Thoughts on the Restoration Movement??

[FundamentalOnly!]

The Restoration Movement brought about Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ churches on the basis that protestant movement in America was failing in a sense, therefore a new movement to restore the church back to early Christianity was needed. My father in law is involved with a community christian church that is asscoiated with the restoration movement, although I have attended, I dont see any thing that resembles church of Christ.


Was this a good idea and does it have any merit? What are the flaws of this movement?


Has anyone been to a community christian church?

 

[Darron Steele]

The Restoration was a wonderful idea.

In the early 1800's, some preachers recognized independently of each other that Christian unity might be easiest if everyone would drop the `creeds' and `traditions' of their denominations and just go back to the Bible. The goal was
1) for everyone to replicate to the 1800's the New Testament church, and stay there,
2) for everyone to have the Bible for their sole authority on matters of faith and to study and follow it for themselves.
One of the leaders of this movement was a Baptist preacher named Alexander Campbell.

A common doctrine was baptismal regeneration and by immersion. A decreasing number of people are sure about this, and some have rejected it -- including me.

Slogans:
"Where Scripture speaks, we speak; where Scripture is silent, we are silent."
"In essentials, unity; in opinion, liberty; in all things, love."
Some at present use "We are Christians only, but not the only Christians." I do not know if that was original to the Restoration.

It was a great idea. The movement had two problems:
1) Not everyone was willing to drop their denominational baggage,
2) After the original leaders died, the movement was hijacked in a lot of areas by men who despised the original messages of liberty and unity.

The result of the latter: we have three denominations. One is the hard-line Churches of Christ, many of whom would actually punish anyone who would dare acknowledge anyone outside of them to be Christians. They also do not have `opinions' -- everything their leaders teach is what the Bible says, period. Also, they believe that the silence of the Scriptures speaks: it condemns.

Another denomination is the Independent Christians. Some Churches of Christ associate with these also. It is most on track with the Restoration. "Christians only, but not the only Christians" is the idea.

A third denomination is the Disciples of Christ. Liberty of opinion is highest in this group. However, they made the decision to become a full denomination in that they have a denominational headquarters, and they accept baptismal ceremonies that do not involve immersion.

The Restoration has not really failed. Regardless of denominational status or not, all Christians can still cooperate around what we can agree on about the New Testament Churches' Scriptures, and share unity of purpose: to serve the Lord.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Darron Steele: A common doctrine was baptismal regeneration and by immersion.

HP: Is it not true that the doctrine as practiced by the Chirch of Christ was indeed placed into practice by Campbell himself? I read some time ago in some writings of his that related the specific time when he came to the understanding he had came to concerning baptism, and it was from that time forward that they followed his prescribed practice concerning baptism. Sorry I do not have the reference.

Is it not also true that the practice Campbell madated for his followers to practice was not practiced in his own life? Where was Campbell ever baptized as he commanded his followers to be baptized?

 

[Darron Steele]

Regarding baptismal regeneration and by immersion.

HP: Is it not true that the doctrine as practiced by the Chirch of Christ was indeed placed into practice by Campbell himself?

Alexander Campbell believed that one was placed into the Christian church by baptism by immersion. However, he did believe in the possiblity of exceptions.

“We can not tell with certainty. But I am of the opinion that when a neglect proceeds from a simple mistake or shear ignorance, and when there is no aversion, but a will to do everything the Lord commands, the Lord will admit into the everlasting kingdom those who by reason of this mistake never had the testimony of God assuring them of pardon or justification here, and consequently never did fully enjoy the salvation of God on earth” (A. Campbell, The Christian System, page 175 -- as reprinted by Gospel Advocate).

I read some time ago in some writings of his that related the specific time when he came to the understanding he had came to concerning baptism, and it was from that time forward that they followed his prescribed practice concerning baptism. Sorry I do not have the reference.

Is it not also true that the practice Campbell madated for his followers to practice was not practiced in his own life? Where was Campbell ever baptized as he commanded his followers to be baptized?

Alexander Campbell never repudiated the legitimacy of his baptism by a Baptist preacher.

Later hijackers of the Restoration used the 1769 edition of the King James Version to create a purpose rule for baptism. I suspect it was an excuse to reject "denominational" baptisms, but I am not sure. The 1769 KJV has at Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...." The "for" is portrayed as indicating our intention, and hard-line Churches of Christ stick with it even today. The 1611 KJV had a comma between "Christ" and "for."

This abuse of the 1769 KJV was not original to the Restoration.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Darron: Alexander Campbell never repudiated the legitimacy of his baptism by a Baptist preacher.

Later hijackers of the Restoration used the 1769 edition of the King James Version to create a purpose rule for baptism.

HP: Thanks Darron for the explanation. I had never heard that before. Many good intentions in the formation of movements have met the same fate.

 

[El_Guero]

Mormons came out of the Restoration Movement

. . . . don't know anything about the new Restoration Movement.

The Restoration Movement brought about Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ churches on the basis that protestant movement in America was failing in a sense, therefore a new movement to restore the church back to early Christianity was needed. My father in law is involved with a community christian church that is asscoiated with the restoration movement, although I have attended, I dont see any thing that resembles church of Christ.


Was this a good idea and does it have any merit? What are the flaws of this movement?


Has anyone been to a community christian church?

 

[Darron Steele]

The Mormon "Restoration" and the Restoration movement claimed by the Churches of Christ, Independent Christians, and Disciples of Christ are two different things, although they were contemporary.

The Mormons/"Latter-Day Saints" intended to form a new body using new Scriptures.

The other Restoration movement was to coalesce the existing body using only the New Testament churches' Scriptures, although it did not end up that way.

 

[KenH]

The Restoration was a wonderful idea.

I am an ex-Church of Christ member, Darron, and I commend your post. It is an excellent synopsis.

 

[Gold Dragon]

The Mormon "Restoration" and the Restoration movement claimed by the Churches of Christ, Independent Christians, and Disciples of Christ are two different things, although they were contemporary.

The Mormons/"Latter-Day Saints" intended to form a new body using new Scriptures.

The other Restoration movement was to coalesce the existing body using only the New Testament churches' Scriptures, although it did not end up that way.

I would probably characterize it by saying that the LDS has restorationist tendencies, in particular the view of traditional denominations being "Apostate". Other restorationist contemporaries that also had that view were the Millerites and some of their descendents, like the SDA and JWs.

But I would not classify any of the above as being part of the Restoration Movement which is usually used to refer to the groups you mentioned, the CoC, Independent CoC, DoC and International CoC.

 

[Darron Steele]

HP: Thanks Darron for the explanation. I had never heard that before. Many good intentions in the formation of movements have met the same fate.

I am an ex-Church of Christ member, Darron, and I commend your post. It is an excellent synopsis.

Thank you both very much.

 

[El_Guero]

The Mormon church developed and grew out of the religious fervor of the Restoration movement.

Yes the Mormon's define 'Restoration' differently, they define everything differently.

 

[Inquiring Mind]

To understand Disciples of Christ I suggest you go here and see what they believe: www.kencollins.com

When I first went there, I thougt it was an RCC site.