Restorationism , also known as Restitutionism or Christian primitivism , is a religious perspective according to which the early beliefs and practices of the followers of Jesus were either lost or adulterated after his death and required a "restoration". It is a view that often "seeks to correct faults or deficiencies, in other branches of Christianity , by appealing to the primitive church as normative model".
134-506: Efforts to restore an earlier, purer form of Christianity are frequently a response to denominationalism . As Rubel Shelly put it, "the motive behind all restoration movements is to tear down the walls of separation by a return to the practice of the original, essential and universal features of the Christian religion." Different groups have tried to implement the restorationist vision in a variety of ways; for instance, some have focused on
268-469: A plan of salvation whereby they could progress and "have a privilege to advance like himself." The spirits were free to accept or reject this plan, and a "third" of them, led by Satan rejected it. The rest accepted the plan, coming to earth and receiving bodies with an understanding that they would experience sin and suffering. In Mormonism, the central part of God's plan is the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that one purpose of earthly life
402-454: A belief that Jesus began his atonement in the garden of Gethsemane and continued it to his crucifixion, rather than the orthodox belief that the crucifixion alone was the physical atonement; and an afterlife with three degrees of glory , with hell (often called spirit prison ) being a temporary repository for the wicked between death and the resurrection. Additionally, Mormons do not believe in creation ex nihilo , believing that matter
536-848: A chronicle of early Israelites who left the Near East and traveled to the Americas . The book begins c. 600 BC with the departure from Jerusalem of the family of the prophet Lehi at the urging of God , and their sailing c. 589 BC to the Americas. It tells of people in the Americas (i.e., First Nations Americans ) with a belief in Christ hundreds of years before his birth ; their witnessing his personal visitation to them after his resurrection ; and of their eventually losing Christianity after generations of wars and apostasy . The Book of Mormon and continuing revelations would be
670-667: A common name and tradition, among other activities. The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, Eastern Orthodox , Catholic , and the many varieties of Protestantism ). It is also used to describe the five major branches of Judaism ( Karaite Judaism , Orthodox , Conservative , Reform , and Reconstructionist ). Within Islam, it can refer to the branches or sects (such as Sunni and Shia ), as well as their various subdivisions, such as sub-sects, schools of jurisprudence , schools of theology and religious movements. The world's largest religious denomination
804-656: A council of three distinct divine persons consisting of God the Father, Jesus Christ (his firstborn Son , whom Latter Day Saints refer to as Jehovah ), and the Holy Ghost . Latter Day Saints believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, and that the Father and Jesus have perfected, glorified, physical bodies, while the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body. Latter Day Saints also believe that there are other gods and goddesses outside
938-490: A degree of orthodoxy by excommunicating or disciplining its members who take positions or engage in practices viewed as apostasy. For example, the LDS Church excommunicates members who practice polygamy or who adopt the beliefs and practices of Mormon fundamentalism. One way Mormon fundamentalism distinguishes itself from mainstream Mormonism is through the practice of plural marriage . Fundamentalists initially broke from
1072-688: A descriptive term for unrelated Restorationist groups which were formed during the eras of the Great Awakenings , such as the Christadelphians (Greek: 'Brothers of Christ'), Swedenborgians (i.e., The New Church ), Irvingians (the largest of which is the New Apostolic Church ), Latter Day Saints (i.e., Mormonism ), Jehovah's Witnesses (from the tetragrammaton for God), La Luz del Mundo (Spanish: 'the Light of
1206-613: A means of hastening the millennium. Both also saw restoring the early church as a route to Christian freedom. Both believed that unity among Christians could be achieved by using apostolic Christianity as a model. They were united, among other things, in the belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; that Christians should celebrate the Lord's Supper on the first day of each week ; and that baptism of adult believers by immersion in water
1340-466: A person's faith, in that their belief or affiliation crosses over formal boundaries that strict adherents would not consider. For instance, someone may have been raised Protestant but find Buddhist or Hindu scripture or practice to be helpful without fully abandoning their affiliation with Christianity and therefore may not consider themselves fully Hindu or Buddhist, nor do they consider themselves fully Christian as much as strict adherents. This would not be
1474-495: A spouse. Mormons also perform other ordinances, which include the Lord's supper (commonly called the sacrament ), naming and blessing children , giving priesthood blessings and patriarchal blessings , anointing and blessing the sick , participating in prayer circles , and setting apart individuals who are called to church positions. In Mormonism, the saving ordinances are seen as necessary for salvation, but they are not sufficient in and of themselves. For example, baptism
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#17327980248211608-659: A temple and correctly processed there before the ordinance ritual is performed. Only ordinances for salvation are performed on behalf of deceased persons. Mormons believe in the Old and New Testaments, and the LDS Church uses the Authorized King James Version as its official scriptural text of the Bible . While Mormons believe in the general accuracy of the modern day text of the Bible, they also believe that it
1742-410: A tool to more effectively proclaim the gospel rather than as ends in themselves. Luther opposed efforts to restore "biblical forms and structures," because he saw human efforts to restore the church as works righteousness. He did seek the "marks of the true church," but was concerned that by focusing on forms and patterns could lead to the belief that by "restoring outward forms alone one has restored
1876-627: A tributary of the Great Salt Lake the Jordan River . The LDS Church has a Jerusalem Center in Israel , where students focus their study on Near Eastern history, culture, language, and the Bible. There has been some controversy involving Jewish groups who see the actions of some elements of Mormonism as offensive. In the 1990s, Jewish groups vocally opposed the LDS practice of baptism for
2010-499: A variety of ways. Four general historical models can be identified based on the aspect of early Christianity that the individuals and groups involved were attempting to restore. These are: Ecclesiastical primitivism focuses on restoring the ecclesiastical practices of the early church. Huldrych Zwingli , John Calvin and the Puritans all advocated ecclesiastical primitivism. The strongest advocate of ecclesiastical primitivism in
