Teaching Restoration History
I have started a new class on Restoration History for the congregation. I was amazed at the reception for this class. We have a ton of people taking the course. I personally love the study of Restoration History because of the background it provides to someone like me. I grew up in Canada, outside of the church and outside of the South. I needed to study the history to help understand my people. In studying the history, there are the moments where you are shocked to learn of some practice or belief within the movement. It is hard to believe that Stone believed in Arianism, and shockingly that Campbell still talked with him. There are times of revelation because you see why a certain attitude in the church is prevalent. I think there are few congregations that have studied the history of the church besides the book of Acts. I feel that this study will help a congregation to be attached to the story of Christianity. So far, the people in my class are enjoying the topic. Hope this continues.
Related posts:
- The Role of Religious Journals in the Restoration Movement
- Emergent Theology or Restoration Theology
- My History With The Gospel Advocate
- Teaching Teens Missional Theology
- Read “Illusions of Innocence”
About The Author
Great subject.
One of the things that shocks me most about our movement is Stone’s Arianism leanings and those within the movement who deny the personhood of the Holy Spirit (the HS is the word of God-Bible), although I don’t believe this view is around much anymore. The reason this shocks me is due to the fact that in the early, post-apostolic church such views were regarded as heresy and those who held them were regarded as outside the faith/body of Christ. Fastforward to the RM and we have had little trouble extending Christian fellowship with such views but have trouble extending fellowship to those whose baptismal, communion, and worship practice differ in some way.
All in all, I always love the study of the RM because I can really get a feel for the early Restorationists dreams of simply being Christians. The slogan to be “Christians only but not the only Christians” is still a noble pursuit.
Rex
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
I believe the study of RM is very important to the CofC. Anyone who does not know his/her history is doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Churches of Christ have been without a history for too long and its time to acknowledge they have one. Be warned that studying the history can be a little disconcerting. Its one of the main reasons I left the CofC.
[...] Matthew’s teaching Restoration History. [...]
I have enjoyed the study of RM because of the need to be connected to the Christian story. After learning of the history, I have a deeper respect for the movement and the difficult times. I would love to know why you left the church? Knowing the history for me helps me to love my people even more, not to reject them. You must have had a hard time with us. I hope not though. You deserve the best, and I hope people were not unloving to you.
The sore lack of this kind of teaching contributes greatly to the atmosphere that currently suffocates us: the belief that we have no history.
Preach on, brother! Pay attention to how the OT writers tell the story of Israel… tell OUR story that way.
in HIS love,
Nick
Tell the story …
Bobby Valentine
By the way Foster and Holloway’s little gem, Renewing God’s People: A Concise History of the Churches of Christ” is a MODEL of how to tell the story in a church setting. Great book.
Bobby Valentine
A teenager at my congregation, who comes by himself and was baptized last year, wanted to know more about the history of Churches of Christ. I let him borrow a copy of Holloway and Foster’s book. Not too long and not bogged down with minute details like Richard Hughes’ book (which I like but it is too academic for a church).
Rex
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
Amen, Matthew. I think it would do our congregations a WORLD of good to know more about RM history. It is humbling to find out our history. Sometimes it is inspiring. Some things I find in our past make me very sad, while others make me proud. God bless your study and your class!
I grew up in a Church of Christ, and even though I don’t identify as such anymore I still read a bit about the history and such. To me that’s more interesting than reading about the current debates in many ways.
Are you going to discuss the strong pacifist leanings of several of the early RM leaders (including Alexander Campbell and David Lipscomb)? I believe some of them even went so far as to counsel against Christian participation in government, because of the role of violence in governance.
That’s a chapter in the history about which most CofC’ers I’ve met have no idea.