This article is about the form of church organization in which each congregation governs itself. For the family of Protestant churches characterized by and named for this form of governance, see Congregationalism. For other uses, see Congregationalism (disambiguation).
Ecclesiastical polity
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Congregational polity, or congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of ecclesiastical polity in which every local church (congregation) is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous". Its first articulation in writing is the Cambridge Platform of 1648 in New England.
Major Protestant Christian traditions that employ congregationalism include Quakerism, the Baptist churches, the Congregational Methodist Church, and Congregational churches known by the Congregationalist name and having descended from the Independent Reformed wing of the Anglo-American Puritan movement of the 17th century. More recent generations have witnessed a growing number of nondenominational churches, which are often congregationalist in their governance.[citation needed] Although autonomous, like minded congregations may enter into voluntary associations with other congregations, sometimes called conventions, denominations, or associations.
Congregationalism is distinguished from episcopal polity[1] which is governance by a hierarchy of bishops, and is also distinct from presbyterian polity[1] in which higher assemblies of congregational representatives can exercise considerable authority over individual congregations.
Congregationalism is not limited only to organization of Christian church congregations. The principles of congregationalism have been inherited by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Canadian Unitarian Council.
^ abDoe 2013, p. 118.
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Congregationalpolity, or congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of ecclesiastical polity in which every local church...
Ecclesiastical polity is the government of a church. There are local (congregational) forms of organization as well as denominational. A church's polity may describe...
polity, in which an egalitarian network of local ministers cooperated through regional synods. Other Puritans experimented with congregationalpolity...
churches practice congregationalpolity or a form of presbyterian polity. Others, including the Church of Sweden, practice episcopal polity; the Church of...
liberalism in their denomination. Due to the decentralized nature of congregationalpolity, a denominational split was not first seen as necessary. Soon, conservatives...
four chapters explain that congregationalpolity is the only form of church government authorized in the Bible. A Congregational church is defined as "a...
another denomination (mostly the UCC), as local churches observe congregationalpolity. The association's name refers to those denominations that once...
opponents). In church polity, Puritans were divided between supporters of episcopal, presbyterian, and congregationalpolities. Some believed a uniform...
seven sacraments, and the ministry of the Word of God. The ANCC is congregational rather than hierarchical. The ANCC allows qualified women and gay persons...
Other specific beliefs based on biblical interpretation can vary by congregationalpolity, to balance local church autonomy with accountability against abuses...
conform to any of the three historical forms. They do not employ congregationalpolity, believing that God's people collectively made poor decisions in...
Several forms of ecclesiastical polity are exercised by Reformed churches, including presbyterian, congregational, and some episcopal. Reformed Christianity...
apostolic succession. Some Lutheran churches have congregationalpolity or modified episcopal polity without apostolic succession, but the historic episcopate...
instead of congregational delegates, certain similarities to presbyterian polity are also visible.[citation needed] The UCC's "Covenantal Polity" is best...
organized their churches according to congregationalpolity (rule by members of the local church). The first Congregational church organized in America was...
Methodist doctrine with congregationalpolity. The Congregational Methodist Church is Wesleyan-Arminian in doctrine, congregational in its system of worship...
Civil War. Congregational leaders met again in Boston, Massachusetts in 1865, where they began to hammer out standards of church procedures (polity) and adopted...
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concise statement of Congregational beliefs restates traditional congregationalpolity and endorses ecumenism, while also displaying the drift away from...
This is a list of notable Congregational churches, meaning churches either as notable congregations or as notable buildings of the same name. Map all coordinates...
Presbyterian (or presbyteral) polity is a method of church governance ("ecclesiastical polity") typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders...
other Methodist denominations, such as the Congregational Methodist Church, have a congregationalpolity). Each congregation owns its property and calls...
of continuing Congregationalists: the Congregational Federation, the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches and the Fellowship of Independent...
The word Free in the Evangelical Free Church's name refers to its congregationalpolity, meaning each member church is autonomous, and to its history, meaning...
is composed of 30 articles and sets forth the principles of Congregational Church polity. It is a new document, not a revision of either the earlier congregationalist...
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