The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is a small denomination, an offshoot of Presbyterianism, begun in 1733. Presbyterian pastor Ebenezer Erskine led a group of Christians in separating from the Church of Scotland into a separate Associate Presbytery. Other similar offshoots had formed the Reformed Presbytery. These emigrated to Ireland, and later to the United States, establishing congregations from around 1750 to 1770, mostly in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, North, South Carolina and Georgia.

Some churches of the two movements came together officially in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1782. Another synod was formed of churches in South Carolina and Georgia in 1802.

In 1835 the church established in Due West, South Carolina, an academy for men, which in 1839 became Erskine College, the first four-year church-related college in South Carolina. The tiny school is very highly ranked for academic quality.

Erskine Theological Seminary is the professional school of Erskine College. While the college had a professor of divinity since its inception, the seminary was established as a separate but associated school in 1858. Today the seminary provides training for students of a number of denominations, especially the United Methodist Church.