Restorationism
Part of a series on |
Christianity |
---|
Part of a series on the |
History of Christian theology |
---|
Christianity portal |
Restorationism, also known as Restitutionism or Christian primitivism, is a religious perspective according to which the early beliefs and practices of the followers of Jesus were lost or adulterated after his death and required "restoration".[1][2][3] It is a view that often "seeks to correct faults or deficiencies (in other branches of Christianity) by appealing to the primitive church as normative model".[1]: 635
Efforts to restore an earlier, purer form of Christianity are often a response to
More narrowly, the term "Restorationism" describes unrelated Restorationist groups during the era of the
The term has been used to refer to the
Uses of the term
The terms restorationism, restorationist and restoration are used in several senses within
Capitalized, the term is also used as a synonym for the American
The term primitive,
Historical models
The restoration ideal has been interpreted and applied in a variety of ways.[1]: 635 Four general historical models can be identified based on the aspect of early Christianity that the individuals and groups involved were attempting to restore.[1]: 635 These are:
- Ecclesiastical Primitivism;[1]: 635
- Ethical Primitivism;[1]: 635
- Experiential Primitivism;[1]: 635 and
- Gospel Primitivism.[1]: 635
Ecclesiastical primitivism focuses on restoring the
Ethical primitivism focuses on restoring the ethical norms and commitment to
Experiential primitivism focuses on restoring the direct communication with God and the experience of the Holy Spirit seen in the early church.[1]: 637 Examples include the Latter Day Saint movement of Joseph Smith and Pentecostalism.[1]: 637, 638
Gospel primitivism may be best seen in the theology of
These models are not mutually exclusive, but overlap; for example, the Pentecostal movement sees a clear link between ethical primitivism and experiential primitivism.[1]: 635, 637
Middle Ages
Beginning in about 1470 a succession of
While these pre-reformation movements did presage and sometimes discussed a break with Rome and papal authority, they also provoked restorationist movements within the church, such as the councils of Constance[34] and Basle,[35] which were held in the first half of the 15th century.
Preachers at the time regularly harangued delegates to these conferences regarding
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation came about through an impulse to repair the Church and return it to what the reformers saw as its original biblical structure, belief, and practice,[37] and was motivated by a sense that "the medieval church had allowed its traditions to clutter the way to God with fees and human regulations and thus to subvert the gospel of Christ."[29]: 21 At the heart of the Reformation was an emphasis on the principle of "scripture alone" (sola scriptura).[29]: 22–23 As a result, the authority of church tradition, which had taken practical precedence over scripture, was rejected.[29]: 22 The Reformation was not a monolithic movement, but consisted of at least three identifiable sub-currents.[29]: 21 One was centered in Germany, one was centered in Switzerland, and the third was centered in England.[29]: 21 While these movements shared some common concerns, each had its own particular emphasis.[29]: 21
The
In contrast, the
Luther opposed efforts to restore "biblical forms and structures,"[29]: 112 because he saw human efforts to restore the church as works righteousness.[1]: 638 He did seek the "marks of the true church," but was concerned that by focusing on forms and patterns could lead to the belief that by "restoring outward forms alone one has restored the essence."[29]: 117 Thus, Luther believed that restoring the gospel was the first step in renewing the church, rather than restoring biblical forms and patterns.[29]: 118 In this sense, Luther can be described as a gospel restorationist, even though his approach was very different from that of other restorationists.[1]: 638 [29]: 121
Protestant groups have generally accepted history as having some "jurisdiction" in Christian faith and life; the question has been the extent of that jurisdiction.
Church of England and Caroline Divines
Perhaps the most primitivist minded of the Protestant Reformation era were a group of scholars within the Church of England known as the Caroline Divines, who flourished in the 1600s during the reigns of Charles I and Charles II. They regularly appealed to the Primitive Church as the basis for their reforms.[42] Unlike many other Christian Primitivists, the Church of the England and the Caroline Divines did not subject Scriptural interpretation to individual human reason, but rather to the hermeneutical consensus of the Church Fathers, holding to the doctrine of Prima Scriptura as opposed to Sola Scriptura.[43] Furthermore, they did not hold to the separatist ecclesiology of many primitivist groups, but rather saw themselves as working within the historic established church to return it to its foundation in Scripture and the patristic tradition.[42] Among the Caroline Divines were men like Archbishop William Laud, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Deacon Nicholas Ferrar and the Little Gidding Community and others.
