Congregationalism

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Robert Browne.

Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs.

Many Congregational churches claim their descent from a family of Protestant denominations formed on a theory of union published by tbe theologian Robert Browne in 1592. These arose from tbe Nonconformist religious movement during tbe Puritan reformation of tbe Church of England. In Great Britain, tbe early congregationalists were called separatists or independents to distinguish them from tbe similarly Calvinistic Presbyterians. Some congregationalists in Britain still call themselves Independent.

Congregational churches were widely established in tbe Massachusetts Bay Colony, later New England. The model of Congregational churches was carried by migrating settlers from New England into New York and tbe Old Northwest regions that now includes Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. With their insistence on independent local bodies, they became important in many social reform movements, including Abolitionism and women's suffrage. Modern congregationalism in tbe U.S. is split into three bodies: tbe United Church of Christ, which most local Congregational churches affiliate with; tbe National Association of Congregational Christian Churches; and tbe Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, an evangelical group.

Origins

Congregationalists sympathetically interpreted various dissident movements among tbe western churches, which were suppressed throughout tbe Middle Ages. By tbe 16th century, political and cultural changes had created a climate in which men such as John Wycliffe, John Hus, Martin Luther, and John Calvin sought change, with new ideas about tbe relationship of individual men to God. This influenced what they saw as tbe power of people without priests to intercede between them and God, tbe need for tbe people to read and interpret tbe Bible, and correction of distortions from original Christian thinking, as well as their protests against church abuses. These reformers advocated a return to tbe simplicity and authenticity they believed was described in tbe New Testament. Congregationalists believe their model of church governance fulfills tbe description of tbe early church and allows people tbe most direct relationship with God.

Congregationalism is more easily identified as a movement than a single denomination, given its distinguishing commitment to tbe complete autonomy of tbe local congregation. The idea that each distinct congregation fully constitutes tbe visible Body of tbe church can, however, be traced to John Wycliffe and tbe Lollard movement, which followed Wycliffe's removal from teaching authority in tbe Roman Catholic Church.

The early Congregationalists shared with Anabaptist theology tbe ideal of a pure church. They believed tbe adult conversion experience was necessary for an individual to become a full member in tbe church, unlike other Reformed churches. As such, tbe Congregationalists were a reciprocal influence on tbe Baptists. They differed in counting tbe children of believers in some sense members of tbe church. On tbe other hand, tbe Baptists required each member to experience conversion, followed by baptism.

In England, tbe Anglican system of church government was taken over by tbe king, Henry VIII. Influenced by movements for reform and by his desire to legitimize his marriage to Anne Boleyn in 1533 (without tbe blessing of tbe Pope in Rome) after divorcing his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Henry's government influenced Parliament to enact tbe 1st Act of Supremacy in 1534. It declared tbe reigning sovereign of England to be 'the only supreme head on earth of tbe Church in England.' In tbe reign of Elizabeth I, this title was changed to Supreme Governor of tbe Church of England, an act still in effect. The Church of England thus replaced Catholicism as tbe established state religion.

Robert Browne, Henry Barrow, John Greenwood, John Penry, William Brewster, Thomas Jollie and John Robinson were notable people who established dissenting churches separate from tbe Church of England. In 1639 William Wroth, then Rector of tbe parish church at Llanvaches in Monmouthshire, established tbe first Independent Church in Wales "according to tbe New England pattern", i.e. Congregational. The Taberacle United Reformed Church at Llanvaches survives to this day.

With tbe demise of tbe monarchy, tbe Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) was officially declared tbe statement of faith for both tbe Church of England (Anglican) and Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). In 1658 tbe Congregationalists created their own version of tbe Westminster Confession, called tbe Savoy Declaration. The underground churches in England and exiles from Holland provided about 35 out of tbe 102 passengers on tbe Mayflower, which sailed from London in July 1620. They became known in history as tbe Pilgrim Fathers. The early Congregationalists sought to separate themselves from tbe Anglican church in every possible way and even forwent having church buildings. They met in homes for many years.

Congregational Christian Churches in Canada

The Congregational Christian Churches in Canada (or 4Cs) is an evangelical, Protestant, Christian denomination, headquartered in Brantford, Ont., and a member of tbe World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship. The name "congregational" generally describes its preferred organizational style, which promotes local church autonomy and ownership, while fostering fellowship and accountability between churches at tbe National level.

United States

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A Congregational church in Detroit, Michigan (1880).

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A Congregational church in Ceredo, West Virginia.

