Congregationalism

E32675

Protestant Christian movement form of church polity

Congregationalism is a Protestant Christian movement characterized by the autonomy of local congregations, which historically shaped the religious and civic culture of New England.

Aliases (7)

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Protestant Christian movement → form of church polity →
allows	voluntary associations of churches for mutual support →
associatedWith	Calvinist soteriology in many churches → Reformed theology →
coreBelief	Christ is the only head of the church → church membership is based on personal faith → church membership is voluntary → the Bible is the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice → the local gathered church is a complete church →
developedFrom	English Puritanism → Separatist movements in England →
doesNotRequire	submission to higher ecclesiastical courts →
emphasizes	autonomy of local congregations → congregational self-governance → democratic decision-making in the local church →
flourishedIn	New England →
governanceModel	each congregation governs its own affairs →
hasConcept	church covenant → gathered church → priesthood of all believers →
historicalCenter	Connecticut Colony → Massachusetts Bay Colony →
historicalImpact	formation of many early American colleges → shaping of early American missionary movements →
historicalOrigin	English Reformation →
influenced	American congregational church polity across denominations → civic culture of New England → development of American religious liberty traditions → religious culture of New England → town-meeting style local governance in New England →
practices	calling and dismissing ministers by congregational vote → covenant-based church membership → independent selection of church officers → local control of church property →
rejects	episcopal hierarchy → presbyterian graded courts →
relatedMovement	Congregational churches in the United Kingdom → Conservative Congregational Christian Conference → Independent churches in England → National Association of Congregational Christian Churches → United Church of Christ →
religiousTradition	Protestantism →
sacramentalPractice	Lord's Supper → baptism →
worshipStyle	congregational hymn singing → emphasis on preaching → simple liturgy →

Referenced by (26)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Bunhill Fields ("Congregationalists") → John Owen ("Congregational churches") → Mather family ("Congregational churches") → New England Way ("Congregational churches") → The Order of the Gospel ("New England Congregational churches") →	associatedWith
John Cotton ("New England Congregational churches") → John Owen ("Congregationalists") → Richard Mather ("New England Congregationalism") → William Ames ("New England Congregationalism") →	influenced
Henry Ward Beecher → Mary Lyon → Thornton Wilder →	religion
Middlebury College ("Congregational Church") → Pomona College ("Congregational Church") →	formerReligiousAffiliation
A Call from Heaven →	associatedDenomination
Great Awakening ("Congregationalists") →	denominationAffected
Rollins College ("New England Congregationalists") →	foundedBy
Braintree, Province of Massachusetts Bay →	hasReligion
Protestant Christianity →	hasSubtradition
New England political institutions →	linkedTo
The Order of the Gospel ("New England Congregationalism") →	mainSubject
Toleration Act 1689 ("Congregationalists") →	protected
Wellesley College ("Christian (Congregationalist roots)") →	religiousAffiliationHistoric
Half-Way Covenant controversy ("Congregational churches") →	religiousDenomination
Thomas Hooker →	religiousOrder
Book II: Ecclesiarum Clypei →	religiousTradition