Churches of Christ in Europe
Churches of Christ | |
---|---|
Classification | Congregationalist |
The Churches of Christ in Europe are
Worship and devotion
Key features of the church's worship are the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper presided over by one or more of the men of the church, believer's baptism leading to salvation, and a cappella singing.
History in Central Europe
The time in which the churches of Christ in Central Europe began is not agreed upon. Some have said that the churches of Christ began with the American Restoration Movement. However, Hans Godwin Grimm, author of the book Tradition and History of the Early Churches of Christ In Central Europe, born in 1899,[2]: 41 wrote that in March 1955 he met for the first time in his life "a member of the restored churches of Christ of America." Grimm continued, saying, "What he had to tell me was not other than the faith of my ancestors which I had taught and practiced all my life. ... the American Restoration Movement had been totally unknown to us."[2]: 42
History in Great Britain
In the early 1800s,
The use of instrumental music in worship was not a source of division among the Churches of Christ in Great Britain before World War I. More significant was the issue of
Membership declined rapidly during and after the First World War.[3]: 372 [4]: 312 The Association of Churches of Christ in Britain disbanded in 1980.[3]: 372 [4]: 312 Most Association congregations (approximately 40) united with the United Reformed Church in 1981.[3]: 372 [4]: 312 In the same year, twenty-four other congregations formed a Fellowship of Churches of Christ.[3]: 372 The Fellowship developed ties with the Christian churches and churches of Christ during the 1980s.[3]: 372 [4]: 312
Theology
As a result of their different history and the influence of the Scottish Baptists, British Churches of Christ have, when compared to the American Restoration Movement, placed a relatively greater emphasis on restoring the New Testament church than they have on unity.[3]: 373 During the 1800s, the internal dialogue of the British churches was characterized more by rationalism than by evangelicalism. They put greater emphasis on convincing adherents of other churches than on converting non-Christians.[3]: 373 In the early 20th century, they became more open to ecumenism.[3]: 373 By the 1960s relatively few ministers of the British Churches of Christ had a conservative, evangelical approach to theology. By the 1980s, strong allegiance to restorationism was limited to the a cappella congregations.[3]: 373
References
- ISBN 978-0-8028-3898-8
- ^ ASIN B0006WF106.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8028-3898-8, 854 pages, entry on Great Britain and Ireland, Churches of Christ in
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8028-3898-8, 854 pages, entry on Europe, Missions in