CHAPTER VI PLACE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF CONGREGATIONALISM Congregationalism's The Puritan and Pilgrim of three hundred years ago held certain convictions. These have entered into They have influenced every the unfolding life of the world. denomination of Christians. But in a special and distinct way they have been carried forward and developed by Congregationalism. At the end of the three centuries what shape have those convictions taken? And how do they stand related to the problems of today? The question is vastly more important than many realize. In the easy-going friendliness of our time we often assume that all denominations are alike. In fact, one would suppose from what he occasionally hears that there are no questions left about which judgments can differ, nothing worth standing for. The notion is, of course, false and therefore disastrous. Men are still divided into many types of belief. A large and deplorable group has little belief of any kind. In the interest of that group and of every other it is the duty of a denomination to find its place and to endeavor with fidelity and vigor to fill it. Congregationalism believes that it has such a place and that it is of unique importance. We are now to consider its nature and responsibilities. No Exclusive To Congregationalists have no disposition to appeal to the teaching of the New Testament or the practice of the early church as giving divine sanction to their mode of organization. be sure, they believe their organization is in harmony with that teaching, and that their churches are shaped on the general pattern of those of the first century. But they do not believe that the New Testament was written for the purpose of determining the form of the organization of the church, nor that the external features of early organizations were regarded as especially important. They do not believe that any church" was divinely appointed for all times, countries and stages of civilization." Therefore, Congregationalism makes no exclusive claims. It is not "The Church." It has no monopolies, no copyrights, no barrier walls. It does not believe that the world is to be Congregationalized. It simply believes that certain great principles which it holds will under some form and name control the final shaping of organized Christianity. Good-Will A denomination which thus thinks about itself and others ought to show a spirit of good-will. Congregationalism has done so. Speaking of the English Church and the faith which he personally had found in it, toward the end of his life John Robinson declared, "I esteem so many in that church as are truly partakers of that faith (as I account many thousands to be) for my Christian brethren. . . . I have always, in spirit and affection, all Christian fellowship and communion with them, and am most ready . . . to express the same." When Congregationalists met in National Council in 1865 in order to make perfectly evident that we hold "the several households" of "the one catholic church," "though called by different names," to be" the one body of Christ," they said, "recognizing the unity of the Church of Christ in all the world," and acknowledging " that we are but one branch of Christ's people, we extend to all believers the hand of Christian Fellowship." The constitution adopted by the National Council of 1871 had this statement: "We especially desire in prosecuting the work of evangelizing our own land and the world, to observe the common and sacred law, that in the wide field of the world's evangelism we do our work in friendly cooperation with all those who love and serve our common Lord." And the Council Creed of 1913 says, "While affirming the liberty of our churches and the validity of our ministry, we hold to the unity and catholicity of the church of Christ, and will unite with all its branches in hearty cooperation; and will earnestly seek, so far as in us lies, that the prayer of our Lord for his disciples may be answered, that they all may be one." Friendly Deeds Those are fine words which have just been quoted. How about deeds? From the beginning we have striven to cooperate with all branches of the church so far as they would let us. We have not only cherished" the holy catholic church" as an ideal, but we have tried to give it reality. In all union movements such as the American Bible Society, the Y.M.C.A., the Y.W.C.A., the Student Volunteer Movement, the Missionary Education Movement, the Laymen's Missionary Movement and hundreds of like sort, we have taken an eager share. Our National Council is most cordially and intimately related to the great federation of denominations known as the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Our state conferences are doing their utmost to promote close relations between denominations and to do away with the over-churching of small communities. Again and again we have given up our technical rights in order to further the cause of cooperation. It is not too much to say that Congregationalism "is willing to lose and often has lost members and prestige in order to be fraternal." As an expression of the same spirit our churches almost universally welcome to the communion table all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. We hold that along the whole line of church relations the obligations of neighborliness are in full force. Prophets of Unity ther. Ever since the possibility of Congregationalism has gone still furadvancing toward the organic union of denominations arose it has worked toward that end. Some years ago prolonged and earnest effort was put forth to bring about a union with the United Brethren and the Methodist Protestant denominations. The failure to secure it is not to be charged to our fault, certainly not to theirs. It was due simply to the fact that the world had not quite reached the point where such a step was feasible. Recently the Protestant Episcopal Church has made the proposal that representatives of all denominations meet to consider questions of Faith and Order. Congregationalists have cordially responded to the proposals. They do this not because they have any more liking for Episcopacy than they ever had, but because they believe the proposal sensible and sincere. A like welcome is sure to be given to any proposal which looks toward the coming unity of Christ's Church. Unwilling to But all this does not mean that Congregationalists are ready to abandon their convictions for the sake of unity. They do not see how it will promote the Kingdom of God for the de nomination which believes in fraternity to leave the field to those which are conspicuous for sectarianism. The Congregational denomination holds that it can best serve the cause of all denominations by being loyal to its own ideals. If it is to help bring the denominations together it must develop strength for the task. Such results are not wrought by weakness. Many a form of bigotry has enlisted whole-hearted devotion. How much more should breadth of view and regard for others command it. More than ever, therefore, Congregational leaders are calling for a strong denominational consciousness. It is not a movement toward sectarianism. It is a call to take our place faithfully in the total structure of Christian organization. The sectarian spirit emphasizes peculiarities as a ground for suspicion and separation. Congregationalism desires to be peculiar only in putting supreme emphasis upon the chief truths and duties which constitute Christianity. Congregationalists hold with one of their great thinkers, the late Dr. R. W. Dale of Birmingham, England, that, "The only adequate justification of what is distinct and characteristic in the creed or polity of any particular Christian community is the desire to assert in the most effective form the truths in which all Christian communities agree." Central Convictions Considerable space has been given to the attitude of Congregationalism toward other bodies. This was necessary because the theme has so fundamental a place in its thought. We now consider the convictions around which Congregationalism centers. It must be borne in mind that these are not claimed as its peculiar and exclusive possession. Some of them are held by the Church universal. Others are shared |