Reformation vs. Restoration
Printed in House To House/Heart To Heart
Most people know of the Reformation Movement which began when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five theses at the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. Less known, however, is the Restoration Movement which began to emerge in America around the turn of the nineteenth century. Whereas the reformation leaders attempted to improve established religion with new ideas, the restoration leaders strove to return faith to its original roots in first century Christianity.
This movement was composed of several independent works by men who came out of various religions from different locations. To name a few, there was James O’Kelly who left the Methodist Church in Virginia. Abner Jones and Elias Smith were former Baptists who taught restoration ideas in the New England states. Formerly Presbyterians, Barton W. Stone preached predominately in Kentucky, Thomas Campbell preached in Pennsylvania and his son, Alexander Campbell, established Bethany College in West Virginia. Slowly, each of these groups merged to form what history has referred to as the American Restoration Movement.
Several restoration principles surfaced among the leaders and participants during that time. They taught “speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent,” “Do Bible things in Bible ways,” and “Call Bible things by Bible names.” Strictly speaking, the American Restoration Movement was, and continues to be, an advance in pure faith toward God through Christ by his blood. It is a move forward by looking back to the Bible. It strives to provide a “thus saith the Lord” for all things practiced in worship and service. This restoration plea guides churches of Christ. Churches of Christ are nondenominational. That is, they are not affiliated any specific denomination. Moreover, they are undenominational in that they are free from denominationalism and doctrines of men. They denounce the use of creeds and use the Bible alone as their guidebook.
Some sources assert that Alexander Campbell started the church of Christ, but this claim is simply inaccurate. Although history recalls members of the church of Christ being labeled “Campbellites,” the incorrect label has abated entirely. Before Campbell immigrated to America in August 1809, many congregations already wore the name because of their desire to follow New Testament Christianity. Ten of these congregations from Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Texas still exist today. Though Alexander Campbell was influential in his preaching and work during the American Restoration Movement, he did not start the church of Christ.
Undenominational Christianity and restoration principles date back much further in Europe than the American Restoration Movement. Countless individuals during the Middle Ages could not join themselves to reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin or Swiss leader Ulrich Zwingli because they consciously opposed orthodox teachings such as infant baptism, Purgatory, clergy-laity, and so on. Instead, those who questioned traditionally held teachings were grouped with Anabaptists and persecuted for their radical beliefs; the most fanatic statement against doctrines of established religion was that “infant baptism is no baptism at all.” There were some Anabaptists who were anarchists and socialists. One such militant group took control of the town of Münster, Germany and had to be freed by the state. From that time, however, all Catholic and Protestant religions unfortunately began to label anyone with unorthodox beliefs under the Anabaptist name and martyr them. Men like Sir John Oldcastle, Robert Sandeman, Hercules Collins, Henry Denne and Edward Wightman preached their conscience during the Reformation Movement but were not reformers; they were primitive restorers. They wanted to follow the Bible and forsake doctrines of men.
But neither the church of Christ nor the restoration ideas began with these men. Before Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses were posted and before the Anabaptists officially formed, congregations across Europe exchanged sectarian names for church of Christ because of their desire to align themselves with Jesus alone. There was the Hillcliffe Church of Christ, for example, which met on a hill in Warrington, England. 1414 etched in stone marks the date this church met illegally. Others like it existed as well.
The truth is that the church of Christ began on Pentecost around AD 33. Peter stood up and said, “This is that day spoken by Joel…” (Acts 2:16-17). Three thousand Jewish men were added to the church, and more were saved daily (Acts 2:41, 47). Jesus taught that the seed of the kingdom is the word of God (Luke 8:11), and wherever the gospel seed is sown, one can expect to witness the growth of the kingdom, the church of Christ.
Dear Reader: If restoring the biblical kingdom in its pure, unadulterated form interests you, then consider the church of Christ. History books and the internet are great allies to eradicate any skepticism and to convict the heart of the liberating truth. Call today for information about church restoration.
