In the history of the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition in the United States, there have been a number of judicatories

Presbyterian polity

Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...

 named Kentucky Synod.

Kentucky Synod, PC(USA)

The first, and probably most well known, of these was that established by the Presbyterian Church in the late 18th century. As a body, Kentucky Synod was a great deal more conservative than the Presbyterian Church as a whole — especially in its opposition to many aspects of the Second Great Awakening

Second Great Awakening

The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...

, a revival movement that thrived in Kentucky from about 1798 to about 1820. After Synod ejected a number of revivalist Presbyterian ministers, these ministers continued to preach and minister to their congregations. Eventually, Barton W. Stone

Barton W. Stone

Barton Warren Stone was an important preacher during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation...

, ejected by Kentucky Synod in 1803, formed Springfield Presbytery

Springfield Presbytery

The Springfield Presbytery was an independent presbytery that became one of the earliest expressions of the Stone-Campbell Movement. It was composed of Presbyterian ministers who withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky on September 10, 1803...

, which eventually became the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...

. In 1810, ministers from Cumberland Presbytery

Cumberland Presbytery

In the history of the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition in the United States, there have been a number of judicatories named Cumberland Presbytery.- Cumberland Presbytery, PC 1802-1806:...

, dissolved by Kentucky Synod in 1805, reformed into an independent presbytery which became the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Christian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. In 2007, it had an active membership of less than 50,000 and about 800 congregations, the majority of which are concentrated in the United States...

.

Following the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, Kentucky Synod divided along primarily political lines. Dr. Robert J. Breckinridge led the "Northern" or Presbyterian Church (USA) faction, but the majority of members and congregations became part of the new "Southern" Presbyterian Church.

Kentucky Synod, Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1845–1865

Formed from Green River Synod in 1845 and dissolved back into Green River Synod in 1865. This Kentucky Synod's history is largely unknown. It was dissolved for repeatedly failing to meet.

Kentucky Synod, Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern)

During the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the majority of Kentucky Presbyterians supported the Confederacy. The division forced by the war became permanent shortly after its conclusion. Stuart Robinson

Stuart Robinson

Stuart Robinson is a Northern Ireland broadcaster with Cool FM and Downtown Radio, he had previously been a founding member and the longest running presenter on rival station Belfast CityBeat since 1996 before his defection in 2010.He has won and been nominated for a number top industry awards, he...

 and Bennett Young led the new "Southern" synod. The two denominations battled in the courts over control of property and institutions.

Kentucky Synod, Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1888–1988

In 1888, the name of Green River Synod was changed to Kentucky Synod. In 1988, Kentucky Synod merged with North Central Synod to form the Synod of the Midwest. Kentucky Synod was, perhaps, the best funded and organized of all Cumberland Presbyterian synods. Few other judicatories exercised synodic authority to the same degree. The synod maintained a "Center" in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...

, and employed an executive and staff. The last Executive Presbyter was Rev. James W. Knight

James W. Knight

James Wade Knight was a Cumberland Presbyterian minister. He served as that denomination's first Director of Ministry and was the Executive of Kentucky Synod....

.

Sources

• History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988, by Matthew H. Gore
  Matthew H. Gore
  Matthew H. Gore is a British historian, popular culturist, and educator residing in Memphis, Tennessee. He is best known for his book The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988 , but has published on a variety of topics as diverse as The Origin of Marvelman , the...
  
  , Joint Heritage Committee of Covenant and Cumberland Presbyteries. Memphis, Tennessee, 2000.
• 2006 Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Memphis: Tennessee, 2006).