Posts Tagged ‘ Congregationalism ’

Church Failure

Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell wrote an article, Walking away from church, for the LA Times (10/17/2010) summarizing their recent book, American Grace. It seems that churches might want to hear what their research has uncovered. “As recently as 1990, all but 7% of Americans claimed a religious affiliation, a figure that...

Read more »

C.I. Scofield

C.I. Scofield

The name of C.I. Scofield is not usually associated with liberalism, yet Scofield’s roots lie at the heart of the post 1865 Congregationalism where Charles Finney made his home. Finney’s Congregationalism promoted a doctrine of polar opposites, as previously indicated (See Charles Finney). Fruit of the Root The 1865 Statement of Faith of the...

Read more »

Reforming Synod of 1679-80

The Reforming Synod of 1679-80 attempted to address the spiritual downgrade that occurred in the churches following the Half-Way Covenant debacle. Pastors and people began to believe that they were undergoing divine judgment as a result of the increasing faithlessness in the churches. “The sense of alarm regarding the state of New England engendered...

Read more »

Practice

The Practice of Christianity in the Local Church The practice of Christianity apart from a proper theological foundation, firmly rooted in the Word of God written, builds on uncertain ground. The success of Christ’s Church depends upon the clear, explicit articulation of the historic biblical gospel. God’s Governance, Not Man’s Congregationalism is often misunderstood...

Read more »

Orthodoxy

Orthodoxy

Below is a graphic depiction of how various models of church leadership are related and how they can err.

Read more »

Nonconformity

The restoration of the English King, Charles II, in 1660 brought back into power all those spiritual influences which the Puritans had stood against prior to the English Civil War. Episcopacy (rule of the church by the clergy), compulsory liturgy, and uniformity in worship practices were again to be the state religion. A meeting...

Read more »

Informality

Informality

Informal Christianity What it isn’t… It is not a church, but is the personal, internal, subjective faith that identifies church members as belonging to Jesus Christ. It is not formless, but conforms to the biblical reality described in Scripture. Its discipline is not strict and legalistic, but is free and gracious. Its principles are...

Read more »

History

The story of the Bible is the story of God’s work in the world. It is His (God’s) story, that is the fundamental and original understanding of history. It is only in the post-Enlightenment, modern, secular, humanistic world that God has been written out of history (His story). Historians since 18th Century tell us...

Read more »

Charles Finney

Charles Finney photo

Friend of Foe? The most successful advocate of Arminianism in America was not Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), but Charles Finney (1792-1875). Because The Works of Arminius (Baker Book House, reprinted 1996) are highly intellectual and academic — bordering on the arcane, few people have (or will) read them. Arminius, a young boy when Calvin died,...

Read more »

Congregationalism

A Brief History of Congregationalism ©1998 Phillip A. Ross Renewal is often the rekindling of a former glory, and the former success of Congregationalism was indeed great. Yet, history does not travel backwards. The majority of contemporary Congregational church members are not from Congregational backgrounds. Even so, most Congregationalists themselves do not know about...

Read more »

Books

Peter's Vision CoverNew@

Peter's Vision of Christ's Purpose in First Peter by Phillip A. Ross, November 2011, 317 pages.

The True Mystery CoverNew@

The True Mystery of the Mystical Presence by John Nevin & Phillip A. Ross, October 2011, 355 pages.

Rock Mountain Creed Cover

Rock Mountain Creed — Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by Phillip A. Ross, 2010, 325 pages.

It's About Time Cover

Colossians — Christos Singularis by Phillip A. Ross, 2010, 263 pages.

Archives