2144-419: A vision in the spring of 1820. Called the " First Vision ", Smith said that God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ , appeared to him and instructed him to join none of the existing churches because they were all wrong. During the 1820s, Smith chronicled several angelic visitations, and was eventually told (by the angels) that God would use him to re-establish the "true Christian church." Joseph Smith said
2278-416: Is Sunni Islam . A Christian denomination is a generic term for a distinct religious body identified by traits such as a common name, structure, leadership and doctrine. Individual bodies, however, may use alternative terms to describe themselves, such as church or fellowship. Divisions between one group and another are defined by doctrine and church authority; issues such as the biblical interpretation,
2412-408: Is a necessary condition for salvation . Because the founders wanted to abandon all denominational labels, they used the biblical names for the followers of Jesus that they found in the Bible. The commitment of both movements to restoring the early church and to uniting Christians was enough to motivate a union between many in the two movements. With the merger, there was the challenge of what to call
2546-649: Is eternal, and creation involved God organizing existing matter. Much of the Mormon belief system is geographically oriented around the North and South American continents. Mormons believe that the people of the Book of Mormon lived in the western hemisphere , that Christ appeared in the western hemisphere after his death and resurrection, that the true faith was restored in Upstate New York by Joseph Smith, that
2680-587: Is incomplete and that errors have been introduced. According to Mormon theology, many lost truths are restored in the Book of Mormon , which Mormons hold to be divine scripture and equal in authority to the Bible. The Mormon scriptural canon also includes a collection of revelations and writings contained in the Doctrine and Covenants which contains doctrine and prophecy and the Pearl of Great Price which addresses briefly Genesis to Exodus. These books, as well as
2814-520: Is manifest), visions, visitations of divine beings, and others. Joseph Smith used the example of the Lord's revelations to Moses in Deuteronomy to explain the importance of continuous revelation: God said, "Thou shalt not kill"; at another time he said, "Thou shalt utterly destroy." This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted, by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which
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#17327980248212948-790: Is nearly more than 0.5% of the world's Muslim population, Musta’li Ismaili ( with nearly 0.1% whose Taiyabi adherents reside in Gujarat state in India and Karachi city in Pakistan . There are also significant diaspora populations in Europe, North America, the Far East and East Africa ). On the other hand, new Muslim sects like African American Muslims , Ahmadi Muslims (with nearly around 1% ), non-denominational Muslims , Quranist Muslims , and Wahhabis ( with nearly around 0.5% of
3082-528: Is not limited to church members. For instance, Latter Day Saints believe that the United States Constitution is a divinely inspired document. Mormons are encouraged to develop a personal relationship with the Holy Ghost and receive personal revelation for their own direction and that of their family. The Latter Day Saint concept of revelation includes the belief that revelation from God is available to all those who earnestly seek it with
3216-485: Is required for exaltation , but simply having been baptized does not guarantee any eternal reward. The baptized person is expected to be obedient to God's commandments, to repent of any sinful conduct subsequent to baptism, and to receive the other saving ordinances. Because Mormons believe that everyone must receive certain ordinances to be saved, Mormons perform ordinances on behalf of deceased persons . These ordinances are performed vicariously or by "proxy" on behalf of
3350-533: Is revealed through a patriarch by the power of the priesthood. Smith hired Joshua (James) Seixas, son of Gershom Mendes Seixas and Hebrew school teacher at Congregation Shearith Israel , to teach Mormon leaders Hebrew. Smith himself attended some of these classes and went on to use his basic Hebrew in teachings. For example, Smith named the largest Mormon settlement he founded Nauvoo , which means "beautiful" (pl.) in Biblical Hebrew . Brigham Young named
3484-569: Is that each person may receive confirmation that particular doctrines taught by a prophet are true, as well as gain divine insight in using those truths for their own benefit and eternal progress. In the church, personal revelation is expected and encouraged, and many converts believe that personal revelation from God was instrumental in their conversion. Mormonism categorizes itself within Christianity , and nearly all Mormons self-identify as Christian . For some who define Christianity within
3618-504: Is the "only true and living church" because divine authority was restored to it through Smith. In addition, Mormons believe that Smith and his legitimate successors are modern prophets who receive revelation from God to guide the church. They maintain that other Christian religions have a portion of the truth and are guided by the light of Christ . Smith's cosmology is laid out mostly in Smith's later revelations and sermons, but particularly
3752-448: Is to learn to choose good over evil. In this process, people inevitably make mistakes, becoming unworthy to return to the presence of God. Mormons believe that Jesus paid for the sins of the world and that all people can be saved through his atonement. Mormons accept Christ's atonement through faith, repentance, formal covenants or ordinances such as baptism, and consistently trying to live a Christ-like life. According to Mormon scripture,
3886-601: The Adam–God doctrine and Trinitarianism. Mormonism describes itself as falling within world Christianity , but as a distinct restored dispensation ; it characterizes itself as the only true form of the Christian religion since the time of a " Great Apostasy " that began not long after the ascension of Jesus Christ . According to Mormons this apostasy involved the corruption of the pure, original Christian doctrine with Greek and other philosophies, and followers dividing into different ideological groups. Additionally, Mormons claim
4020-632: The American Civil War . The New Church was founded on the basis of the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg . As such, it is often known as the Swedenborgian Church. The New Church's view of God is that "Jesus is God incarnate, not (as certain interpretations of the traditional Christian trinity contend) an emanation of the Godhead." The New Church propounds the doctrine of Correspondence , which teaches that "Every word or fact of
4154-724: The Apostolic Age . To do this, they revive practices found in the Old Testament. The term apostolic refers to a nonmainstream, often literal, apostolic succession or historical lineage tracing back to the Apostles and the Great Commission . These restorationist threads are sometimes regarded critically as being Judaizers in the Ebionite tradition. The restoration ideal has been interpreted and applied in
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4288-469: The Book of Abraham , the Book of Moses , and the King Follett discourse . Mormon cosmology presents a unique view of God and the universe, and places a high importance on human agency . In Mormonism, life on earth is just a short part of an eternal existence. Mormons believe that in the beginning, all people existed as spirits or "intelligences", in the presence of God. In this state, God proposed