First Great Awakening
Methodism
Methodism began in the 1700s as a Christian Primitivist movement within the Church of England. John Wesley and his brother Charles, the founders of the movement, were high church Anglican priests in the vein of the Caroline Divines, who had a deep respect for the Primitive Church, which they generally defined as the Church before the Council Of Nicea.[44] Unlike many other Christian Primitivists, the Wesleys and the early Methodists did not subject Scriptural interpretation to individual human reason, but rather to the hermeneutical consensus of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, holding to a view of authority more akin to Prima Scriptura rather than Sola Scriptura.[45] Furthermore, they did not hold to the separatist ecclesiology of many primitivist groups, but rather saw themselves as working within the historic established church to return it to its foundation in Scripture and the tradition of the pre-Nicene Church.[46] John Wesley very regularly asserted Methodism's commitment to the Primitive Church, saying, "From a child I was taught to love and reverence the Scripture, the oracles of God; and, next to these, to esteem the primitive Fathers, the writers of the first three centuries. Next after the primitive church, I esteemed our own, the Church of England, as the most Scriptural national Church in the world."[47][48] And, "Methodism, so called, is the old religion, the religion of the Bible, the religion of the primitive Church, the religion of the Church of England."[49] On his epitaph is written, "This GREAT LIGHT arose (By the Singular providence of GOD) To enlighten THESE NATIONS, And to revive, enforce, and defend, The Pure Apostolical DOCTRINES and PRACTICES of THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH…"[50]
Separate Baptists
During the First Great Awakening, a movement developed among the Baptists known as Separate Baptists. Two themes of this movement were the rejection of creeds and "freedom in the Spirit."[29]: 65 The Separate Baptists saw scripture as the "perfect rule" for the church.[29]: 66 While they turned to the Bible for a structural pattern for the church, they did not insist on complete agreement on the details of that pattern.[29]: 67 This group originated in New England, but was especially strong in the South where the emphasis on a biblical pattern for the church grew stronger.[29]: 67 In the last half of the 18th century it spread to the western frontier of Kentucky and Tennessee, where the Stone and Campbell movements would later take root.[29]: 68 The development of the Separate Baptists in the southern frontier helped prepare the ground for the Restoration Movement, as the membership of both the Stone and Campbell groups drew heavily from among the ranks of the Separate Baptists.[29]: 67 Separate Baptist restorationism also contributed to the development of the Landmark Baptists in the same area at about the same time as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Under the leadership of James Robinson Graves, this group looked for a precise blueprint for the primitive church, believing that any deviation from that blueprint would keep one from being part of the true church.[29]: 68
Groups arising in the era of the Second Great Awakening
The ideal of restoring a "primitive" form of Christianity grew in popularity in the United States after the American Revolution.[29]: 89–94 This desire to restore a purer form of Christianity played a role in the development of many groups during this period, known as the Second Great Awakening, including the Mormons, Baptists and Shakers.[29]: 89 Several factors made the restoration sentiment particularly appealing during this time period.[29]: 90–94
- To immigrants in the early 19th century, the land in America seemed pristine, edenic and undefiled - "the perfect place to recover pure, uncorrupted and original Christianity" - and the tradition-bound European churches seemed out of place in this new setting.[29]: 90
- The new American democracy seemed equally fresh and pure, a restoration of the kind of just government that God intended.[29]: 90, 91
- Many believed that the new nation would usher in a new millennial age.[29]: 91, 92
- Independence from the traditional churches of Europe was appealing to many Americans who were enjoying a new political independence.[29]: 92, 93
- A primitive faith based on the Bible alone promised a way to sidestep the competing claims of all the many denominations available and find assurance of being right without the security of an established national church.[29]: 93
Camp meetings fueled the Second Great Awakening, which served as an "organizing process" that created "a religious and educational infrastructure" across the trans-Appalachian frontier that encompassed social networks, a religious journalism that provided mass communication, and church related colleges.[51]: 368
American Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement
The American Restoration Movement aimed to restore the church and sought "the unification of all Christians in a single body patterned after the church of the New Testament."
