
Members of the Chicago reading group grade exams. Photo by John B. Severson.Bible Content Exam
The Presbyterian Church considers
basic knowledge of the content of the Bible to be an essential
prerequisite for ministry. The Bible Content examination is
intended to assess one’s knowledge of stories, themes,
and pertinent passages in the Old and New Testaments.
This exam is ordinarily taken in the first
year of seminary (Book of
Order, G-14.0431a). The two-hour examination contains
100 multiple-choice questions about the contents of the Bible,
using the New Revised Standard Version for all quotations. The
exam is given only once a year. The questions vary in difficulty,
but cover the entire Bible as required by action of the General
Assembly in 1978.
The examination is available in English, Spanish and Korean.
Applications
Candidates may secure application
forms for the Bible Content exam from their presbytery’s
committee on preparation for ministry. Applications and a fee
of $90 are to be sent to the address on the application
form, and must be postmarked no later than December 15th.
Applications sent without payment will be returned. Written
confirmation is sent to each registrant.
Note for PC(USA) Inquirers/Candidates: a discount of $20 will apply only if application and payment are
postmarked on or before November 17th.
Grading
A grade of 70 correct answers or better is
required to pass this exam. Answer sheets are machine-graded.
Overall and part scores, along with the original answer sheets,
are returned to the candidate through the proctor. Scores are
also sent to the presbytery identified by the candidate.
Special Arrangements
Candidates with learning disabilities or physical
handicaps should discuss special arrangements with their CPMs
and proctors.
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