4422-504: The Book of Mormon was translated into English from writings he found on golden plates in a reformed Egyptian language; they were translated with the assistance of the Urim and Thummim and seer stones . He said an angel first showed him the location of the plates in 1823; they were buried in a nearby hill . With the assistance of Martin Harris , an early follower, Smith began dictating
4556-750: The Brethren of the Common Life , the Hussites , and Girolamo Savonarola 's reforms in Florence . While these pre-reformation movements did presage and sometimes discussed a break with Rome and papal authority, they also provoked restorationist movements within the church, such as the councils of Constance and Basle, which were held in the first half of the 15th century. Preachers at the time regularly harangued delegates to these conferences regarding simony , venality , lack of chastity and celibacy , and
4690-709: The British New Church Movement . Capitalized, the term is also used as a synonym for the American Restoration Movement . The term "restorationism" can also include the belief that the Jewish people must be restored to the promised land in fulfillment of biblical prophecy before the Second Coming of Christ . Christian restorationism is generally used to describe the 19th century movement based on this belief, though
4824-627: The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) . Some see divisions in the movement as the result of the tension between the goals of restoration and ecumenism, with the churches of Christ and the Christian churches and churches of Christ resolving the tension by stressing restoration while the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) resolved the tension by stressing ecumenism. Non-U.S. churches associated with this movement include
4958-560: The Church of Christ that Smith established. Other than differences in leadership, these groups most significantly differ in their stances on polygamy, which the Utah -based LDS Church banned in 1890, and Trinitarianism , which the LDS Church does not affirm. The branch of theology which seeks to maintain the practice of polygamy is known as Mormon fundamentalism and includes several different churches. Other groups affirm Trinitarianism, such as
5092-727: The Churches of Christ in Australia and the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada . John Thomas (April 12, 1805 – March 5, 1871), was a devout convert to the Restoration Movement after a shipwreck at sea on his emigration to America brought to focus his inadequate understanding of the Bible , and what would happen to him at death. This awareness caused him to devote his life to the study of
5226-596: The Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and describe their doctrine as Trinitarian Christian restorationist . Cultural Mormonism is a term coined by cultural Mormons who identify with the culture, especially present in much of the American West , but do not necessarily identify with the theology. The doctrines of Mormonism began with
5360-728: The Garden of Eden was located in North America, and that the New Jerusalem would be built in Missouri . For this and other reasons, including a belief by many Mormons in American exceptionalism , Molly Worthen speculates that this may be why Leo Tolstoy described Mormonism as the "quintessential 'American religion ' ". Although Mormons do not claim to be part of Judaism , Mormon theology claims to situate Mormonism within
5494-788: The Glasites in Scotland and England, the independent church led by James Haldane and Robert Haldane in Scotland, the American Restoration Movement , the Landmark Baptists and the Mormons . A variety of more contemporary movements have also been described as "restorationist". Restorationism has been described as a basic component of some Pentecostal movements such as the Assemblies of God . The terms "Restorationism movement" and "Restorationist movement" have also been applied to
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5628-844: The Great Apostasy and that the Church needed to be restored. The term has been used in reference to the Stone–Campbell Movement in the United States, and has been also used by more recent groups, describing their goal to re-establish Christianity in its original form, such as some anti-denominational Charismatic Restorationists , which arose in the 1970s in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The terms restorationism , restorationist and restoration are used in several senses within Christianity . "Restorationism" in
5762-775: The Hebrew calendar to define years, seasons, weeks, and days. Circumcision , animal sacrifices, and ceremonial requirements, as practiced in Judaism, are distinguished from the Ten Commandments , Noahide laws and High Sabbaths as given to, and in effect for, all humanity. The Sermon on the Mount and particularly the Expounding of the Law warn against antinomianism , the rejection of biblical teachings concerning observance of
5896-559: The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible , have varying degrees of acceptance as divine scripture among different denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. In Mormonism, continuous revelation is the principle that God or his divine agents still continue to communicate to mankind. This communication can be manifest in many ways: influences of the Holy Ghost (the principal form in which this principle
6030-579: The Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s. As a label, Mormonism has been applied to various aspects of the Latter Day Saint movement, although since 2018 there has been a push from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to distance itself from this label. One historian, Sydney E. Ahlstrom , wrote in 1982 that, depending on
6164-484: The Orthodox , Reform and Conservative lines, with several smaller movements alongside them. This threefold denominational structure is mainly present in the United States, while in Israel the fault lines are between the religious Orthodox and the non-religious . The movements differ in their views on various issues. These issues include the level of observance, the methodology for interpreting and understanding Jewish law , biblical authorship , textual criticism and
6298-421: The United States was Alexander Campbell . Ethical primitivism focuses on restoring the ethical norms and commitment to discipleship of the early church. The Anabaptists , Barton W. Stone and the Holiness Movement are examples of this form of restorationism. The movement often requires observance of universal commandments, such as a biblical Sabbath as given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden , and
6432-415: The White Horse Prophecy , which argues that Mormons will be called upon to preserve the Constitution as it hangs "by a thread". In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious ritual of special significance, often involving the formation of a covenant with God. Ordinances are performed by the authority of the priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ . The term has a meaning roughly similar to that of
6566-459: The ecumenical creeds and the definition of the Trinity . (In contrast, the second-largest Latter Day Saint denomination, the Community of Christ , is Trinitarian and monotheistic .) Mormons hold the view that the New Testament prophesied both the apostasy from the teachings of Christ and his apostles as well as the restoration of all things prior to the second coming of Christ. Some notable differences with mainstream Christianity include
