifts. Not only do those small gifts add up over the long haul, but often those donors remember those institutions in their wills. More importantly, taking...