Nondenominational Christianity Explained

Nondenominational Christianity (or non-denominational Christianity) consists of churches, and individual Christians,[1] [2] which typically distance themselves from the confessionalism or creedalism of other Christian communities[3] by not formally aligning with a specific Christian denomination. Although nondenominational churches typically consider themselves to be non-creedal and flexible, many identify as Charismatic.[4] Many nondenominational churches are associated with Baptists who have chosen not to affiliate themselves any organization beyond their local church.[5]

In North America, nondenominational Christianity arose in the 18th century through the Restoration Movement, with followers organizing themselves simply as "Christians" and "Disciples of Christ".[6] The nondenominational movement saw expansion during the 20th century Jesus movement era, which popularized contemporary Christian music and Christian media within global pop culture.[7] [8] [9]

Nondenominational churches adhere to congregationalist polity, every local church is independent, take for example cowboy churches. Often congregating in loose associations such as the Churches of Christ, or in other cases founded by individual pastors such as Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel Association, few are affiliated with historic denominations,[10] but many adhere to a form of evangelical Christianity.[11] [12] [13] [14] Though some non-denominational churches have elder-ruled non-denominational churches have grown quite recently within networks like Acts 29.[15] [16]

History

Nondenominational Christianity first arose in the 18th century through the Stone–Campbell Restoration Movement, with followers organizing themselves simply as "Christians" and "Disciples of Christ".[6] Congregations in this tradition of nondenominational Christianity often refer to themselves as Churches of Christ.[10]

Independent nondenominational churches continued to appear in the United States in the course of the 20th century.[17]

Nondenominational congregations experienced significant and continuous growth in the 21st century, particularly in the United States.[18] [19] In 2010, there were 35,496 nondenominational churches in the US with over 12 million congregants.[20]

If combined into a single group, nondenominational churches collectively represented the third-largest Christian grouping in the United States in 2010, after the Roman Catholic Church and Southern Baptist Convention.[21]

In Asia, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, these churches are also more numerous, since the 1990s.[22]

Characteristics

Nondenominational churches are by definition not affiliated with any specific denominational stream of Christianity, whether by choice from their foundation or because they separated from their denomination of origin at some point in their history.[23] Like denominational congregations, nondenominational congregations vary in size, worship, and other characteristics.[24] Although independent, many nondenominational congregations choose to affiliate with a broader network of congregations.[24]

Many nondenominational churches can nevertheless be positioned in existing movements, such as Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism, even though they are autonomous and have no formal labels.[25] [26] [27]

Nondenominational churches are particularly visible in the megachurches.[28] [29]

The neo-charismatic churches often use the term nondenominational to define themselves.[30]

Some non-denominational churches identify solely with Christianity.[31]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Silliman . Daniel . ‘Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants . News & Reporting . 2022 . March 9, 2024.
  2. Web site: Anderson . George M. . Of Many Things . America Magazine . December 8, 2003 . March 9, 2024.
  3. Confessionalism is a term employed by historians to refer to "the creation of fixed identities and systems of beliefs for separate churches which had previously been more fluid in their self-understanding, and which had not begun by seeking separate identities for themselves—they had wanted to be truly Catholic and reformed." (MacCulloch, The Reformation: A History, p. xxiv.)
  4. Book: Collins, H. . Charismatic Christianity: Introducing Its Theology through the Gifts of the Spirit . Baker Publishing Group . 2023 . 978-1-4934-4264-5 . 2024-08-01 . 168.
  5. Book: Dockery, D.S. . Van Neste . R. . Tidwell . J. . Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism . B&H Publishing Group . 2011 . 978-1-4336-7120-3 . 2024-08-01 . 36.
  6. Book: The Journal of American History . 1997 . . 1400 . en . Richard T. Hughes, professor of religion at Pepperdine University, argues that the Churches of Christ built a corporate identity around "restoration" of the primitive church and the corresponding belief that their congregations represented a nondenominational Christianity..
  7. Web site: Young . Neil J. . The Summer of Love ended 50 years ago. It reshaped American conservatism. . Vox . August 31, 2017 . March 9, 2024.
  8. Web site: Norcross . Jonathon . The Incredible True Story Behind 'Jesus Revolution' . Collider . March 2, 2023 . March 9, 2024.
  9. Web site: Cluver . Ross . LoveSong: The Music. The Ministry. The Movement . CCM Magazine . December 13, 2021 . March 9, 2024.
  10. Web site: Barnett . Joe R. . Who are the Churches of Christ . Southside Church of Christ . 7 December 2020 . en . 2020 . Not A Denomination: For this reason, we are not interested in man-made creeds, but simply in the New Testament pattern. We do not conceive of ourselves as being a denomination–nor as Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish—but simply as members of the church which Jesus established and for which he died. And that, incidentally, is why we wear his name. The term “church of Christ” is not used as a denominational designation, but rather as a descriptive term indicating that the church belongs to Christ..
  11. Web site: Nash . Donald A. . Why the Churches of Christ Are Not A Denomination . The Christian Restoration Association . 7 December 2020 . en.
  12. Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, p. 157
  13. Web site: Appendix B: Classification of Protestants Denominations. 12 May 2015. Pew Research Center - Religion & Public Life / America's Changing Religious Landscape. 13 October 2019.
  14. http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cong/nondenom.html Nondenominational Congregations Research at Hartford Institute for Religion Research website
  15. Web site: Distinctives .
  16. Web site: FAQ .
  17. Roger E. Olson, The Mosaic of Christian Belief, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2016, p. 43
  18. Aaron Earls, What Does the Growth of Nondenominationalism Mean?, research.lifeway.com, USA, August 8, 2017
  19. Vincent Jackson, How non-denominational churches are attracting millennials, pressofatlanticcity.com, USA, February 2, 2017
  20. Web site: US Religion Census - 2010 .
  21. http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cong/nondenom.html Nondenominational & Independent Congregations
  22. Peter C. Phan, Christianities in Asia, John Wiley & Sons, USA, 2011, p. 90-91
  23. Gabriel Monet, L'Église émergente : être et faire Église en postchrétienté, LIT Verlag Münster, Switzerland, 2013, p. 135-136
  24. Nicole K. Meidinger & Gary A. Goreharm, "Congregations, Religious" in Encyclopedia of Community: From the Village to the Virtual World (Vol. 1: eds Karen Christensen & David Levinson: SAGE, 2003), p. 333.
  25. Pew Research Center, AMERICA'S CHANGING RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE, pewforum.org, USA, May 12, 2015
  26. Ed Stetzer, The rise of evangelical 'nones', cnn.com, USA, June 12, 2015
  27. Peter C. Phan, Christianities in Asia, John Wiley & Sons, USA, 2011, p. 90
  28. Sébastien Fath, Dieu XXL, la révolution des mégachurches, Édition Autrement, France, 2008, p. 25, 42
  29. Bryan S. Turner, Oscar Salemink, Routledge Handbook of Religions in Asia, Routledge, UK, 2014, p. 407
  30. Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, p. 66
  31. Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker Academic, USA, 2001, p. 336-337

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