6700-514: The martyrdom of the Apostles led to the loss of Priesthood authority to administer the Church and its ordinances. Mormons believe that God re-established the 1st-century early Christian church as found in the New Testament through the restoration of Joseph Smith. In particular, Mormons believe that angels such as Peter , James , John , and John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and others and bestowed various Priesthood authorities on them. Mormons thus believe that their Church
6834-566: The military or other large secular organizations, are specifically trained to minister to members of many different faiths, even faiths with opposing religious ideology from that of the chaplain's own faith. Military organizations that do not have large numbers of members from several individual smaller but related denominations will routinely hold multi-denominational religious services, often generically called " Protestant " Sunday services, so minority Protestant denominations are not left out or unserved. Multi-denominational may also refer to
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#17327980248216968-435: The "liberal denominations" or "progressive streams." The term "multi-denominational" may describe (for example) a religious event that includes several religious denominations from sometimes unrelated religious groups. Many civic events include religious portions led by representatives from several religious denominations to be as inclusive or representational as possible of the expected population or audience. For example:
7102-440: The "main trunk of the historical Christian Tree" founded by Christ and the Apostles, holding that during the Reformation, at the Council of Trent , the Church of Rome fell away. As such, the Augsburg Confession , the Lutheran confession of faith, teaches that "the faith as confessed by Luther and his followers is nothing new, but the true catholic faith, and that their churches represent the true catholic or universal church". When
7236-435: The 19th century, but vigorous opposition by the United States Congress threatened the church's existence as a legal institution. Further, polygamy was also a major cause for the opposition to Mormonism in the states of Idaho and Arizona. In the 1890 Manifesto , church president Wilford Woodruff announced the official end of plural marriage. Due to this formal abolition of plural marriage, several smaller groups broke with
7370-423: The Americas centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ are considered to be among the ancestors of pre-Columbian Native Americans . Joseph Smith argued that the millennial New Jerusalem was to be built in America (10th Article of Faith ). In the Doctrine and Covenants , Smith records God as saying "it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established
7504-430: The Bible and he promoted interpretations of it which were at variance with the mainstream Christian views the Restoration Movement held. In particular he questioned the nature of man. He held a number of debates with one of the leaders of the movement, Alexander Campbell , on these topics but eventually agreed to stop because he found the practice bestowed no further practical merits to his personal beliefs and it had
7638-402: The Bible corresponded to a spiritual truth or mystical truth." Additionally, The New Church teaches that "Objects in the physical world have spiritual correspondences." The Catholic Apostolic Church (Irvingian Church) was founded according to the theology of Edward Irving (1792–1834), who taught that "God could work miracles in His Church as easily now as two thousand years ago." Belonging to
7772-423: The Book of Mormon and the Bible. Personal prayer is encouraged as well. The LDS Church is by far the largest branch of Mormonism. It has continuously existed since the succession crisis of 1844 that split the Latter Day Saint movement after the death of founder Joseph Smith, Jr. The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from other branches of Mormonism, particularly those that practice polygamy. The church maintains
7906-473: The Book of Mormon, the early Church of Christ faced persecution from residents of several towns when they tried to gather and "establish God's kingdom on the earth". To avoid confrontation in Palmyra, New York the members moved to Kirtland, Ohio , and hoped to establish a permanent New Jerusalem or City of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri . However, they were expelled from Jackson County in 1833 and fled to other parts of Missouri in 1838. Violence between
8040-445: The British churches magazines certain churches in the movement still allowed him to present his views. Thomas also gained a hearing in Unitarian and Adventist churches through his promotion of the concept of "independence of thought" with regards to interpreting the Bible. Through a process of creed setting and division the Christadelphian movement emerged with a distinctive set of doctrines incorporating Adventism, anti-trinitarianism ,
8174-419: The Caroline Divines, who flourished in the 1600s during the reigns of Charles I and Charles II . They regularly appealed to the Primitive Church as the basis for their reforms. Unlike many other Christian Primitivists, the Church of the England and the Caroline Divines did not subject Scriptural interpretation to individual human reason, but rather to the hermeneutical consensus of the Church Fathers, holding to
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#17327980248218308-500: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The two broad movements outside mainstream Mormonism are Mormon fundamentalism , and liberal reformist Mormonism. Mainstream Mormonism is defined by the leadership of the LDS Church which identifies itself as Christian. Members of the LDS Church consider their top leaders to be prophets and apostles , and are encouraged to accept their positions on matters of theology, while seeking confirmation of them through personal study of
8442-400: The Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood" (D&C 101:79–80). To Mormons, this places America as the originator of religious liberty and freedom, while noting a need to expand these American values worldwide. Although officially shunned by the LDS Church, fundamentalist Mormons believe in
8576-439: The Earth's creation was not ex nihilo , but organized from existing matter. The Earth is just one of many inhabited worlds, and there are many governing heavenly bodies, including the planet or star Kolob , which is said to be nearest the throne of God . Mormon theology teaches that the United States is a unique place and that Mormons are God's chosen people , selected for a singular destiny. The Book of Mormon alludes to
8710-452: The First Great Awakening, a movement developed among the Baptists known as Separate Baptists . Two themes of this movement were the rejection of creeds and "freedom in the Spirit." The Separate Baptists saw scripture as the "perfect rule" for the church. While they turned to the Bible for a structural pattern for the church, they did not insist on complete agreement on the details of that pattern. This group originated in New England , but
8844-399: The Godhead, such as a Heavenly Mother —who is married to God the Father—and that faithful Latter-day Saints may attain godhood in the afterlife. Joseph Smith taught that God was once a man on another planet before being exalted to Godhood. This conception differs from the traditional Christian Trinity in several ways, one of which is that Mormonism has not adopted or continued to hold
