Denominations

Question 1

Methodist churches

Answer 1

• Origins: Designates several protestant groups has its root in the wok of John and Charles Wesley, sons of an Anglican rector; with friend George Whitefield formed the Holy Club,
  Distinctives: stresses “inward religion”, the religion of the heart, has a strong ethical view of sanctification, ca. 1725/1729; very evangelistic and rigorously disciplined, active in social concerns, marked by a practical faith Methodists resist strict confessionalism.
• In America, the first key leader was Francis Asbury and they played a great role in the 2nd Great Awakening in the West. They are typically known for having the same elements of Anglicanism (government, sacraments, etc.) with an evangelical emphasis, teaching on the idea of perfection. Also have influenced dominations like the Nazarenes, who came through the holiness traditions seen in Phoebe Palmer.

Question 2

Episcopal churches

Answer 2

Origins: This is also known as the Anglican communion. They come from the church of England. The first Episcopal bishop in America was Samuel Seabury.
- Distinctives: They have an episcopal form of government and the 39 Articles. In recent years, have been embroiled with theological debate and controversy over the issue over homosexuality, women, etc.

Question 3

Baptist churches

Answer 3

• Origins: Usually trace themselves back to Puritanism in England
• Distinctives: believer’s baptism. Usually see themselves as congregational churches, though many also are ruled by elders.

Question 4

Presbyterian churches

Answer 4

Origin: It is usually seen as a strand that moves from Geneva to Scotland to Scot-Irish immigrants in America who then joined up with like minded Puritans.
- Distinctives: Presbyterian Government, WCF and catechisms

Question 5

Orthodox churches

Answer 5

• Origins: While the East and West had different cultures in the church from the very beginning and exhibited differences from each other, the final break came in 1054, over the filioque clause (the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son) as well as the authority of the pope. Attempts have been made to reconcile but these have not proven successful.
• Distinctives: Theosis, Unchanging

Question 6

Lutheran churches

Answer 6

• Origins: Would trace themselves back to Martin Luther, often moving through Scandinavia. Some of these communions in America are more liberal (ELCA) while others are more conservative (Missouri Synod). These churches eventually lead to the Evangelical Free Church of America having Swedish and Norwegian-Danish roots around the turn of the 20th century (1880-1920).
• Distinctives: Justification by faith, comfortable with mystery, Christology and the Lord’s Supper

Question 7

Pentecostal churches

Answer 7

• Origins: An evangelical charismatic movement usually traced to an outbreak of speaking in tongues in Topeka, KS in 1902 under the leadership of Parham.
• Distinctives: Believe that the baptism in the Spirit that was witnessed at Pentecost should be normative for all believers, this “initial evidence” of the baptism of the Spirit, is the speaking of a language unknown to the speaker, the Pentecostal movement harkens back to the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles as the beginning of a worldwide movement, many believe this is the founding of the Oneness Pentecostalism.
• Central teachings: Jesus is coming soon, speaking in tongues is the sign of the true baptism of the HS, and all of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the NT are active today.

Wave 1: 1906 Azusa Street, William Seymour, Assemblies of God
Wave 2: 1959 Dennis Bennet, Charismatic movement within denominations, still believe in 2nd baptism evidenced by tongues
Wave 3: 1980s, Peter Wagner, Neo Charismaticism, do not require 2nd baptism for genuine conversion

Question 8

Mennonite churches

Answer 8

• Origins: Menno Simmons (ca. 1496-1561), Can trace tradition back to the Dutch or Swiss Anabaptists, practice adult baptism only (against Calvin and Luther paedo-baptism), reject oath-taking and military service, emphasize the doctrines of humility, nonresistance, and separation from the world, strongly conservative and have a strong sense of history, pietistic, desire for conversion and reformation of life, emphasis on the Bile and the renewal of the church, inward humility and yielding to God’s will; he held a Melchiorite view of the incarnation that Jesus was not “of Mary’s” flesh, rather a separate creation; also see the Brethren Church.