The Campbell movement was characterized by a "systematic and rational reconstruction" of the early church, in contrast to the Stone movement which was characterized by radical freedom and lack of dogma.[29]: 106–108 Despite their differences, the two movements agreed on several critical issues.[29]: 108 Both saw restoring apostolic Christianity as a means of hastening the millennium.[29]: 108 Both also saw restoring the early church as a route to Christian freedom.[29]: 108 And, both believed that unity among Christians could be achieved by using apostolic Christianity as a model.[29]: 108 They were united, among other things, in the belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; that Christians should celebrate the Lord's Supper on the first day of each week; and that baptism of adult believers by immersion in water is a necessary condition for salvation. Because the founders wanted to abandon all denominational labels, they used the biblical names for the followers of Jesus that they found in the Bible.[53]: 27 The commitment of both movements to restoring the early church and to uniting Christians was enough to motivate a union between many in the two movements.[54]: 8, 9
With the merger, there was the challenge of what to call the new movement. Clearly, finding a biblical, non-sectarian name was important. Stone wanted to continue to use the name "Christians." Alexander Campbell insisted upon "Disciples of Christ". As a result, both names were used.[53]: 27–28 [55]: 125
The Restoration Movement began during, and was greatly influenced by, the Second Great Awakening.[51]: 368 While the Campbells resisted what they saw as the spiritual manipulation of the camp meetings, the Southern phase of the Awakening "was an important matrix of Barton Stone's reform movement" and shaped the evangelistic techniques used by both Stone and the Campbells.[51]: 368
The Restoration Movement has seen several divisions, resulting in multiple separate groups. Three modern groups originating in the U.S. claim the Stone-Campbell movement as their roots: Churches of Christ, Christian churches and churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Some see divisions in the movement as the result of the tension between the goals of restoration and ecumenism, with the churches of Christ and the Christian churches and churches of Christ resolving the tension by stressing restoration while the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) resolved the tension by stressing ecumenism.[56]: 383 Non-U.S. churches associated with this movement include the Churches of Christ in Australia and the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada.[57][58]
Christadelphians
Following his abjuration and rebaptism he went to England on a preaching tour in June 1848 including Reformation Movement churches,[59] Although his abjuration and his disfellowship in America were reported in the British churches magazines[60] certain churches in the movement still allowed him to present his views. Thomas also gained a hearing in Unitarian and Adventist churches through his promotion of the concept of "independence of thought" with regards to interpreting the Bible.
Through a process of creed setting and division the Christadelphian movement emerged with a distinctive set of doctrines incorporating Adventism, anti-trinitarianism, the belief that God is a "substantial and corporeal" being, objection to military service, a lay-membership with full participation by all members, and other doctrines consistent with the spirit of the Restorationist movement.[61] One consequence of objection to military service was the adoption of the name Christadelphians to distinguish this small community of believers and to be granted exemption from military service in the American Civil War.[61]
Swedenborgians
The New Church was founded on the basis of the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg.[8] As such, it is often known as the Swedenborgian Church.[8] The New Church's view of God is that "Jesus is God incarnate, not (as certain interpretations of the traditional Christian trinity contend) an emanation of the Godhead."[62] The New Church propounds the doctrine of Correspondence, which teaches that "Every word or fact of the Bible corresponded to a spiritual truth or mystical truth."[62] Additionally, The New Church teaches that "Objects in the physical world have spiritual correspondences."[63]
Irvingians
The
Latter Day Saint movement
Adherents to the Latter Day Saint movement believe that founder
According to Smith, God
Some among the
The "
Adventism
Adventism is a
Millerites and Seventh-day Sabbatarianism
The Millerites were the most well-known family of the Adventist movements. They emphasized apocalyptic teachings anticipating the end of the world, and did not look for the unity of Christendom but busied themselves in preparation for Christ's return. Millerites sought to restore a prophetic immediacy and uncompromising biblicism that they believed had once existed but had long been rejected by mainstream Protestant and Catholic churches. From the Millerites descended the Seventh-day Adventists and the Advent Christian Church.
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church grew out of the Adventist movement, in particular the Millerites. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the largest of several
Much of the theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church corresponds to Protestant Christian teachings such as the Trinity and the
Worldwide Church of God
The
Advent Christian Church
The Advent Christian Church is unaffiliated with Seventh-day Adventism, but considers itself the second "of six Christian denominations that grew out of the ministry of William Miller".