8978-410: The LDS Church after that doctrine was discontinued around the beginning of the 20th century. Mormon fundamentalism teaches that plural marriage is a requirement for exaltation (the highest degree of salvation), which will allow them to live as gods and goddesses in the afterlife. Mainstream Mormons, by contrast, believe that a single Celestial marriage is necessary for exaltation. In distinction with
9112-424: The LDS Church and formed denominations following what they called Mormon fundamentalism . However, the LDS Church has experienced the most growth out of any of the churches following Mormonism, with a current membership of over 16 million. In orthodox Mormonism, the term God generally refers to the biblical God the Father , whom Latter Day Saints refer to as Elohim , and the term Godhead refers to
9246-417: The Law. Experiential primitivism focuses on restoring the direct communication with God and the experience of the Holy Spirit seen in the early church. Examples include the Latter Day Saint movement of Joseph Smith and Pentecostalism . Gospel primitivism may be best seen in the theology of Martin Luther . Luther was not, in the strictest sense, a restorationist because he saw human effort to restore
9380-458: The Little Gidding Community and others. Methodism Methodism began in the 1700s as a Christian Primitivist movement within the Church of England. John Wesley and his brother Charles, the founders of the movement, were high church Anglican priests in the vein of the Caroline Divines, who had a deep respect for the Primitive Church, which they generally defined as the Church before the Council Of Nicea. Unlike many other Christian Primitivists,
9514-499: The Lutherans presented the Augsburg Confession to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor , they explained "that each article of faith and practice was true first of all to Holy Scripture, and then also to the teaching of the church fathers and the councils". In contrast, the Reformed approach can be described as one of "restoration," seeking "to restore the essence and form of the primitive church based on biblical precedent and example; tradition received scant respect." While Luther focused on
9648-608: The Missourians and church members resulted in the governor of Missouri issuing an "extermination order" against the Mormons, as they were called, which again forced the church to relocate. The displaced church fled to Illinois, to a small town called Commerce. Under Smith's direction, the church bought the town, renamed it Nauvoo , and lived with a degree of peace and prosperity for a few years. However, tensions between Mormons and their neighbors again escalated and in 1844 Smith
9782-532: The New Apostolic Church is the largest Irvingian Christian denomination today, with 16 million members. Irvingianism, possessing elaborate liturgies , teaches three sacraments : Baptism , Holy Communion and Holy Sealing . Adherents to the Latter Day Saint movement believe that founder Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, chosen to restore the primitive, apostolic church established by Jesus. Like other restorationist groups, members believe that
9916-584: The Pentecostal movement sees a clear link between ethical primitivism and experiential primitivism. Beginning in about 1470 a succession of Popes focused on the acquisition of money, their role in Italian politics as rulers of the papal states and power politics within the college of cardinals . Restorationism at the time was centered on movements that wanted to renew the church, such as the Lollards ,
10050-831: The Restorationist branch of Christianity, the Irvingian Churches teach that they "exercise the charismata of the Apostolic age". The church was organised in 1835 with the fourfold ministry of "apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors." As a result of schism within the Catholic Apostolic Church, other Irvingian Christian denominations emerged, including the Old Apostolic Church , New Apostolic Church , Reformed Old Apostolic Church and United Apostolic Church ; of these,
10184-501: The Second Great Awakening, which served as an "organizing process" that created "a religious and educational infrastructure" across the trans-Appalachian frontier that encompassed social networks, a religious journalism that provided mass communication, and church related colleges. The American Restoration Movement aimed to restore the church and sought "the unification of all Christians in a single body patterned after
10318-684: The Sunday thanksgiving mass at Campamento Esperanza (English: Camp Hope ) in Chile , where services were led by both a Roman Catholic priest and by an Evangelical preacher during the Chilean 2010 Copiapó mining accident . Chaplains - frequently ordained clergy of any religion - are often assigned to secular organizations to provide spiritual support to its members who may belong to any of many different religions or denominations. Many of these chaplains, particularly those serving with
10452-631: The United States as being the Biblical promised land , with the Constitution of the United States being divinely inspired , and argues that America is an exceptional nation . In Upstate New York in 1823, Joseph Smith claimed to have had a vision in which the Angel Moroni told him about engraved golden plates buried in a nearby hill . According to Smith, he received subsequent instruction from Moroni and, four years later, excavated
10586-651: The Wesleys and the early Methodists did not subject Scriptural interpretation to individual human reason, but rather to the hermeneutical consensus of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, holding to a view of authority more akin to Prima Scriptura rather than Sola Scriptura. They did not hold to the separatist ecclesiology of many primitivist groups, but rather saw themselves as working within the historic established church to return it to its foundation in Scripture and
10720-504: The World'), and Iglesia ni Cristo ( Tagalog : 'Church of Christ'). In this sense, Restorationism has been regarded as one of the six taxonomic groupings of Christianity : the Church of the East , Oriental Orthodoxy , Eastern Orthodoxy , Roman Catholicism , Protestantism , and Restorationism. These Restorationist groups share a belief that historic Christianity lost the true faith during
10854-560: The actual writings of the church fathers and other historical documents. Since written documents for the underground first-century church are sparse, the primitive church passed down its knowledge verbally. Elements of the primitive Christianity movement reject the patristic tradition of the prolific extrabiblical 2nd- and 3rd-century redaction of this knowledge (the Ante-Nicene Fathers ), and instead attempt to reconstruct primitive church practices as they might have existed in
10988-511: The authority of apostolic succession, eschatology, and papal primacy often separate one denomination from another. Groups of denominations often sharing broadly similar beliefs, practices and historical ties are known as branches of Christianity . In Hinduism , the major deity or philosophical belief identifies a denomination, which also typically has distinct cultural and religious practices. The major denominations include Shaivism , Shaktism , Vaishnavism and Smartism . Historically , Islam
11122-427: The belief that God is a "substantial and corporeal" being, objection to military service , a lay-membership with full participation by all members, and other doctrines consistent with the spirit of the Restorationist movement. One consequence of objection to military service was the adoption of the name Christadelphians to distinguish this small community of believers and to be granted exemption from military service in
