Restorationism refers to a group of Christian movements that arose in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and that sought to return to the early structure and practices of the church. The central belief is that the true Christian faith and church were lost not long after Jesus established them, and it is the duty of believers to restore the early church in doctrine and practice.
The emphasis is on restoring the ecclesiastical structure and function of the early church rather than doctrine, although doctrine is also important. Restorationists believe that the changes and divisions that developed over time, such as the emergence of the Roman Catholic Church and denominations, are not sanctioned by Scripture. They attempt to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone.
There are several key principles shared by Restorationists:
Call to restore the early church
Restorationists believe that over time, the Christian church departed from the doctrines and structure of the New Testament church. They seek to reform the church by returning to the Christianity of the apostles. The vision is to rediscover the original pattern and concepts of the church established by the Apostles and described in the New Testament.
Bible as the sole authority
Restorationists believe that Scripture alone should guide how Christians live and what they believe. They reject any tradition or doctrine not found explicitly in the Bible. The motto of Restorationism is “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
Autonomy of individual congregations
Congregations are self-governing and not controlled by external bodies. Each church is autonomous and governs itself according to the pattern found in Scripture. There is no hierarchical structure overseeing multiple churches.
Names of the church
Restorationists use only biblical names for the church, such as “church of Christ” or “churches of Christ.” Other names including denominational designations are rejected.
No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible
Formal creeds, doctrinal statements, and confessions of faith are rejected in favor of using the Bible alone. The belief is that Jesus Christ alone should be the head of the church, not any human doctrine.
Salvation by grace through faith
Salvation is achieved through faith and obedience in Christ. Good works and moral living are emphasized as the result of salvation, not a prerequisite. Baptism is viewed as essential.
Priesthood of all believers
All Christians are priests who can communicate directly with God without ecclesiastical mediation. There is no priestly class or hierarchical structure, and each Christian is free to interpret Scripture for themselves. However, this freedom is balanced with accountability to the collective church.
Simplicity of worship
Worship is to follow the simplicity and practices described in the New Testament without addition. For example, instrumental music and elaborate rituals are rejected. Singing is a cappella.
Unity of believers
Divisions within the church are believed to be contrary to the unity called for by the Apostle Paul. Restorationists strive for the ideal of all Christians united in Christ. This unity is not organizational but a spiritual unity based on shared faith and practice.
Major Movements within Restorationism
There have been several independent movements that fall under the banner of Restorationism:
Churches of Christ
The Churches of Christ emerged from the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement in the early 20th century. Following the Civil War, controversies over musical instruments in worship led to a formal division between the Churches of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The Churches of Christ hold strictly to biblical authority and the need to abolish denominational divisions. Each congregation is self-governing, with no formal clergy or hierarchy overseeing multiple churches. Baptism by immersion of believers is viewed as essential for salvation. A cappella singing in worship and weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper are standard practices.
There are over 5,000 Churches of Christ worldwide, with the majority located in the United States. Most Christian Church congregations outside the U.S. are affiliated with the Churches of Christ.
Christian churches and churches of Christ
The Christian churches and churches of Christ are a segment of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement that formally organized in the early 20th century. Issues over organizational structure and theological disputes led to a separation from the Churches of Christ and Disciples of Christ.
The Christian churches reject formalized creeds and denominationalism and follow beliefs similar to Churches of Christ theology, such as weekly communion and baptism by immersion. However, they differ in allowing for musical instruments in worship. They also have more flexibility in interpretation of Scripture.
The North American Christian Convention and the International Convention of Christian Churches provide loose affiliations for these churches. There are approximately 1200 congregations.
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren are a conservative, nonconformist Evangelical Christian movement that emerged in Ireland and England in the late 1820s. Seeking to restore early church ideals, the Brethren rejected formal clergy and meet together informally without liturgy, sacraments, or structured worship.
There are two main branches of the Plymouth Brethren. The Open Brethren are less conservative and allow broad fellowship among Christians. The Exclusive Brethren are more strict and separatist. Both groups focus on Bible study, prayer meetings, and informal preaching and communion at their gatherings.
Estimates range between 130,000 to 500,000 Brethren worldwide. They have small congregations spread across many countries, with large numbers in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Africa.
Disciples of Christ (Christian Church)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) originated as part of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement in early 19th century America. Led by Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone, the movement sought to restore unity and “primitive Christianity.”
The Disciples of Christ officially organized as a denomination in the 1960s. They allow for diversity in interpretation of Scripture and freedom of belief. Practices include believer’s baptism by immersion and weekly communion. There is no requirement for a literal reading of Scripture.
In the U.S., there are approximately 400,000 members in 3,000 congregations. The Disciples of Christ claim almost a million members globally in over 40 countries.
Christadelphians
The Christadelphians are a small Christian group founded in the early 19th century by Englishman John Thomas. Key teachings include rejection of the Trinity, belief that Jesus was a created being, and denial of the immortality of the soul.
Salvation to Christadelphians requires faith in Christ, repentance, and baptism by full immersion. They believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and base all doctrines on the text. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated weekly, and there are no clergy. Congregations are self-governing.
There are approximately 50,000 Christadelphians worldwide, spread across 120 countries. The majority of members reside in English-speaking areas.
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian denomination best known for their door-to-door evangelism and distribution of literature. They consider themselves to be the restoration of first-century Christianity.
Beliefs include God’s name being Jehovah, Jesus as God’s Son but not Almighty God, and the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force. They reject concepts like the Trinity and hellfire. Much emphasis is placed on the imminent coming Kingdom of God to Earth.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are structured under a central administrative organization called the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Members number over 8 million worldwide, with operations in 240 lands.
