THE BIBLE CHURCH MOVEMENT- PART 4

                         April 5, 2006

 

  Our last study closed with noting 1)the rise of religious liberalism and

2) Unitarianism that exalted “virture” without conversion while focusing on the

subjective experience of God.

 

I. RESTORATION MOVEMENT: In view of such changes, as early as before the Civil War, there were calls to “restore” a simple, NT brand of Christianity.

 

1. CHURCH OF CHRIST- Scottish Thomas Campbell (1763-1864) followed by his son, Alexander Campbell, began with the Presbyterians, left them to join the Baptists in 1812 and went on the establish the Church of Christ with the Disciples of Christ started by Barton Stone.  The emphasis was on a simple Christianity without denominational power or creeds, churches were autonomous and saving baptism was by immersion with the Lord’s Table practiced weekly.

 

2. EARLY PENTECOSTALISM- Edward Irving (1792-1834), also a Scottish

Presbyterian, believed the church should enjoy the gifts of the Holy Spirit as it had in the apostolic days.  He also emphasized the imminent return of Christ.

Charles Parham (1900) claimed apostolic gifts at his Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Ks.  Such would receive more attention in 1906, when the Azusa

St. Mission in Los Angeles practiced “tongues”.

 

3.  PLYMOUTH BRETHREN- in 1827-28, John N.Darby, Edward Cronin and

Francis Hutchinson met to seek to establish a church fellowship more in

agreement with NT scriptures.  While the earliest meetings were in Dublin, Ireland, it would be those meeting at Plymouth,England that would give the group their name.  Committed to a laity run church, often practicing the Lord’s Table and emphasis upon godly living and correct doctrine, they would

gather followers in America.

 

4. LANDMARK BAPTISTS- led by B.H.Carroll (1843-1914) and J.R.Graves (1820-1893)—taught no universal church, only a visible church with its origination

with John Baptist.

 

II. RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM- with pressures from religious liberalism,

cults and “restoration” interests, a group met in Swampscott, Mass in July of

1876 and continued for the next 25 years (except for 1884).  It was known as

the NIAGARA BIBLE CONFERENCE  in 1890 with James Brookes, W.J.Erdman,

George Needham and others.

   1) Beliefs- in 1895, the following were listed- inspiration of the Bible, depravity of mankind, redemption thru Christ’s shed blood, true church is made up of

only believers, and the coming of Christ to establish His rule on earth.

Page 2

To these were added 9 other declarations related to the Trinity, fall of man,assurance of salvation, the resurrection of the dead, and the apostasy of this age. 

 

2)  Development- larger conferences were held in New York in 1878 and

Chicago in 1886 with the support of D.L.Moody and A.J.Gordon and Presbyterian

layman and financier, John Wanamaker.  The meetings were strongly non-denominational and soon incorporated prophetic themes into the week-long teaching.  The leaders included:

  James Brookes was a Presbyterian pastor in Ohio and later, St.Louis who authored many articles defending the faith.  He was considered by C.I.Scofield

to be the best Bible teacher of the era.  A.J.Gordon pastured Clarendon St.

Baptist Church (Boston) from 1869-95 and wrote extensively against liberalism

and in defense of the Faith.  He emphasized the Christian life as lived under

the power of the H.Spirit and distinguished between God’s program for Israel

and that for the church.  Other leaders include W.G.Moorehead (Presby.),

E.P.Goodwin (Congregational), W.E.Blackstone (Meth.), A.T.Pierson (Baptist

who starts Christian Missionary Alliance) and George Bishop (Reformed).

 

3) John Darby (1800-82) would influence these speakers with his brand of dispensational pre-millennialism as well as influence the next generation

of fundamentalists.

 

4) Definition: fundamentalism is a belief in certain basics of the orthodox

Christian faith that may not be compromised.  It is characterized by viewing

the scripture with a literal hermeneutic.  It’s rise to a movement grew out of

opposition to religious liberalism in seeking to defend basic doctrine.  It has, at times, been characterized by some less than desirable traits.  In recent years, the word has been used for extremists of different worldwide religions.