Advent Christians such as George Storrs and Jonas Wendell influenced the Bible Student movement.
Other groups originating in the nineteenth century
Bible Students
In the 1870s, a Bible study group led by
Jehovah's Witnesses
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a
They became known as "the brethren from Plymouth", and were soon simply called "Plymouth Brethren". By 1848, divergence of practice and belief led to the development of two separate branches. The rift was caused primarily by a difference of opinions between
20th-century and contemporary groups
Oneness Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism began primarily as a restoration movement that focused on the "experiential" aspect of the early church.[93] The early pioneers of the Pentecostal movement sought to restore the work and power of the Holy Spirit to the church, which they felt had been lost early on after the Apostolic Age. Oneness Pentecostals, in particular, continue to have a lot of restorationist themes present in their movement. Many Oneness Pentecostals see their movement as being a restoration of the Apostolic Church, which is why many of them refer to themselves as "apostolic" or to their movement as the "Apostolic Pentecostal" movement.
British New Church Movement
During the charismatic movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which focused on the transformation of the individual, some leaders formed what has become known as the Charismatic Restorationist Movement. These leaders, of whom Arthur Wallis, David Lillie and Cecil Cousen were at the forefront, focused on the nature of the church and shared a distinctive view that authentic church order was being restored to the whole church. This authentic church order centred on what is referred to as the "fivefold ministries", as listed in Ephesians 4:11: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers and Pastors. Although the Charismatic Movement brought the Pentecostal gifts to the denominational churches, these restorationists considered denominationalism unbiblical, and shared a conviction that God would cause the church to be directly organized and empowered by the holy spirit. The movement has thousands of adherents worldwide, and notable church networks include Newfrontiers led by Terry Virgo, Salt and Light Ministries International led by Barney Coombs and Ichthus Christian Fellowship led by Faith and Roger Forster.
Shepherding movement
The British leaders of charismatic restorationism mutually recognised a parallel movement in the United States, centered on the Fort Lauderdale Five;
Apostolic-Prophetic Movement
More recently another form of charismatic restorationism with a similar recognition of the
Church of God (Restoration)
The Church of God (Restoration) is a Christian denomination that was founded in the 1980s by Daniel (Danny) Layne.
One tenet of this group is that they are ordained by both prophecy and divine command to restore the church of God as it was in the Book of Acts.[95] Most of Daniel Layne's beliefs concerning the book of Revelation originated from some ministers who had left the Church of God (Anderson) reformation movement thirty or so years earlier. This teaching is upheld by the official eschatology, which is a form of church historicism. This Church of God (Restoration)[96] teaches that the 7th Trumpet in the book of the Revelation began to sound around the year 1980 when Daniel Layne was saved, alleging that there was a general discontent among many of its current adherents that were in various Churches of God at that time. A variation of this "Seventh Seal message"[97] had been taught in other Churches of God for approximately 50 years prior to this point.
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo began in the
La Luz del Mundo
La Luz del Mundo (full name: Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo) was founded in
Apostolic Catholic Church (Philippines)
The Apostolic Catholic Church started as a mainstream
Local churches
The
Jesuism
Jesuism is the personal
World Mission Society Church Of God
World Mission Society Church of God is a non-denominational Christian movement founded by
Ahn Sahng-hong should be regarded as Jesus Christ who had already come, should be titled Christ Ahn Sahng-hong, and pursuant to a traditional trinitarian view of Christian hypostasis Ahn was consequently also The Holy Spirit, God the Father, and thus God. Zahng Gil-jah should be regarded as God the Mother, a female image of God, be titled Heavenly Mother, or simply Mother, and together with Ahn Sahng-hong be regarded as God.[108]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, 9780802838988, entry on Restoration, Historical Models of
- ^ ISBN 0-415-37420-0, 9780415374200, page 634
- Servetusbelieved what has always been basic to restorationism: ... the true, apostolic church .... Restorationists in the South include three churches of the STONE-CAMPBELL TRADITION."
- ^ ISBN 0-89098-021-7
- ^ ISBN 978-1-7252-6010-8.
