ROMANS 14.5 Religion in Early American Life

The Colonial experience influenced religion as much as it did politics and philosophy.  In New England, the idea that Churches should be independent just like towns grew quickly.  As the idea of local body autonomy grew, so did denominations like Congregationalism and Evangelist movements.

Religion in Early American Life However, not all American churches submitted to the idea of local autonomy, especially in the South.  The Anglican Church (eventually Episcopal) was quite strong in the South  The Presbyterian Movement also grew rapidly.  Methodism is the great surprise, though.

Religion in Early American Life We will look at five key denominations in the American colonial experience. Methodism  Had its roots here in the Colonies.  John and Charles Wesley were missionaries in the Georgia colony.  Their time in Georgia was not pleasant– John hated it and Charles got jilted.

Religion in Early American Life Methodism.  Bu their time in Georgia did convince them that the Church lacked structure and needed forms.  So they developed the “Method” for church service.  The Methodists began at Oxford, as a group of ‘Bible Bigots”– devoting time to prayer and devotions.

Religion in Early American Life Methodism  This young group of students believed that the Church should devote time to specific tasks.  They also believed in a Method for the Church:  They understood Christianity to be composed of;\  Justification  Sanctification  Holiness in daily living.  The Wesleys adapted Moravian ideals of humility and justification by faith as a central doctrine.

Religion in Early American Life Methodism  The Church had humble beginnings in the US– in 1774 there were only a handful of Methodists, but by 1792 there were almost 80,000 and one million members by  The Church reached out to lower class people; it found its real growth in England in the mining towns of Cornwall- which led to a long association with coal and tin mining communities.  In the US, Methodism found a home in the South, where it grew enormously, especially in Virginia (and later West Virginia)

Religion in Early American Life Methodists:  Doctrinally, they are less doctrinaire than are the Baptists or Presbyterians.  They emphasize a common form of worship, with local Churches called “Charges.”  Methodists are Arminian in doctrine, believing in free will over the Calvinist idea of predestination.  Wesley believed in the possibility of losing one’s salvation– Apostasy.

Religion in Early American Life Methodism.  Methodists today are not doctrinaire on end time theology, but are largely amillennial in theology.  This is consistent with their interpretive theory– seeing Scripture from an allegorical perspective, rather than a strict literalism.  They are called a Protestant church., but really are the Second Wave, or a Reform Church.

Religion in Early American Life Anglicans, or Episcopals.  This is the Church of England, begun by Henry VIII because he wanted a divorce and the Catholic Church would not grant him one.  He went to Parliament and got himself named “Defender of the Faith” in 1536, at which point he took over the properties of the Catholic Church and created the Anglican Church.  In the US, it became the Episcopal Church, but is still very similar.  Book of Common Prayer is perhaps the most familiar point of Episcopals. They are much more liberal, seeing salvation as a community thing rather than a personal change. Amillennial in theology.

Religion in Early American Life Lutherans. Came to the New World in waves-  Followers of Martin Luther, who famously nailed his 95 criticisms of the Church on the Church Door in Wittenberg in  Lutherans came to the Colonies in 1619 at Hudson Bay, and spread from there.  For a time, they were the largest denomination other than Episcopals.  Lutherans emphasize Grace over Law.

Religion in Early American Life Congregationalists.  These are the most fascinating.  They rebelled against the formalism of the Lutherans, the Anglicans and the Methodists.  They emphasized local autonomy of the Church, which meant they did not have a formal doctrinal statement.  They divided into Church of Christ, Baptists, Charismatics, and Unitarians.  They fought most of the legal battles for Separation of Church and State.