Holiness Family Churches
Christian and Missionary Alliance
General Notes
The Christian and Missionary Alliance grew out of the work of Albert
Benjamin Simpson, a Presbyterian minister. Simpson left the Presbyterian Church
and began an independent ministry that was both evangelistic and missionary in
character. In 1887 two groups he founded united as The Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
Simpson preached a simple doctrine, usually referred to as the four-fold
gospel¾Christ
as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. The Christian and Missionary
Alliance was among the first of the holiness churches to emphasize the role of
spiritual healing in the Christian life.
Specific Religious Practices
Special religious times are Sunday, Easter, Good Friday, and Christmas.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are viewed as sacraments.
Understanding of Healing
Anointing for healing is practiced. Medical science is seen as a gift from
God and encouraged.
Reproductive Issues
Birth control, sterility testing, and family planning are the choice of the
individual. Artificial insemination is opposed.
Abortion
Abortion is accepted only in the case of the mother’s life being in danger.
Life is seen as beginning at conception.
End of Life Issues/Terminal Care
Prolonging life in terminal cases is seen as the decision of the individual.
Euthanasia is opposed.
Transplantation/Organ Donation
There are no objections.
Autopsies/Care of the Body
Autopsy is accepted. Burial in the ground is encouraged and cremation is
discouraged.
Membership
In 1991, membership in the United States was 267,853.
Church Of God (Anderson, Indiana)
Daniel Warner organized the Church of God as part of the Holiness movement.
He became an ardent advocate of sanctification as a second work of grace.
Warner argued that sanctification led to an identification of the invisible
church with the visible church, the concrete embodiment of the spiritual body
of Christ.
The new Church of God was organized in 1880. It has no creed but follows the
holiness theological consensus. It affirms the inspiration of Scripture, the
Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, sin,
repentance, and atonement in Christ. There is a distinctive eschatology. While
the members look for the second coming of Christ, they hold that it has no
connection with a millennial reign. The kingdom of God is here and now. There
will be a judgment day with reward for the righteous and punishment for the
wicked.
Three ordinances (rather than sacraments) are commonly practiced: Baptism,
the Lord's Supper, and footwashing. Baptism is by immersion. Footwashing is
usually practiced on Holy Thursday by separate groups of men and women. These
symbolic acts are seen as highlights of a Christian life of stewardship and
high moral and ethical conduct. Spiritual healing is practiced, as is tithing.
The church uses a congregational form of government, seeing that as a form
that allows only the authority of God to operate.
Membership
In 1992, total membership was 215,496.
Church Of God In Christ
The precursor of The Church of God in Christ, the Church of Christ
(Holiness) U.S.A., was established in 1894 in Jackson, Mississippi by Charles
H. Mason and C. P. Jones. Jones convinced Mason that he did not yet have the
fullness of the Holy Spirit, for, if he did, he would have the power to heal
the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead. He also heard of the meetings of
an early group at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, went there, was baptized in the
Spirit and spoke in tongues.
In August, 1908, the new doctrine and experience was presented to the
representatives of the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. convention. At a
meeting of those who accepted Pentecostalism, a General Assembly of the Church
of God in Christ was organized. The Church of God in Christ was organized in an
ascending hierarchy of overseer (pastor), state overseer, and general overseer.
Upon the death of Mason in 1961, there was a series of controversies and
structural reorganizations. Authority came to be vested in a general assembly
meeting every four years, with a general board of twelve and a presiding bishop
to conduct administration between meetings of the general assembly.
Doctrine is similar to that of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. The group
believes in the Trinity, holiness, healing, and the return of Christ before the
millennium. Three ordinances are recognized: Baptism by immersion, the Lord's
Supper, and footwashing.
Membership
In 1987, membership in the United States was 3,000,000.
Church of the Nazarene
General Notes
Members of the Holiness movement came to the conclusion that they needed
churches of their own. Independent congregations and associations sprung up.
Later they sought to join others in mergers and the Church of the Nazarene was
one of the resulting groups, founded in 1908. At first it was called
“Pentecostal” but that was later dropped to avoid confusion with groups
centering on glossolalia.
The Church of the Nazarene sees itself as firmly Wesleyan in doctrine and
practice. The Church has added statements on the plenary inspiration of
Scripture, regeneration, entire sanctification, divine healing, and eschatology
and has changed completely Wesley's article on the Church. The major emphasis
is upon the entire sanctification subsequent to regeneration and the personal
holiness of the believer.
The structure of the Church is a kind of representative government. The
highest lawmaking body is the general assembly, composed equally of ministerial
and lay delegates. The local church calls its pastor and conducts its own
affairs in accordance with general assembly guidelines.
Specific Religious Practices
Special religious times are Sunday, Easter, Christmas, Holy Week, Lent, and
Thanksgiving. Baptism and Communion may be administered publicly or privately.
Babies or fetuses are not baptized. A dying adult is not baptized. An adult is
saved by faith, and a child is saved because of not yet being accountable.
Understanding of Healing
God hears prayers from his people and that, combined with the faith of the
individual, can lead to direct healing by God. Divine healing with human help
can occur by anointing with oil, prayer, and the giving of a promise from the
Bible. This may be combined with medical and surgical help. Healing can also
occur through normal medical treatment.