From this nexus at Albury Park would eventually emerge the openly-restorationist Catholic Apostolic Church, in which both Drummond and London Scots preacher, Edward Irving (1792-1834), would figure prominently. Significant for the purposes of this discussion is the fact that the Catholic Apostolic Church would distinguish itself not only for its bold claim to exercise the charismata of the Apostolic age, but also for its lavish liturgies borrowed from the pre-Reformation church, both East and West.
- ISBN 978-1-4982-3145-9.
The Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) spurred a renewed interest in primitive Christianity. What is known as the Restoration Movement of the nineteenth century gave birth to an array of groups: Mormons (The Latter Day Saint Movement), the Churches of Christ, Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Though these groups demonstrate a breathtaking diversity on the continuum of Christianity they share an intense restorationist impulse. Picasso and Stravinsky reflect a primitivism that came to the fore around the turn of the twentieth century that more broadly has been characterized as a "retreat from the industrialized world."
- ISBN 978-0-8308-2755-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-351-90583-1.
However, Swedenborg claimed to receive visions and revelations of heavenly things and a 'New Church', and the new church which was founded upon his writings was a Restorationist Church. The three nineteenth-century churches are all examples of Restorationist Churches, which believed they were refounding the Apostolic Church, and preparing for the Second Coming of Christ.
- ISBN 978-1-62189-053-9.
- ^ Gao, Ronnie Chuang-Rang; Sawatsky, Kevin (7 February 2023). "Motivations in Faith-Based Organizations". Houston Christian University. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
For example, Christianity comprises six major groups: Church of the East, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Restorationism.
- ISBN 978-1-4725-8284-3.
Like other Restorationists, Russell held the theory of the Great Apostasy, the belief that Christianity had fallen away from its original purity. To the simple early message of Christianity, he believed, later teachers and political leaders had added unwarranted beliefs and practices.
- ISBN 978-0-313-35959-0.
- ISBN 0-415-10464-5, pg 230,231; 245-249
- ISBN 0-7546-3410-8, pg 82,83
- ISBN 0-19-530092-0, 9780195300925, 225 pages
- ISBN 0-8028-2416-1, 9780802824165, entry on Restoration Movements
- ^ Max Turner, "Ecclesiology In The Major 'Apostolic' Restorationist Churches In The United Kingdom", Vox Evangelica 19 (1989): 83–108.
- ^ Elaine Milley, "Modern Theology of Restorationism", Archived 2016-04-18 at the Wayback Machine, Master's Thesis, Theological Studies Department, Tyndale College and Seminary
- ISBN 0-252-06281-7, 9780252062810, 281 pages
- ISBN 0-7546-3410-8, 9780754634102, 268 pages
- ^ See for example Cassandra Yacovazzi, "The Crisis of Sectarianism: Restorationist, Catholic, and Mormon Converts in Antebellum America, Masters Thesis, Department of History, Baylor University, May 2009
- ^ Anouar Majid, "The Political Geography of Holiness Archived 2016-02-10 at Wikiwix", American Literary History, April 17, 2009
- ISBN 0-253-21491-2, 9780253214911, 258 pages
- ^ Knight, Alan. Primitive Christianity in Crisis.
- ^ Meredith, Roderick. Restoring Apostolic Christianity.
- ^ E.g., clean and unclean animals, Gen. 7:2.
- ^ Matt. 5–7
- ^ ISBN 0-89112-006-8
- ^ ISBN 9780394527772.
- ISBN 0-394-40026-7.
- ISBN 978-1-84227-279-4.
- ISBN 978-1-84227-279-4.
- ^ Council of Constance (1414). "Council of Constance". Archived from the original on 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
- ^ Council of Basle (1431–1449). "Council of Basle". Catholic Encyclopedia 1907. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
- ^ John M. Todd (1971). The Reformation. New York.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Richard Hooker. "Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian". Archived from the original on 2007-03-23. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ Junius Benjamin Remensnyder (1893). The Lutheran Manual. Boschen & Wefer Company. p. 12.
- The Lutheran Witness. pp. 82–83.
- ^ The Lutheran Witness.