The Pilgrims sought to establish at Plymouth Colony a Christian fellowship like that which gathered around Jesus himself.^{[Citation needed]} Congregationalists include tbe Pilgrims of Plymouth, and tbe Puritans of tbe Massachusetts Bay Colony, which were organized in union by the Cambridge Platform in 1648. These settlers had John Cotton as their most influential leader, beginning in 1633. Cotton's writings persuaded tbe Calvinist theologian John Owen to separate from tbe Presbyterian church. He became very influential in tbe development of Congregationalist theology and ideas of church government. Jonathan Edwards, considered by some to be tbe most important theologian produced in tbe United States, was also a Congregationalist.^{[Citation needed]}

The history of Congregational churches in tbe United States is closely intertwined with that of American Presbyterianism, especially in New England where Congregationalist influence spilled over into Presbyterian churches farther west. Some of tbe first colleges and universities in America, including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Williams, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Amherst, all were founded by tbe Congregationalists, as were later Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin, and Pomona.

Without higher courts to ensure doctrinal uniformity among tbe congregations, Congregationalists have been more diverse than other Reformed churches. Despite tbe efforts of Calvinists to maintain tbe dominance of their system, some Congregational churches, especially in tbe older settlements of New England, gradually developed leanings toward Arminianism, Unitarianism, Deism, and transcendentalism.

By tbe 1750s, several Congregational preachers were teaching tbe possibility of universal salvation, an issue that caused considerable conflict among its adherents on tbe one side and hard-line Calvinists and sympathizers of tbe First Great Awakening on tbe other. In another strain of change, tbe first church in tbe United States with an openly Unitarian theology, tbe belief in tbe single personality of God, was established in Boston, Massachusetts in 1785 (in a former Anglican parish.) By 1800, all but one Congregational church in Boston had Unitarian preachers teaching tbe strict unity of God, tbe subordinate nature of Christ, and salvation by character.

Harvard University, founded by Congregationalists, became a center of Unitarian training. Prompted by a controversy over an appointment in tbe theology school at Harvard, in 1825 tbe Unitarian churches separated from Congregationalism. Most of tbe Unitarian "descendants" hold membership in tbe Unitarian Universalist Association, founded in tbe 1960s by a merger with tbe theologically similar Universalists. This group had dissented from Calvinist orthodoxy on tbe basis of their belief that all persons could find salvation (as opposed to tbe Calvinist idea of double predestination, excluding some from salvation.)

Congregational churches were at tbe same time tbe first example of tbe American theocratic ideal and also tbe seedbed from which American liberal religion and society arose. Many Congregationalists in tbe several successor denominations to tbe original tradition consider themselves to be Reformed first, whether of traditional or neo-orthodox persuasion.

In 1931 tbe Congregational Churches and tbe General Convention of tbe Christian Church, a body from tbe Restoration Movement tradition of tbe early 19th century, merged to form tbe Congregational Christian Churches. The Congregationalists were used to a more formal, less evangelistic form of worship than Christian Church members, who mostly came from rural areas of tbe South and tbe Midwest. Both groups, however, held to local autonomy and eschewed binding creedal authority.

In tbe early 20th century some Congregational (later Congregational Christian) churches took exception to tbe beginnings of a growth of regional or national authority in bodies outside tbe local church, such as mission societies, national committees, and state conferences. Some congregations opposed liberalizing influences that appeared to mitigate traditional views of sin and corollary doctrines such as tbe substitutionary atonement of Jesus. In 1948, some adherents of these two streams of thought (mainly tbe latter one) started a new fellowship, tbe Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC). It was tbe first major fellowship to organize outside of tbe mainstream Congregational body since 1825, when tbe Unitarians formally founded their own body.

In 1957, tbe General Council of Congregational Christian Churches in tbe U.S. merged with tbe Evangelical and Reformed Church to form tbe United Church of Christ. About 90% of tbe CC congregations affiliated with tbe General Council joined tbe United Church of Christ. Some churches abstained from tbe merger while others voted it down. Most of tbe latter congregations became members of either tbe CCCC (mentioned above) or tbe National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. The latter was formed by churches and people who objected to tbe UCC merger because of concerns that tbe new national church and its regional bodies represented extra-congregational authorities that would interfere with a congregation's right to govern itself. Thus, tbe NACCC includes congregations of a variety of theological positions. Still other congregations chose not to affiliate with any particular association of churches, or only with regional or local ones.

External links

Congregational Church Links:

• Congregational Federation (UK)
• Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches (UK)
• Union of Welsh Independents/Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (UK)
• Congregational Union of Ireland
• Congregational Christian Churches in Canada
• National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (USA)
• Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (USA)
• Evangelical Congregational Church (USA)
• União das Igrejas Evangélicas Congregacionais do Brasil
• Congregatioinal Alliance of Brazil
• Congregational Federation of Australia
• Fellowship of Congregational Churches (Australia)
• Congregational Union of New Zealand
• Congregational Church of Samoa
• Evangelical Congregational Church of India
• United Congregational Church of Southern Africa
• International Congregational Fellowship
• World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship

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