11256-687: The camp meetings, the Southern phase of the Awakening "was an important matrix of Barton Stone's reform movement" and shaped the evangelistic techniques used by both Stone and the Campbells. The Restoration Movement has seen several divisions, resulting in multiple separate groups. Three modern groups originating in the U.S. claim the Stone-Campbell movement as their roots: Churches of Christ , Christian churches and churches of Christ , and
11390-573: The children of the Kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire. Mormons believe that Smith and subsequent church leaders could speak scripture "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost." In addition, many Mormons believe that ancient prophets in other regions of the world received revelations that resulted in additional scriptures that have been lost and may, one day, be forthcoming. In Mormonism, revelation
11524-699: The church and priesthood established by Jesus were withdrawn from the Earth after the end of the apostolic age and before the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Unlike other reformers, who based their movements on their own interpretations of the Bible, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery held that they were visited by John the Baptist to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. This restoration authorized members to receive revelation from God in order to restore
11658-523: The church as works righteousness and was sharply critical of other Reformation leaders who were attempting to do so. On the other hand, he was convinced that the gospel message had been obscured by the Roman Catholic Church of the time. He also rejected church traditions he considered contrary to Scripture and insisted on scripture as the sole authority for the church. These models are not mutually exclusive, but overlap; for example,
11792-545: The church of the New Testament." While the Restoration Movement developed from several independent efforts to go back to apostolic Christianity, two groups that independently developed similar approaches to the Christian faith were particularly important to its development. The first, led by Barton W. Stone began at Cane Ridge , Bourbon County, Kentucky and called themselves simply Christians . The second began in western Pennsylvania and Virginia, now West Virginia, and
11926-648: The context of Judaism to an extent that goes beyond what most other Christian denominations claim. The faith incorporates many Old Testament ideas into its theology, and the beliefs of Mormons sometimes parallel those of Judaism and certain elements of Jewish culture. In the earliest days of Mormonism, Joseph Smith taught that the Indigenous peoples of the Americas were members of some of the Lost Tribes of Israel . Later, he taught that Mormons were Israelites, and that they may learn of their tribal affiliation within
12060-568: The context, the term Mormonism could refer to "a sect, a mystery cult, a new religion, a church, a people, a nation, or an American subculture; indeed, at different times and places it is all of these." A prominent feature of Mormon theology is the Book of Mormon , a 19th-century text which describes itself as a chronicle of early Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their dealings with God . Mormon theology includes mainstream Christian beliefs with modifications stemming from belief in revelations to Smith and other religious leaders. This includes
12194-474: The day were corrupted. In addition to restoring the primitive church, Smith claimed to receive new and ongoing revelations. In 1830, he published The Book of Mormon , with him and witnesses declaring to be a translation through divine means from the Golden Plates he obtained from an angel . Denominationalism A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under
12328-493: The dead on behalf of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and Jews in general. According to LDS Church general authority Monte J. Brough, "Mormons who baptized 380,000 Holocaust victims posthumously were motivated by love and compassion and did not understand their gesture might offend Jews ... they did not realize that what they intended as a 'Christian act of service' was 'misguided and insensitive ' ". Mormons believe that when
12462-444: The dead are baptized through proxy, they have the option of accepting or rejecting the ordinance. Many Mormons are believers, experiencers, or promotors of UFOs as an interstellar or non-human phenomenon. Matthew Bowman, scholar of Mormon Studies , writes that while some people use this to try to make Mormonism look silly, "a good number of Latter-day Saints" have welcomed being associated with UFOs. "Latter-day Saints have pointed to
12596-421: The dead. In accordance with their belief in each individual's "free agency", living or dead, Mormons believe that the deceased may accept or reject the offered ordinance in the spirit world , just as all spirits decided to accept or reject God's plan originally. In addition, these "conditional" ordinances on behalf of the dead are performed only when a deceased person's genealogical information has been submitted to
12730-469: The doctrine of Prima Scriptura as opposed to Sola Scriptura. They did not hold to the separatist ecclesiology of many primitivist groups, but rather saw themselves as working within the historic established church to return it to its foundation in Scripture and the patristic tradition. Among the Caroline Divines were men like Archbishop William Laud, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Deacon Nicholas Ferrar and
12864-472: The doctrine of the Nicene Creed , that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are of the same substance or being. Also, Mormonism teaches that the intelligence dwelling in each human is coeternal with God. Mormons use the term omnipotent to describe God, and regard him as the creator: they understand him as being almighty and eternal but subject to eternal natural law which governs intelligences, justice and
12998-471: The doctrines of Catholicism , Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy , the Churches of the East , and Protestantism , Mormonism's differences place it outside the umbrella of Christianity. Since its beginnings, the faith has proclaimed itself to be Christ's Church restored with its original authority, structure and power; maintaining that existing denominations believed in incorrect doctrines and were not acknowledged by God as his church and kingdom. Though
13132-414: The essence." Thus, Luther believed that restoring the gospel was the first step in renewing the church, rather than restoring biblical forms and patterns. In this sense, Luther can be described as a gospel restorationist, even though his approach was very different from that of other restorationists. Protestant groups have generally accepted history as having some "jurisdiction" in Christian faith and life;
13266-543: The eternal nature of matter (i.e. God organized the world but did not create it from nothing). The Mormon conception of God also differs substantially from the Jewish tradition of ethical monotheism in which elohim ( אֱלֹהִים ) is a completely different conception. This description of God represents the Mormon orthodoxy , formalized in 1915 based on earlier teachings. Other currently existing and historical branches of Mormonism have adopted different views of god, such as
