Denom- ination

Origins

Organization

Authority

Special rites

Baptists

In radical Reformation, objections to infant baptism, demands for church and state separation; John Smyth, English Separatist, in 1609; Roger Williams, 1638, Providence, RI.

Congregational; each local church is autonomous.

Scripture; some Baptists, particularly in the South, interpret the Bible literally.

[Baptism, usually early teen years and after, by total immersion;] Lord's Supper.

Church of Christ (Disciples)

Among evangelical Presbyterians in KY (1804) and PA (1809), in distress over Protestant factionalism and decline of fervor; organized in 1832.

Congregational.

[“Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”]

Adult baptism; Lord's Supper (weekly).

Episco- palians

Henry VIII separated English Catholic Church from Rome, 1534, for political reasons; Protestant Episcopal Church in U.S. founded in 1789.

[Diocesan bishops, in apostolic succession, are elected by parish representatives; the national Church is headed by General Convention and Presiding Bishop; part of the Anglican Communion.]

Scripture as interpreted by tradition, especially 39 Articles (1563); tri-annual convention of bishops, priests, and lay people.

Infant baptism, Eucharist, and other sacraments; sacrament taken to be symbolic, but as having real spiritual effect.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Founded in 1870 in PA by Charles Taze Russell; incorporated as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of PA, 1884; name Jehovah's Witnesses adopted in 1931.

A governing body located in NY coordinates worldwide activities; each congregation cared for by a body of elders; each Witness considered a minister.

The Bible.

Baptism by immersion; annual Lord's Meal ceremony.

Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

In a vision of the Father and the Son reported by Joseph Smith (1820s) in NY. Smith also reported receiving new scripture on golden tablets: The Book of Mormon.

Theocratic; 1st Presidency (church president, 2 counselors), 12 Apostles preside over inter­national church. Local congregations headed by lay priesthood leaders.

Revelation to living prophet (church president). The Bible, Book of Mormon, and other revelations to Smith and his successors.

Baptism, at age 8; laying on of hands (which confers the gift of the Holy Ghost); Lord's Supper; temple rites: baptism for the dead, marriage for eternity, others.

Lutherans

Begun by Martin Luther in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517; objection to Catholic doctrine of salvation and sale of indulgences; break complete, 1519.

Varies from congregational to episcopal; in U.S., a combination of regional synods and congregational polities is most common.

Scripture alone. The Book of Concord (1580), which includes the three Ecumenical Creeds, is subscribed to as a correct exposition of Scripture.

Infant baptism; Lord's Supper; Christ's true body and blood present “in, with, and under the bread and wine.”

Methodists

Rev. John Wesley began movement in 1738, within Church of England; first U.S. denomination, Baltimore (1784).

Conference and superintendent system; [in United Methodist Church, general superinten­­dents are bishops—not a priestly order, only an office—who are elected for life.]

Scripture as interpreted by tradition, reason, and experience.

Baptism of infants or adults; Lord's Supper commanded; other rites: marriage, ordination, solemnization of personal commitments.

Orthodox

Developed in original Christian proselytizing; broke with Rome in 1054, after centuries of doctrinal disputes and diverging traditions.

Synods of bishops in autonomous, usually national, churches elect a patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan; these men, as a group, are the heads of the church.

Scripture, tradition, and the first 7 church councils up to Nicaea II in 787; bishops in council have authority in doctrine and policy.

Seven sacraments: infant baptism and anointing, Eucharist, ordination, penance, marriage, and anointing of the sick.

Pentecostal

In Topeka, KS (1901) and Los Angeles (1906), in reaction to perceived loss of evangelical fervor among Methodists and others.

Originally a movement, not a formal organization, Pente­costalism now has a variety of organized forms and continues also as a movement.

Scripture; individual charismatic leaders, the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

[Spirit baptism, especially as shown in “speaking in tongues”; healing and sometimes exorcism;] adult baptism; Lord's Supper.

Presby- terians

In 16th-cent. Calvinist reformation; differed with Lutherans over sacraments, church government; John Knox founded Scotch Presby­erian church about 1560.

[Highly structured representational system of ministers and lay persons (presbyters) in local, regional, and national bodies (synods).]

Scripture.

Infant baptism; Lord's Supper; bread and wine symbolize Christ's spiritual presence.

Roman Catholics

Traditionally, founded by Jesus who named St. Peter the 1st vicar; developed in early Christian proselytizing, especially after the conversion of imperial Rome in the 4th cent.

[Hierarchy with supreme power vested in pope elected by cardinals;] councils of bishops advise on matters of doctrine and policy.

[The pope, when speaking for the whole church in matters of faith and morals; and tradition (which is expressed in church councils and in part contained in Scripture).]

Mass; 7 sacraments: baptism, reconciliation, Eucharist, confirmation, marriage, ordination, and anointing of the sick (unction).

