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thomasf
Guest
What does a congregational church believe in?
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Eutychus123
Guest
Which kind?
This is a type of church organization, not necessarily a belief system. For example, American Baptist Churches are congregational in structure.
This is a type of church organization, not necessarily a belief system. For example, American Baptist Churches are congregational in structure.
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Cat
Guest
It is true that “congregational” is one form of church government.
But there is an actual denomination called “Congregational” churches. It’s one of the oldest denominations in the U.S. Interestingly, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family was members of a Congregational church in De Smet, North Dakota, while she was growing up.
One thing important to know is that the Congregational churches are autonomous. Even though they are part of a denomination, they have freedom within their individual churches to teach different practices.
This is important because it means that you CANNOT generalize. You MUST look at each Congregational church individually. Ask for the Statement of Faith. It will be written down, and you will be able to get hold of it. It’s not a “secret.” All Protestants know to ask to see a church’s Statement of Faith.
The Statement of Faith will tell you what each church teaches and practices.
What you will find with Congregational churches is that some of them are extremely liberal politically and theologically, performing gay marriages, endorsing pro-abortion work and even contributing to abortion clinics, teaching that Jesus Christ’s resurrection wasn’t literal but just an “idea”, etc. However, other Congregational churches are extremely conservative both politically and theologically. There are some Congregational churches that are considered bastions of evangelicalism and famous evangelicals teach at these churches.
So you can’t pre-judge. You have to look at the Statement of Faith of the Congregational church that you have contact with.
Here is a link to the big Congregational church in our city. Actually, this is a link to the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ, which is what this particular Congregational Church has chosen to associate with:
secondcon.com/ucc.php
It’s hard to stay courteous as you read it.
I personally have heard the Senior Pastor of this church give a homily in which he stated that Jesus didn’t literally rise from the dead, but his love and compassion for all mankind is “resurrected” in each human as we practice tolerance for all peoples.
Hm.
But they are a very active church in helping the poor in our city. It’s an inner-city church, so they actually “live” among the poor and disenfranchised. It’s hard to condemn a congregation of people like that. So many of the churches that have orthodox Christian teachings have chosen to leave the city and build beautiful new buildings outside of the city in the beautiful new subdivisions where there is little crime, a very homogenous population race-wise, and wealthy people. I am not their judge. God is, and often in the Bible, He teaches the importance of doing good among the poor. So perhaps some of the evangelicals who “believe” all the right things will be surprised when Christ tells them, “I never knew you,” and tells the “liberal” Congregational church members, “Welcome, enter into the joy of the Lord.”
It’s not my call. But I know that I would have nothing to do with the Congregational Church in our city because of their pro-choice and pro-gay marriage activities.
I hope this info is helpful. Please read through the link.
But there is an actual denomination called “Congregational” churches. It’s one of the oldest denominations in the U.S. Interestingly, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family was members of a Congregational church in De Smet, North Dakota, while she was growing up.
One thing important to know is that the Congregational churches are autonomous. Even though they are part of a denomination, they have freedom within their individual churches to teach different practices.
This is important because it means that you CANNOT generalize. You MUST look at each Congregational church individually. Ask for the Statement of Faith. It will be written down, and you will be able to get hold of it. It’s not a “secret.” All Protestants know to ask to see a church’s Statement of Faith.
The Statement of Faith will tell you what each church teaches and practices.
What you will find with Congregational churches is that some of them are extremely liberal politically and theologically, performing gay marriages, endorsing pro-abortion work and even contributing to abortion clinics, teaching that Jesus Christ’s resurrection wasn’t literal but just an “idea”, etc. However, other Congregational churches are extremely conservative both politically and theologically. There are some Congregational churches that are considered bastions of evangelicalism and famous evangelicals teach at these churches.
So you can’t pre-judge. You have to look at the Statement of Faith of the Congregational church that you have contact with.
Here is a link to the big Congregational church in our city. Actually, this is a link to the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ, which is what this particular Congregational Church has chosen to associate with:
secondcon.com/ucc.php
It’s hard to stay courteous as you read it.
I personally have heard the Senior Pastor of this church give a homily in which he stated that Jesus didn’t literally rise from the dead, but his love and compassion for all mankind is “resurrected” in each human as we practice tolerance for all peoples.
Hm.
But they are a very active church in helping the poor in our city. It’s an inner-city church, so they actually “live” among the poor and disenfranchised. It’s hard to condemn a congregation of people like that. So many of the churches that have orthodox Christian teachings have chosen to leave the city and build beautiful new buildings outside of the city in the beautiful new subdivisions where there is little crime, a very homogenous population race-wise, and wealthy people. I am not their judge. God is, and often in the Bible, He teaches the importance of doing good among the poor. So perhaps some of the evangelicals who “believe” all the right things will be surprised when Christ tells them, “I never knew you,” and tells the “liberal” Congregational church members, “Welcome, enter into the joy of the Lord.”
It’s not my call. But I know that I would have nothing to do with the Congregational Church in our city because of their pro-choice and pro-gay marriage activities.
I hope this info is helpful. Please read through the link.
Z
Zooey
Guest
Thank you, Cat!
I think that you’re right, that each church is different from another. I suppose it goes with the way they are organized.
I think that you’re right, that each church is different from another. I suppose it goes with the way they are organized.
J
Joe_Kelley
Guest
I think many of the Congregational Churches joined the United Church of Christ several years ago. Yale University was founded by the Congregational Church. The graduation procession, led by the sheriff of New Haven county with a drawn sword, used to stop at the Congregational Church on their way to the ceremony.
I think Yale later changed that affiliation to the United Church of Christ. A year or so they dropped that affiliation. They felt that the United Church of Christ was too conservative.
I think Yale later changed that affiliation to the United Church of Christ. A year or so they dropped that affiliation. They felt that the United Church of Christ was too conservative.
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Eutychus123
Guest
Yes, you are correct about many of the Congregatonal Churches in the northeast joining the UCC. They are not quite as independent as they once were. Each contributes some money to support an organization at the state level. This is a far cry from having bishops, but quite a step for Congregational Churches.I think many of the Congregational Churches joined the United Church of Christ several years ago. Yale University was founded by the Congregational Church. The graduation procession, led by the sheriff of New Haven county with a drawn sword, used to stop at the Congregational Church on their way to the ceremony.
I think Yale later changed that affiliation to the United Church of Christ. A year or so they dropped that affiliation. They felt that the United Church of Christ was too conservative.
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seeker57
Guest
Unitarian Universalist congregations are an outgrowth of congregationalist churches in New England.
UU predecessors split from their original churches when they became Unitarians rather than Trinitarians.
Universalists were more popular in the Midwest.
They merged in 1961, to become the Unitarian Universalists.
Oh, and for the record, most would consider the United Church of Christ to be more conservative than a Unitarian Universalist Church.
Seeker
UU predecessors split from their original churches when they became Unitarians rather than Trinitarians.
Universalists were more popular in the Midwest.
They merged in 1961, to become the Unitarian Universalists.
Oh, and for the record, most would consider the United Church of Christ to be more conservative than a Unitarian Universalist Church.
Seeker
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
The Unitarians predominated in Massachusetts; so they have the old churches there. If I remember correctly Harvard was originally Unitarian; not sure if they have any affiliation now.
Congregationalists predominated in Connecticut; so they have the old churches there. As I noted earlier, Yale had a Congregational affiliation.
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