13400-497: The farmboy Joseph Smith in the 1820s in Western New York during a period of religious excitement known as the Second Great Awakening . Smith, at 14 years old, was determined to find out which church taught the "true" doctrine of God . He believed that God existed, but was confused by what he believed to be contradictions in the beliefs of churches available to him. In Joseph Smith-History , he wrote: "While I
13534-481: The holding of multiple benefices . The lack of success of the restorationist movements led, arguably, to the Protestant Reformation . The Protestant Reformation came about through an impulse to repair the Church and return it to what the reformers saw as its original biblical structure, belief, and practice, and was motivated by a sense that "the medieval church had allowed its traditions to clutter
13668-422: The intent of doing good. It also teaches that everyone is entitled to personal revelation with respect to his or her stewardship (leadership responsibility). Thus, parents may receive inspiration from God in raising their families, individuals can receive divine inspiration to help them meet personal challenges, church officers may receive revelation for those whom they serve. The important consequence of this
13802-504: The means of establishing correct doctrine for the restored church . Smith, Oliver Cowdery , and other early followers began baptizing new converts in 1829, and formally organized in 1830 as the Church of Christ . Smith was seen by his followers as a modern-day prophet . Historical accuracy and veracity of the Book of Mormon was, at the time of its publication and continuing to the present day, hotly contested . Along with disputes over
13936-706: The membership of both the Stone and Campbell groups drew heavily from among the ranks of the Separate Baptists. Separate Baptist restorationism also contributed to the development of the Landmark Baptists in the same area at about the same time as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Under the leadership of James Robinson Graves , this group looked for a precise blueprint for the primitive church, believing that any deviation from that blueprint would keep one from being part of
14070-433: The nature or role of the messiah (or messianic age ). Across these movements there are marked differences in liturgy , especially in the language in which services are conducted, with the more traditional movements emphasizing Hebrew. The sharpest theological division occurs between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews who adhere to other denominations, such that the non-Orthodox movements are sometimes referred to collectively as
14204-403: The new movement. Clearly, finding a biblical, non-sectarian name was important. Stone wanted to continue to use the name "Christians." Alexander Campbell insisted upon "Disciples of Christ". As a result, both names were used. The Restoration Movement began during, and was greatly influenced by, the Second Great Awakening. While the Campbells resisted what they saw as the spiritual manipulation of
14338-410: The original apostolic organization lost after the events of the New Testament. According to Allen and Hughes, "[n]o group used the language of 'restoration' more consistently and more effectively than did the [Latter Day Saints] ... early Mormons seemed obsessed with restoring the ancient church of God." According to Smith, God appeared to him in 1820, instructing him that the creeds of the churches of
14472-405: The phenomenon as either entirely consistent with their faith or even proof of it. ... These folks are the heirs to a strain of theology going back to Brigham Young that peaked with the early 20th-century writings of church leaders like B.H. Roberts or John Widtsoe ." Mormon theology includes three main movements. By far the largest of these is "mainstream Mormonism", defined by the leadership of
14606-428: The plates and translated them from " reformed Egyptian " into English; the resultant Book of Mormon —so called after an ancient American prophet who, according to Smith, had compiled the text recorded on the golden plates—recounts the history of a tribe of Israelites , led by the prophet Lehi , who migrated from Jerusalem to the Americas in the 7th century BCE. In Mormonism, these Israelite tribes who migrated to
14740-597: The potential to create division. He later determined that salvation was dependent upon having the theology he had developed for baptism to be effective for salvation and published an "Confession and Abjuration" of his previous position on March 3, 1847. He was also rebaptised . Following his abjuration and rebaptism he went to England on a preaching tour in June 1848 including Reformation Movement churches, Although his abjuration and his disfellowship in America were reported in
14874-512: The question "How can we find forgiveness of sins?", the early Reformed theologians turned to the Bible for patterns that could be used to replace traditional forms and practices. Heinrich Bullinger and Martin Bucer in particular emphasized the restoration of biblical patterns. John Calvin reflected an intermediate position between that of Luther and Reformed theologians such as Zwingli , stressing biblical precedents for church governance, but as
15008-487: The question has been the extent of that jurisdiction. A commitment to history and primitivism are not mutually exclusive; while some groups attempt to give full jurisdiction to the primitive church, for others the apostolic "first times" are given only partial jurisdiction. Perhaps the most primitivist minded of the Protestant Reformation era were a group of scholars within the Church of England known as
15142-439: The religion quickly gained a large following of Christian seekers, in the 1830s, many American Christians came to view the church's early doctrines and practices as politically and culturally subversive , as well as doctrinally heretical, abominable, and condemnable. This discord led to a series of sometimes-deadly conflicts between Mormons and others who saw themselves as orthodox Christians. Although such violence declined during
15276-417: The same as pantheism as they may not feel any affiliation to say islam. They may class themselves as Christian-Buddhist or Advaita-Christian or just simply spiritual but not religious. They may pray but not meditate or vice versa or both and they may benefit from a wide range of scripture and they may attend both Church and temple. Mormonism Mormonism is the theology and religious tradition of
15410-618: The sense of "Christian primitivism" refers to the attempt to correct perceived shortcomings of the current church by using the primitive church as a model to reconstruct early Christianity , and has also been described as "practicing church the way it is perceived to have been done in the New Testament ". Restorationism is called "apostolic" as representing the form of Christianity that the Twelve Apostles followed. These themes arise early in church history, first appearing in
15544-467: The structure and practice of the church, others on the ethical life of the church , and others on the direct experience of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The relative importance given to the restoration ideal, and the extent to which the full restoration of the early church is believed to have been achieved, also varies among groups. More narrowly, the term "Restorationism" is used as
15678-460: The term Christian Zionism is more commonly used to describe later forms. "Restorationism" is also used to describe a form of postmillennialism developed during the later half of the 20th century, which was influential among a number of charismatic groups and the British new church movement . The term primitive , in contrast with other uses, refers to a basis in scholarship and research into