United Church of Christ

[By ecumenical union, in 1957, of Congregationalists and Evangelical & Reformed, representing both Calvinist and Lutheran traditions.]

Congregational; a General Synod, representative of all congregations, sets general policy.

Scripture.

Infant baptism; Lord's Supper.

Denom- ination

Practice

Ethics

Doctrine

Other

Baptists

Worship style varies from staid to evangelistic; extensive missionary activity.

Usually opposed to alcohol and tobacco; some tendency toward a perfectionist ethical tandard.

[No creed; true church is of believers only, who are all equal.]

Believing no authority can stand between the believer and God, the Baptists are strong supporters of church and state separation.

Church of Christ (Disciples)

Tries to avoid any rite not considered part of the 1st-century church; some congregations may reject instrumental music.

Some tendency toward perfectionism; increasing interest in social action programs.

Simple New Testament faith; avoids any elaboration not firmly based on Scripture.

Highly tolerant in doctrinal and religious matters; strongly supportive of scholarly education.

Episco- palians

Formal, based on “Book of Common Prayer,” updated 1979; services range from austerely simple to highly liturgical.

Tolerant, sometimes permissive; some social action programs.

Scripture; the “historic creeds,” which include the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian, and the “Book of Common Prayer”; ranges from Anglo-Catholic to low church, with Calvinist influences.

Strongly ecumenical, holding talks with many branches of Christendom.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Meetings are held in Kingdom Halls and members' homes for study and worship; [extensive door-to-door visitations.]

High moral code; stress on marital fidelity and family values; avoidance of tobacco and blood transfusions.

[God, by his first creation, Christ, will soon destroy all wickedness; 144,000 faithful ones will rule in heaven with Christ over others on a paradise earth.]

Total allegiance proclaimed only to God's kingdom or heavenly government by Christ; main periodical, The Watchtower, is printed in 115 languages.

Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

Simple service with prayers, hymns, sermon; private temple ceremonies may be more elaborate.

Temperance; strict moral code; [tithing]; a strong work ethic with communal self-reliance;[strong missionary activity]; family emphasis.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Eternal Father. Jesus' atonement saves all humans; those who are obedient to God's laws may becomejoint-heirs with Christ in God's kingdom.

Mormons believe theirs is the true church of Jesus Christ, restored by God through Joseph Smith. Official name: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lutherans

Relatively simple, formal liturgy with emphasis on the sermon.

Generally conservative in personal and social ethics; doctrine of “2 kingdoms” (worldly and holy) supports conservatism in secular affairs.

Salvation by grace alone through faith; Lutheranism has made major contributions to Protestant theology.

Though still somewhat divided along ethnic lines (German, Swedish, etc.), main divisions are between fundamentalists and liberals.

Methodists

Worship style varies widely by denomination, local church, geography.

Originally pietist and perfectionist; always strong social activist elements.

No distinctive theological development; 25 Articles abridged from Church of England's 39, not binding.

In 1968, The United Methodist Church was formed by the union of The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church.

Orthodox

[Elaborate liturgy, usually in the vernacular, though extremely traditional; the liturgy is the essence of Orthodoxy; veneration of icons.]

Tolerant; little stress on social action; divorce, remarriage permitted in some cases; bishops are celibate; priests need not be.

Emphasis on Christ's resurrection, rather than crucifixion; the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father only.

Orthodox Church in America originally under Patriarch of Moscow, was granted autonomy in 1970; Greek Orthodox do not recognize this autonomy.

Pentecostal

Loosely structured service with rousing hymns and sermons, culminating in spirit baptism.

Usually, emphasis on perfectionism, with varying degrees of tolerance.

Simple traditional beliefs, usually Protestant, with emphasis on the immediate presence of God in the Holy Spirit.

Once confined to lower-class “holy rollers,” Pentecostalism now appears in mainline churches and has established middle-class congregations.

Presby- terians

A simple, sober service in which the sermon is central.

Traditionally, a tendency toward strictness, with firm church- and self-discipline; otherwise tolerant.

Emphasizes the sovereignty and justice of God; no longer dogmatic.

Although traces of belief in predestination (that God has foreordained salvation for the “elect”) remain, this idea is no longer a central element in Presbyterianism.

Roman Catholics

Relatively elaborate ritual centered on the Mass; also rosary recitation, novenas, etc.

Traditionally strict, but increasingly tolerant in practice; divorce and remarriage not accepted, but annulments sometimes granted; celibate clergy, except in Eastern rite.

Highly elaborated; salvation by merit gained through grace; dogmatic; special veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Relatively rapid change followed Vatican Council II; Mass now in vernacular; more stress on social action, tolerance, ecumenism.

United Church of Christ

Usually simple services with emphasis on the sermon.

Tolerant; some social action emphasis.

Standard Protestant; “Statement of Faith” (1959) is not binding.

The 2 main churches in the 1957 union represented earlier unions with small groups of almost every Protestant denomination.