When the Lutherans presented the Augsburg Confession before Emperor Charles V in 1530, they carefully showed that each article of faith and practice was true first of all to Holy Scripture, and then also to the teaching of the church fathers and the councils and even the canon law of the Church of Rome. They boldly claim, "This is about the Sum of our Doctrine, in which, as can be seen, there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers" (AC XXI Conclusion 1). The underlying thesis of the Augsburg Confession is that the faith as confessed by Luther and his followers is nothing new, but the true catholic faith, and that their churches represent the true catholic or universal church. In fact, it is actually the Church of Rome that has departed from the ancient faith and practice of the catholic church (see AC XXIII 13, XXVIII 72 and other places).
- ^ ISBN 0-252-06029-6
- ^ JSTOR 42974662.
- JSTOR 42611756.
- ^ Snyder, Howard (2016-05-02). "Restoring Primitive Christianity in America". Seedbed. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
- JSTOR 42612802.
- ISBN 978-0-19-870160-6.
- JSTOR 42612802.
- ISSN 2291-1723.
- ^ "John Wesley, Sermon 132: ON LAYING THE FOUNDATION OF THE NEW CHAPEL, NEAR THE CITY-ROAD, LONDON". wbbm.org. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
- ^ "What we can learn from the words on John Wesley's tomb". The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
- ^ ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, 9780802838988, 854 pages, entry on Great Awakenings
- ISBN 0-89137-513-9(cloth)
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8272-1703-4
- ISBN 0-313-23312-8, 9780313233128, 345 pages
- ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, 9780802838988, 854 pages, entry on Campbell, Alexander
- ISBN 0-89900-909-3, 9780899009094, 573 pages
- ^ Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (2004)
- ^ Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions (2009)
- ^ Encyclopedia of new religions: new religious movements, sects and Christopher Hugh Partridge - 2004 "In June 1848, he returned to England and was well received in Nottingham and had further speaking engagements in Derby"
- ^ The British Millennial Harbinger and Family Magazine ed. James Wallis July 1848 cover, October 1848 in full
- ^ a b "Our History". Williamsburg Christadelphians. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
- ^ ISBN 979-8-216-12291-3.
- ^ Nelson, Paul. "Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church". Saint Paul Church. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ What is the Catholic Apostolic Church?. Wesleyan Conference Office. 1834. p. 5.
- ISBN 978-0-19-955037-1.
- ^ Nyika, Felix Chimera (2008). Restore the Primitive Church Once More: A Survey of Post Reformation Christian Restorationism. Kachere Series. p. 14.
In the 1990s the New Apostolic Church had almost 300 apostles with 60,000 congregations comprising 16 million members globally.
- ^ Kuligin, Victor (2005). "The New Apostolic Church". Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology. 24 (1): 1–18.
- ISBN 978-0-8189-0413-4.
- ISBN 978-3-8329-2132-3.
- ^ Bushman, Richard (2008). Mormonism: a very short introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 20.
- Joseph Smith - History: Chapter 1:19)
- ^ ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, 9780802838988, 854 pages, entry on Mormonism
- ^ See The Great Apostasy by [James E. Talmage]
- ^ George R. Knight, "A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-Day Adventist Beliefs," Review and Herald Pub Assoc., 2000
- ^ "Pew Research Center, America's Changing Religious Landscape, Appendix B: Classification of Protestant Denominations". 12 May 2015.
- ^ "Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines and Progressive Revelation".
- ^ Midnight and Morning: The Millerite Movement and the Founding of the Advent Christian Church, 1831-1860 by Clyde E. Hewitt (Venture Books, 1984), as cited by "The Advent Christian Church: An Introduction", AreaChurches.com
- ^ Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom. chap. 31 p. 707 "A biography of Russell, published shortly after his death, explained: "He was not the founder of a new religion, and never made such claim. He revived the great truths taught by Jesus and the Apostles,"
- ^ "Be Joyful Harvest Workers!". The Watchtower: 11. 15 July 2001.