15812-570: The term sacrament in other Christian denominations. Saving ordinances (or ordinances viewed as necessary for salvation) include: baptism by immersion after the age of accountability (normally age 8); confirmation and reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost , performed by laying hands on the head of a newly baptized member; ordination to the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods for males; an endowment (including washing and anointing ) received in temples ; and marriage (or sealing ) to
15946-484: The text of the Book of Mormon on April 12, 1828. Despite interruption of translation work by persecution , Smith's continued employment in order to support his family, and Harris's loss of 116 pages , the Book of Mormon manuscript was finished in June 1829. Smith said the plates were returned to the angel after he finished the translation. During the time Smith said he possessed the plates, 15 people were allowed to witness their existence . The Book of Mormon claims to be
16080-495: The tradition of the pre-Nicene Church. John Wesley very regularly asserted Methodism's commitment to the Primitive Church, saying, "From a child I was taught to love and reverence the Scripture, the oracles of God; and, next to these, to esteem the primitive Fathers, the writers of the first three centuries. Next after the primitive church, I esteemed our own, the Church of England, as the most Scriptural national Church in
16214-549: The true church. The ideal of restoring a "primitive" form of Christianity grew in popularity in the United States after the American Revolution . This desire to restore a purer form of Christianity played a role in the development of many groups during this period, known as the Second Great Awakening, including the Mormons , Baptists and Shakers . Several factors made the restoration sentiment particularly appealing during this time period. Camp meetings fueled
16348-430: The twelve Israelite tribes. Members of the LDS Church receive Patriarchal blessings which declare the recipient's lineage within one of the tribes of Israel. The lineage is either through true blood-line or adoption. The LDS Church teaches that if one is not a direct descendant of one of the twelve tribes, upon baptism he or she is adopted into one of the tribes. Patriarchal blessings also include personal information which
16482-489: The twentieth century, the religion's unique doctrinal views and practices still generate criticism, sometimes vehemently so. This gives rise to efforts by Mormons and opposing types of Christians to proselytize each other. Mormons believe in Jesus Christ as the literal Son of God and Messiah , his crucifixion as a conclusion of a sin offering , and subsequent resurrection . However, Latter-day Saints (LDS) reject
16616-553: The use of and belief in the Bible and other religious texts, including the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price . Mormonism includes significant doctrines of eternal marriage , eternal progression , baptism for the dead , polygamy or plural marriage , sexual purity , health (specified in the Word of Wisdom) , fasting , and Sabbath observance . The theology itself is not uniform; as early as 1831, and most significantly after Smith's death , various groups split from
16750-485: The way to God with fees and human regulations and thus to subvert the gospel of Christ." At the heart of the Reformation was an emphasis on the principle of "scripture alone" ( sola scriptura ). As a result, the authority of church tradition, which had taken practical precedence over scripture, was rejected. The Reformation was not a monolithic movement, but consisted of at least three identifiable sub-currents. One
16884-654: The works of Iranaeus , and appeared in some movements during the Middle Ages . It was expressed to varying degrees in the theology of the Protestant Reformation , and Protestantism has been described as "a form of Christian restorationism, though some of its forms – for example the Churches of Christ or the Baptists – are more restorationist than others". A number of historical movements within Christianity may be described as "restoration movements", including
17018-470: The world's total Muslim population ) were later independently developed. A survey by the Pew Research Center suggests that up to 25% of Muslims globally self-identify as non-denominational Muslims . Jewish religious movements, sometimes called "denominations" or "branches", include different groups which have developed among Jews from ancient times. Today, the main division is between
17152-455: The world." And, "Methodism, so called, is the old religion, the religion of the Bible, the religion of the primitive Church, the religion of the Church of England." On his epitaph is written, "This GREAT LIGHT arose (By the Singular providence of GOD) To enlighten THESE NATIONS, And to revive, enforce, and defend, The Pure Apostolical DOCTRINES and PRACTICES of THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH…" During
17286-622: Was centered in Germany , one was centered in Switzerland , and the third was centered in England . While these movements shared some common concerns, each had its own particular emphasis. The Lutheran approach can be described as one of "reformation," seeking "to reform and purify the historic, institutional church while at the same time preserving as much of the tradition as possible." The Lutheran Churches traditionally sees themselves as
17420-752: Was divided into three major sects, well known as Sunni , Khawarij and Shi‘ah . Nowadays, Sunnis constitute about 90% of the overall Muslim population ; the Shi'ahs are around 10%, while Ibadis , from the Kharijites , have diminished to a level below 0.15%. Today, many of the Shia sects are extinct . The major surviving Imamah - Muslim Sects are Usulism (with nearly more than 8.5%), Nizari Ismailism (with nearly more than 1%), Alevism (with slightly more than 0.5% but less than 1% ). The other existing groups include Zaydi Shi'a of Yemen whose population
17554-524: Was especially strong in the South where the emphasis on a biblical pattern for the church grew stronger. In the last half of the 18th century it spread to the western frontier of Kentucky and Tennessee , where the Stone and Campbell movements would later take root. The development of the Separate Baptists in the southern frontier helped prepare the ground for the Restoration Movement , as
17688-521: Was killed by a mob, precipitating a succession crisis . The largest group of Mormons followed Brigham Young as the new prophet and, under his direction, emigrated to what became the Utah Territory . There, the church began the open practice of plural marriage , a form of polygyny which Smith had instituted in Nauvoo. Plural marriage became the faith's most sensational characteristic during
17822-455: Was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James , first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.'" After praying about which denomination he should join, Smith said he received
17956-436: Was led by Thomas Campbell and his son, Alexander Campbell . They used the name Disciples of Christ . The Campbell movement was characterized by a "systematic and rational reconstruction" of the early church, in contrast to the Stone movement which was characterized by radical freedom and lack of dogma. Despite their differences, the two movements agreed on several critical issues. Both saw restoring apostolic Christianity as
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