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.