Reproductive Issues
Genetics that would involve “breeding” is opposed. Artificial insemination
by an anonymous donor is opposed because of the donor’s abandonment of his
responsibility to see that his children are raised in a Christian setting.
Adoption is encouraged as an alternative. Birth control and sterility testing
are accepted.
Abortion
There is objection to abortion on demand.
End of Life Issues/Terminal Care
Prolonging of life with no hope of return to self-sustained life should be
abandoned after a short time. Euthanasia is forbidden, since no one has a right
to kill a patient, regardless of the relationship.
Transplantation/Organ
Donation
No stance is taken, but there is concern for justice and equity.
Autopsies/Care of the Body
Services are usually held in the church, with restrictions as to who may be
buried through the church or by its ministers. Term stillborn infants are
buried. Autopsy is acceptable.
Special Treatment Issues (Blood,
drugs, dietary, etc.)
There is a strong objection to the use of alcohol or tobacco in any form.
Membership
In 1996, membership in the United States was 608,008.
~~~~~~~~~~
Comments received:
In your summary of
the Church of the Nazarene you made the statement that "babies and
fetuses" are not baptized. While this is true for fetuses, it misses the
mark a bit concerning babies. In actuality, the denomination allows for infant
baptism. This is a part of our common Methodist and Anglican heritage. It is
certainly not used as often as adult baptism, but it is an option that is
chosen by many parents, particularly those who come from a "mainline"
background.
Furthermore,
it should be noted that the church also allows the mode of baptism (sprinkling,
pouring, immersion) to be chosen by the candidate…
~~~~~~~~~~
The statement is made that the Church of the Nazarene teaches: "An adult is saved by faith, and a child is saved because of not yet being accountable."
This is erroneous as printed. The Nazarene position, as stated in our Articles of Faith, is that all who are saved are saved by grace--a grace rooted in Christ's atonement for the sins of all people. Specifically, we affirm the reality of prevenient grace. We believe that infants who die before the age of personal accountability for their sins are saved through Christ's prevenient grace. For those who have reached the age of accountability, however, we believe that faith (understood as trust) in Christ is the vehicle through which saving grace is communicated to sinners....
I have been unable to find any statements
regarding artificial insemination in the denomination's Manual, which is its
only official guide to denomination-wide policy. I have checked every Manual
back through the one issued in 1985. While your statement may represent the
sentiments of some Nazarenes, I have no reason to believe that they represent an
official position, or even a majority position. The information about adoption
and birth control/sterility testing is correct, however.
Section on Transplant/Organ Donation. Your information here is out of date.
The 2001 General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene passed a resolution that
has been added to the church Manual that specifically asks members of the
denomination to consider organ donation through living trusts and wills. The
resolution also calls for a distribution of organs in a manner that is ethically
fair and just.
Stan Ingersol
Nazarene Archives
singersol@nazarene.org
~~~~~~~~~~
Salvation Army
General Notes
The Salvation Army is organized on a military model. Officers, male and
female, are the ministers of the Church. The Army focuses on love of God and
dedication to human needs. Ministry is dedicated to both preaching the Gospel
and supplying the needs of others. It offers personal counseling, spiritual
renewal, and physical rehabilitation. Aid is offered regardless of the
recipient’s religious affiliation.
Members see themselves as a disciplined, dedicated core of Christians
seeking to carry out the work of Christ in the worldóquite
literally an army bringing salvation.
The doctrine is Wesleyan. The Army also stresses that it is the privilege of
believers to be "wholly sanctified." Unique is their approach to
sacraments. Baptism and Communion are not considered necessary either for
salvation or spiritual growth. Rather, all of life, the proclamation of the
Gospel, and ministry in Christ’s name are seen as sacraments.
The social program of the Army has become one of the most far-reaching of
any church organization. It includes feeding and housing the homeless, disaster
relief, alcohol and drug rehabilitation, youth camps and programs, senior
citizen camps and programs, hospital and prison visitation, and support for
unwed mothers.
Specific Religious Practices
Holy days are Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday, Easter.
Understanding of Healing
Faith healing is seen as possible but there are no special healing services
and it is left to the discretion of the individual.
Reproductive Issues
No position on genetics. Birth control, sterility testing are accepted.
There is no position on artificial insemination.
Abortion
Acceptable to save the life or health of the mother. Abortion on demand is
opposed.
End of Life Issues/Terminal Care
Prolonging of life is not required. Euthanasia is not acceptable.
Transplantation/Organ Donation
There are no restrictions.
Autopsies/Care of the Body
Autopsy is acceptable. The fetus may be buried at the discretion of the
family. Stillborn infants are buried.
Membership
In 1995, membership in the United States was 453,150.
The Wesleyan Church
The Wesleyan Church was formed in 1968 by the merger of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church and Pilgrim Holiness Church. The Wesleyan Methodist church had
been formed in 1843 by ministers and laymen who withdrew from the Methodist
Church during the height of the slavery controversy. The Pilgrim Holiness
Church grew out of the holiness movement of the late nineteenth century. It was
established as a completely Wesleyan movement with emphases on holiness,
healing the sick, the premillennial coming of Christ, and evangelization.
The Wesleyan church has a modified episcopal government headed by the
general superintendent.
Membership
In 1997, membership in the United States was 119,117.
Page was last updated on
07/20/02