Bible Content Exam
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 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 page will provide you with important information about the exam that you will need to know to complete the registration process. When you are ready to register, please visit the Registration page.
Exam description
This exam is ordinarily taken in the first year of seminary. 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 currently offered twice a year on the first Friday of February and the Friday before Labor Day. 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.
In order to satisfy this requirement in the preparation for ministry process, inquirers/candidates must correctly answer at least 70 of the 100 questions on the examination.
Online administration
The Bible Content Examination is given at proctored sites using an internet-based testing program.
Download a list of testing sites.
The proctors for each site can provide information about the specific equipment availability and requirements for their location. Inquirers and candidates should confirm these requirements with the proctor at the site before registering.
Test results are displayed for test takers at the completion of the examination and emailed directly to the test takers and their respective presbytery committees as well as the PC(USA) contact person at their seminaries.
Special arrangements
Applicants with learning disabilities or physical handicaps and those unable to travel to one of the regular testing sites should discuss special arrangements with their presbytery committees and proctors. Even in these it cases it is the inquirer's or candidate's responsibility to be sure they can meet the requirements for accessing the internet at the agreed upon testing location. Registrations for the Bible Content Examination involving any special arrangements may be requested using the standard online registration process, but will not be finalized until approved by the appropriate presbytery committee and reviewed by the Coordinator for Preparations for Ministry/Examinations.
For more information
If you have questions regarding the registration process, or other questions about the Bible Content Examination or to discuss special arrangements, contact Tim Cargal, (800) 728-7228, x5771.