- ^ "Militarism and Navalism - How Long?" by Charles Taze Russell, Watch Tower, January 1, 1916, page 5, "We see wrongs perpetrated in every direction; Divine Laws entirely set aside by these so-called Christian nations--Christendom. ...God's nation--is in the world, but not of it. Its members cannot be loyal to the prince of this world [Satan], and to the Prince of Glory, both. ...Indeed, we entreat all the Lord's dear people to remember that there are but the two great Masters; and that we have enlisted on the side of our God and His Christ, and are to prove loyal to these in the midst of a crooked and perverse people, blinded by the god of this world and filled with his spirit of pride, boastfulness, animosity, hatred and strife. It should be our desire to be neutral as between these contending factions of Satan's empire. ...Let us never forget our neutrality. Let us be just toward all, kind, generous. Let us avoid as far as possible any discussion of these matters with those who would not be able to understand and appreciate our position."[italics added]Retrieved 2010-12-20 Archived 2016-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Bible Students and the Future", Watch Tower, April 1, 1915, page 101, "In all the Continental Armies our Brethren, known as Bible Students, are to be found--not willingly, but by conscription. ...Before the war we recommended to the Brethren that in the event of hostilities they should, so far as possible, if drafted, request positions in the hospital service or in the supplies department, where they could serve the Government efficiently; whereas, if they were ordered to the firing line, they would not be obliged to shoot to kill. We have reasons for believing that these suggestions are being followed... We have exhorted the brethren to strict neutrality so far as the combatants are concerned, whatever might be their natural inclination through accident of birth or association."Retrieved 2010-12-20 Archived 2016-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Reasoning From The Scriptures. Watchtower. 1988. p. 169.
- ^ The Watchtower, April 15, 1983, pg 29, "Why is God's name, Jehovah, missing from most modern translations of the Bible? Superstition that developed among tradition-bound Jews caused them to avoid pronouncing God's personal name, Jehovah. This has contributed to worldwide ignorance regarding the divine name."
- ^ Abigail, Shawn (June 2006). "What is the history of the 'Brethren'?". "Plymouth Brethren" FAQ. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- OCLC 15948378.[page needed]
- Bellet, John Gifford; et al. Interesting Reminiscences of the Early History of "Brethren" in and around 1827(PDF). bruederbewegung.de. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- OCLC 56336926.[page needed]
- OCLC 11627558.
- OCLC 46858944.[page needed]
- OCLC 2807272.
- ^ Steidl, Grant (c. 1988). "Schematic Diagram of Brethren History". Philip H. Van Amerongen. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ "Welcome". Archived from the original on 2013-02-16.
- ^ Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture, University of Illinois Press, US, 1993, p. 13
- ^ Zion's Voice Archived 2010-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Advanced Bible Search".
- ^ "The Church of God : Official WebsiteHome - The Church of God : Official Website". The Church of God : Official Website.
- ^ "Worshipping Christ" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-04-22.
- ^ Sanders, Albert J. (1969). "An Appraisal of the Iglesia ni Cristo". In Anderson, Gerald H. (ed.). Studies in Philippine Church History. Cornell University Press.
- ^ Tipon, Emmanuel (28 July 2004). "Iglesia Ni Cristo celebrates 90th anniversary". PhilippineNews.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2005.
- )
- ^ a b "Our Member Churches". Retrieved 2022-10-04.
- ^ "Local Churches Beliefs". Archived from the original on 2007-12-14.
- ^ Bouck White. The Call of the Carpenter. US: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1911. p.314.
- ^ Owen J. Flanagan. The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2007. p.36
- ^ Edgar Dewitt Jones. Paul the Stranger. Abilene: Voice of Jesus, 2003 (online transcription).
- ^ Douglas J. Del Tondo. Jesus' Words Only. San Diego: Infinity Publishing, 2006. p.19
- ^ Owen J. Flanagan. The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2007. p.263
- ^ "About Us".
Further reading
- Birdsall Richard D. "The Second Great Awakening and the New England Social Order." Church History 39 (1970): 345–64.
- Cross, Whitney, R. The Burned-Over District: The Social and Intellectual History of Enthusiastic Religion in Western New York, 1800–1850.
- Zdero, Rad (2004). The Global House Church Movement. ISBN 978-0-87808-374-9.
- Zdero, Rad (2007). NEXUS: The World House Church Movement Reader. ISBN 978-0-87808-342-8.
- Zdero, Rad (2011). Letters to the House Church Movement: Real Letters, Real People, Real Issues. Xulon Press. ISBN 978-1-61379-022-9.
External links
- The Restoration Movement Pages at the Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Restoration Movements - Kevin Barney, "A Tale of Two Restorations," Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research, a comparison of the LDS restoration movement and the Alexander Campbell restoration movement from a Mormonperspective.
- Mormon Restorationism - Topical Guide to topics related to "restoration" from the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
- Publications of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee