Unity
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We are a Church of Christ.
A little history ...
Until the early early 18th century, the Irish & Scotish Presbyterians were simply known as the Presbyterian Church.
Division took place, became known as Seceder & Non-Seceder church in 1712.
Seceder Presbyterians = Selected their own ministers
Anti-Seceder Presbyterians = Ministers selected by high-church counsel
Further digression in the Burgher movement - 1747
In 1747, a controversy arose about whether the mayor (“burgess”) of a given Scottish town (“burgh”) could decide for the city if the city would be a Seceder Church or Anti-Seceder Church.
In 1749, the division was formalized. The General Associate Synod was known as Anti-burgher and the Associate Synod was known as Anti-Burgher.
At this point, you could be ...
Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
Anti-Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
Anti-Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
The Old-Lights movement believed right doctrine (namely, the Westminister Confession of Faith) was what made one saved.
The New-Lights movement believed that “new light” from the Scripture should lead to personal piety and that changed behavior was the true sign of salvation.
At this point, you could be ...
Old-Light Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
New-Light Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
Old-Light Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
New-Light Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
Old-Light Anti-Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
New-Light Anti-Seceder Burgher Presbyterian
Old-Light Anti-Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
New-Light Anti-Seceder Anti-Burgher Presbyterian
Thomas Campbell was minister of the Old-Light Anti-Burgher Seceder Presbyterian Church. One day it occurred to him that this was profoundly silly.
Declaration & Address (1809)
Proposition 1: That the Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures, and that manifest the same by their tempers and conduct, and of none else; as none else can be truly and properly called Christians.
Proposition 2: That although the Church of Christ upon earth must necessarily exist in particular and distinct societies, locally separate one from another, yet there ought to be no schisms, no uncharitable divisions among them. They ought to receive each other as Christ Jesus hath also received them, to the glory of God. And for this purpose they ought all to walk by the same rule, to mind and speak the same thing; and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.
“We are Christians only, but not the only Christians.”
“In essentials, unity; in opinion, liberty; in all things love.”
Did this fix everything? No. The Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Christian Church not only divided the unity movement over the next two centuries, they also divided even among themselves.
Was this an idea worth fighting for? Yes.
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
We believe in unity.
We believe in unity, not uniformity.
We believe imperfect unity to be superior to perfect division.
We believe that unity comes from God’s love and results in God’s glory.