Latter Day Saint Movement (Mormons)
The origins of Mormonism date back to Joseph Smith in the 1820s. Smith claimed to restore original Christianity and claimed to receive revelations leading him to sacred texts like the Book of Mormon.
Key Mormon beliefs include God having a physical body, rejection of the Trinity, baptism of the dead, potential deification of man, and Jesus and Satan being spirit brothers. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is the predominant Mormon denomination.
There are over 16 million Mormons worldwide. Most members are concentrated in the United States, though growth in South America and parts of Africa has been rapid.
Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement
The Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement emerged in the early 19th century under leaders like Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell. It was a unity movement that sought to restore the practices of the New Testament church. Multiple Christian groups developed from this movement, including the Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Christian churches and churches of Christ.
Early features of the Movement included weekly communion, baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins, and rejection of all creedal formulations. There was no formal church organization above the congregational level. Despite shared origins and some beliefs, the various groups that emerged have diverged significantly.
Adventism
Adventism is a Protestant Christian movement that began in the 19th century United States. Followers emphasized the imminent Second Coming (or “Advent”) of Jesus Christ. The various Adventist groups emerged out of the Millerite movement led by William Miller, a Baptist preacher who predicted Christ’s return between 1843 to 1844.
When Christ failed to return, followers like Ellen White reinterpreted the meaning. Seventh-day Adventists formed and adopted practices like keeping the Sabbath on Saturday. Other Adventist offshoots dissented on issues like the Trinity doctrine. There are at least 50 distinct Adventist denominations worldwide, with nearly 22 million adherents.
Key Figures in the Restoration Movement
John Wycliffe
John Wycliffe (1320s – 1384) was a forerunner of the Reformation who criticized doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church and translated the New Testament into English. He emphasized preaching and the authority of Scripture. Many Restorationists saw his teachings as presaging a restoration of early church ideals.
Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell (1788–1866) was a key early leader of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement in the U.S. He focused on restoring the structures and practices of the primitive New Testament church. Along with Barton Stone, he founded the Disciples of Christ. Many Churches of Christ trace their origins to Campbell.
Barton Stone
Barton Stone (1772–1844) was, along with Alexander Campbell, one of the founders of the American Restoration Movement. He and others established the Springfield Presbytery in Kentucky in the early 1800s, which sought to promote unity beyond denominational creeds. Out of this came “Christians” or Stone-Campbell churches.
Walter Scott
Walter Scott (1796–1861) helped shape the American Restoration Movement alongside Campbell and Stone. Scott’s studies of Acts 2:38 led him to preach baptism for the remission of sins. This influenced Campbell and many early Restorationist churches on the essential nature of immersion baptism.
James O’Kelly
James O’Kelly (1735–1826) was an early advocate of restoring primitive Christianity in America. In 1792, he left the Methodist church over issues like bishops and elders. His followers became known as “Christian Church,” and adopted informal worship and doctrinal freedom.
William Miller
William Miller (1782-1849) was a farmer turned Baptist preacher who predicted the literal, physical second coming of Christ in 1843-1844. After the “Great Disappointment” when it didn’t occur, remnants of his followers established the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith (1805-1844) founded Mormonism in 1830 after publishing the Book of Mormon, which he claimed was based on golden plates divinely revealed to him. Mormonism claims to restore truths and authority lost after early Christianity fell into apostasy after the death of the apostles.
Ellen White
Ellen White (1827-1915) was one of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism and viewed as a prophetess. She emphasized Saturday Sabbath and promoted vegetarianism, abolitionism and abstinence from alcohol and tobacco, which became church standards.
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
This nonprofit corporation founded in the 1880s oversees doctrinal matters and evangelical activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Headquarters are located in Warwick, New York. All Jehovah’s Witnesses answer to the directives and rules set by the Watch Tower Society.
Relationship to Protestantism
Restorationism has origins closely tied to Protestantism but differs in key ways:
– Restorationists see mainstream Protestantism as part of a larger apostasy or falling away from true Christianity. Most Protestant churches are considered corruptions of New Testament faith.
– Whereas Protestants generally accept traditions not explicitly laid out in Scripture, Restorationists strictly limit doctrine and teaching to what is found explicitly in the Bible.
– Restorationists aim to literally restore early church forms, governance, and worship as found in Scripture. Protestant reformers focused more on doctrine and limiting papal authority.
– Restorationism developed in America as an attempt to transcend Protestant denominationalism by returning to a primitive form of Christianity, whereas Protestantism originated in Europe.
So while there are many commonalities with Protestant beliefs, Restorationists see themselves as a more complete or fulfilled reformation that goes beyond mere protest and reform.
Criticisms & Challenges
Restorationist movements have faced criticisms on theological and historical grounds:
– Claims of restoring an exact early church replica are implausible given the limited historical records from the first century AD and differences across early church communities.
– Belief in a complete and sudden apostasy of early Christianity within a couple generations is disputed by scholars. Theological and organizational shifts evolved over centuries.
– Restoring a first century church structure ignores 2,000 years of history and Christianity’s theological development. Relationships between church and state were very different then.
– Restorationists cannot agree on what exactly constitutes the “early church”, with significant differences across their respective practices and governance structures.
– Rigorist attitudes tend to lack historical realism and agility to adapt church practices to changing cultural situations while holding true to foundational doctrines.
– Exclusivist stances viewing their group as only “true” Christians has led to controversies and schisms within Restorationist movements.
Despite these challenges, Restorationism has had a significant impact on Christianity in America and its decentralized congregationalism resonates with Western individualism. Maintaining a connection to historical Christian roots while emphasizing doctrinal and ecclesial simplicity continues to appeal to many.